Monday, September 15, 2014

Easy Ways To Develop Positive Thinking - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories

Easy Ways To Develop Positive Thinking  - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories

Here are some easy ways to develop Positive Thinking in Life. Make sure you follow each step so that you have a sense of positive energy within you.

  • Never respond when you are not calm. If you are not sure that you are calm, don't respond. Take time to calm yourself down first.

  • Take a deep breath as a first step to calm yourself down.

  • Speak in gentle tone to reduce the tension of the situation.

  • Realize that you can find opportunities in negative situations. Albert Einstein said: “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.”

  • Look at the content of what people say to you for something positivethat you can act upon to improve yourself. Don’t just reject the whole messages.

  • For the rest of the messages which is negative, simply ignore it.

  • Maintain positive view of the people. Maybe you don’t like their messages or behaviour, but that doesn't mean that you can hate them personally.

  • Realize that having negative feelings will just hurt you, not them. So there is no reason for you to have any negative feeling.

  • If you make mistakes, be open to admit it.

  • If you make mistakes, remember this quote by George Bernard Shaw: “A life spent making mistakes is not only more honourable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.”

  • If you can, listen to motivational audio program to feed positive thoughts into your mind.

  • Talk to a positive friend who can encourage you.



Here are some of the quotes that you should remember whenever you are feeling low


At Any Time We Suffer Pain In our Life
We Have To always Remember The Full Form of Pain
That Is Positive Attitude In Negative Situation.




  • If you’re searching for that one person that will change your life, take a look in the mirror.

  • Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much as your own unguarded thoughts -Buddha


  • Don’t raise your voice …Improve your argument .

  • You don’t have to pray to attract great things, because great things are attracted to you already . Pray that you won’t throw them away once they get here .


  • The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.~ William Arthur Ward


  • Everything is either an opportunity to learn an grow to an obstacle that keeps you stuck You get to choose.


  • Don’t let the shadow of your past eclipse the brightness of your future .

It doesn't matter for how long the room has been dark; for a day, or a week, or a year, or for ten thousand years. The moment you bring in a candle; darkness vanishes like it was never there. Similarly, it doesn’t matter for how long we are stuck in a sense of our limitations. The moment you decide to break free, nothing will stop you…



Saturday, September 13, 2014

The Motivational Story of Sylvester Stallone - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories

Sylvester Stallone - From Nobody to a Super Duper Star


This is one of the MOST MOTIVATIONAL life stories I have come across.

Sylvester Stallone is one the most famous American Movie stars.. With characters like Rocky and Rambo he is a household name in the hearts of millions.



The Motivational Story of Sylvester Stallone - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories
The Motivational Story of Sylvester Stallone - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories



During birth, a wrong gynaecological procedure caused Stallone to have one sided paralysis.
At school, his middle class being and his facial paralysis became a think for others to make fun off.

He joined body-building because he wanted to frighten those who bullied him.

Slowly he started thinking of a career in movies.

While struggling to get a role, he even started in a soft-core porn movie.

Around 1974, he had a pregnant wife, a dog that he loved a lot, a lot of bills to pay and no success in his movie career.

What he still had was a belief in his dream that he will make it big.

Soon a time came when he went broke. He was heavily under debt. Restless, anxious, stressed and still loaded with hope that he will make it big.

Things got so bad that he had sell his wife’s jewellery and ended homeless. Sleeping at the New York Bus station for 3 days.

The cold American winter forced him to choose between electricity and his dog. He stood outside a local store and sold his dog for $25.

Two weeks later, on TV he watched a boxing match between Mohammed Ali and Chuck Wepner.

That match was like a flash of divine inspiration… For the next 20 hours he sat and wrote the script of what today is a cult movie, ROCKY.

In the words of Stallone himself, “After nearly 1500 rejections”, he got a production house to offer $125,000 for the script.

Despite the poverty, pains, pregnant wife and lost dog… His dream was to STAR in the movie has the MAIN LEAD.

In an era when hero’s were common man and spoke fluently, a body builder with a facial paralysis that made him stammer while speaking.. Made Stallone the wrong choice for any role.

The studio Bluntly rejected his offer… And Stallone went back home with another failure.
A few weeks later,the studio offered him $250,000 for the just the script, and not him.
He refused.

Soon they offered $350,000 for the script but not him.

At that time everyone was pushing him to accept.. It would be MAD not to do so.. He was making a fortune. He still refused.

Someone in the studio really loved his script, and as fortune favors the brave.. They finally accepted to $35,000 for the script and him as the lead star.

The rest as they say is history!


The Motivational Story of Sylvester Stallone - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories
The Motivational Story of Sylvester Stallone - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories


The movie was made for $1 million and went to make around $200 million.

It won the Oscar for Best Picture, Best Directing and Best Film Editing.

Stallone was a “bankable” hero for the next 20 years, till the late 90’s… with his movies having made billions of dollars.

And what did he do with the first $35,000?

He stood outside the liquor store were he sold his dog for 3 days. Identified the man who had bought it, and finally got him back for $15,000.




MORAL 


NEVER LET THE HOPE GO AWAY. NEVER STOP DREAMING.
KNOW WHAT YOU ARE CAPABLE OFF…
DON’T DREAM SOMETHING THAT’S ABSURD.. HAVE A REALISTIC DREAM BASED ON WHAT YOU CAN DO.
MAKE SURE ITS A VALID DREAM… AND THEN BELIEVE IN THE DREAM.
LOVE THE DREAM.
LOVE YOURSELF FOR THE DREAM.
TIMES WILL BE BAD.. REALLY BAD…
YOU MIGHT BE WITHOUT A JOB.
YOU MIGHT BE LIVING ON CREDIT CARDS.
YOUR RELATIONSHIPS MIGHT BE DESTROYED.
YOUR LOVED ONES MIGHT WALK AWAY FORM YOUR LIFE.
PEOPLE WILL MAKE FUN OF YOU.
YOU CAN GET EVERYTHING BACK… JOB, FAMILY, FRIENDS, RESPECT.. BUT BELIEVE IN YOURSELF AND YOUR CAPACITIES.

The Motivational Story of Sylvester Stallone - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories
The Motivational Story of Sylvester Stallone - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories


And In The Words  of  ROCKY BALBOA –

“Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!”
― Sylvester Stallone, Rocky Balboa


Wednesday, August 13, 2014

The Beauty of Patience - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories

The Beauty of Patience - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories


Every job is a challenging one. But we have to have patience and a cool head to succeed in real life. Here is the story of a salesman who achieved something which he never expected to achieve.

There was a salesman called Ramesh in Kerala, a state in the southern part of India. He was honest, polite and hard working. It was the month of June (start of monsoon in Kerala) when he got his first assignment in his new office. 

He was given the a list of people whom he has to approach and sell the product.
Surprisingly he realized that the list is full of local Kerelean laundry owners. He got scared and thought he won’t be able to achieve the desired target. He approached his senior Monty but got not much help. So he went back to his desk, thought for a moment and accepted the challenge as he had no other option.

The next day he started approaching the laundry owners and within 15 days he got some really nice response. Almost 80% of them purchased his product but in credit and everyone promised to pay him off within the next 15 days. He was very happy as he knew that his job is almost done! So was his senior Monty. 

But he didn’t knew that the next one month was going to be tougher than what he was thinking of.
On the last week of June amidst heavy showers he started visiting the laundry owner’s place to collect money. Upon visiting half of them he realized he has collected not a single penny. And the same trend continued for the next 7 days. He was frustrated, demoralized, impatient and so was his senior Monty.

The Beauty of Patience - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories
The Beauty of Patience - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories


Ramesh explained everything to Monty including peculiar behaviour he noted amongst the laundry owners – whenever he knocked the owners, they used to look at the sky before asking him to come the next day. Listening this his senior smiled once and said that he is ‘on track’ and will soon get some good results. He never realized for once what his payment has to do with the sky!

After almost 14 days, on a bright sunny Monday morning he started visiting the laundry owners once again. Though it was the monsoon season it didn't rain heavily for the last three days. 

Suddenly by noon Ramesh realized that he has collected the payments from almost 50% of the owners which was almost unbelievable.


He worked hard through out the day and by the day end he had completed 90% of his target for June and July. He was very happy and so was his senior. By month end he went on to become the ‘star performer’ for the month of June, July and was handed over the letter of confirmation by the management. It was like a roller coaster ride for him.


Yet he wondered what the sky has to do with the payment. Why the laundry owners used to look at the sky and tell him to come the next day? To solve this mystery he went to a laundry owner and asked the same question. 

The owner laughed at him and said “Son this is the month of monsoon and we have to wash the clothes, dry them off, iron them before handing them off to the customers.


The Beauty of Patience - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories
The Beauty of Patience - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories


Now if the sun doesn't shine how can we dry our clothes, earn money to pay you?”. Ramesh recollected his memories and smiled at the owner and realized that it was his patience and endurance that kept him going and ultimately helped him achieve the pinnacle of success. It’s the motivation and the diligence that converts into fruitful results.




Like Ramesh everyone of us should realize that apart from being a honest hard worker if we can keep our patience and wait for our turn to come, we are inching towards the ladder of success!



Saturday, August 9, 2014

The Best Quotes by Mark Twain - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories

The Best Quotes by Mark Twain - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories


Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist. He wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885), the latter often called "the Great American Novel."

Here are some of the best quotes by Mark Twain.

1. “Go to Heaven for the climate, Hell for the company.”

2. “Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please.”

3. “It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt.”

4. “Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.”

5. “Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.”

6. “Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I know because I’ve done it thousands of times.”

7. “Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; Truth isn’t.”

8. “In the first place, God made idiots. That was for practice. Then he made school boards.”

9 .“A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way.”

10. “Action speaks louder than words but not nearly as often.”

11. “Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.”

12. “The lack of money is the root of all evil.”

13. “If the world comes to an end, I want to be in Cincinnati. Everything comes there ten years later.”

14. “All generalizations are false, including this one.”

15. “There are lies, damned lies and statistics.”

16. “It is by the goodness of God that in our country we have those three unspeakably precious things: freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, and the prudence never to practice either of them.”

17. “To succeed in life, you need two things: ignorance and confidence.”

18. “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And If it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.”

19. “I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it.

20. “Never put off  till tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.”

21. “The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right.”

22. “Work is a necessary evil to be avoided.”

23. “Classic: A book which people praise and don’t read.”

24. “Let us make a special effort to stop communicating with each other, so we can have some conversation.”

25. “Familiarity breeds contempt – and children.”

26. “My books are like water; those of the great geniuses are wine. (Fortunately) everybody drinks water.”

27. “Why is it that we rejoice at a birth and grieve at a funeral? It is because we are not the person involved.”

28. “When I was younger I could remember anything, whether it happened or not.”

29. “Part of the secret of a success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside.”

30. “Only kings, presidents, editors, and people with tapeworms have the right to use the editorial ‘we.’”

31. “The human race is a race of cowards; and I am not only marching in that procession but carrying a banner.”

32. “The Public is merely a multiplied ‘me.’”

33. “Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.”

34. It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog.



Thursday, August 7, 2014

The Best Quotes by Zig Ziglar - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories

The Best Quotes by Zig Ziglar - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories

Hilary Hinton "Zig" Ziglar (November 6, 1926 – November 28, 2012) was an American author, salesman, and motivational speaker. 
Zig Ziglar, the motivational speaker who has galvanized audiences around the world and written more than a dozen perennially popular books, brings that same unbounded energy and clarity of vision to this candid, inspiring account of his own life and the forces that shaped it.

Here are some of his most popular quotes. Read them and get inspired, motivated and loved !!!


Zig Ziglar on success:


“Success is not a destination, it’s a journey.” — Zig Ziglar


“It’s not what happens to you that determines how far you will go in life; it is how you handle what happens to you.” — Zig Ziglar


“I believe that being successful means having a balance of success stories across the many areas of your life. 
You can’t truly be considered successful in your business life if your home life is in shambles.” — Zig Ziglar


“Success is the maximum utilization of the ability that you have.” — Zig Ziglar

“Money isn’t the most important thing in life, but it’s reasonably close to oxygen on the “gotta have it” scale.” — Zig Ziglar

“Success is the doing, not the getting; in the trying, not the triumph. Success is a personal standard, reaching for the highest that is in us, becoming all that we can be. If we do our best, we are a success.” — Zig Ziglar


Zig Ziglar on working hard:


“There is little you can learn from doing nothing.” — Zig Ziglar

“Motivation gets you going and habit gets you there.” — Zig Ziglar

“The greatest of all mistakes is to do nothing because you think you can only do a little.” — Zig Ziglar

“There are no traffic jams on the extra mile.” — Zig Ziglar

“When you are tough on yourself, life is going to be infinitely easier on you.” — Zig Ziglar

“Every success is built on the ability to do better than good enough.” — Zig Ziglar

“Everybody says they want to be free. Take the train off the tracks and it’s free-but it can’t go anywhere.” — Zig Ziglar


Zig Ziglar on kindness and friendship:


“If you go looking for a friend, you’re going to find they’re scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you’ll find them everywhere.” — Zig Ziglar

“You will get all you want in life, if you help enough other people get what they want.” — Zig Ziglar

“Be helpful. When you see a person without a smile, give them yours.” — Zig Ziglar

“Among the things you can give and still keep are your word, a smile, and a grateful heart.” — Zig Ziglar

“You never know when a moment and a few sincere words can have an impact on a life.”

“The way you see people is the way you treat them.” — Zig Ziglar

“Every obnoxious act is a cry for help.” — Zig Ziglar


Zig Ziglar on motivation:


“People often say motivation doesn’t last. Neither does bathing — that’s why we recommend it daily.” — Zig Ziglar

“Do it, and then you will feel motivated to do it.” — Zig Ziglar

“You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” — Zig Ziglar


“Don’t be distracted by criticism. Remember ~ the only taste of success some people have is when they take a bite out of you.”

“You were born to win, but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win.” — Zig Ziglar


“Outstanding people have one thing in common: an absolute sense of mission” — Zig Ziglar

“If you can dream it, then you can achieve it.” — Zig Ziglar


Zig Ziglar on attitude:


“You can succeed at almost anything for which you have unbridled enthusiasm.” — Zig Ziglar

“Ask yourself a question: Is my attitude worth catching?” — Zig Ziglar

“Life is too short to spend your precious time trying to convince a person who wants to live in gloom and doom otherwise. Give lifting that person your best shot, but don’t hang around long enough for his or her bad attitude to pull you down. Instead, surround yourself with optimistic people.” — Zig Ziglar


“Success means doing the best we can with what we have. Success is the doing, not the getting; in the trying, not the triumph. Success is a personal standard, reaching for the highest that is in us, becoming all that we can be.” — Zig Ziglar


“Rich people have small TVs and big libraries, and poor people have small libraries and big TVs.” — Zig Ziglar


“You are what you are and you are where you are because of what has gone into your mind. You change what you are and you change where you are by changing what goes into your mind.” — Zig Ziglar


Zig Ziglar on character:


“If you’re sincere, praise is effective. If you’re insincere, it’s manipulative.” — Zig Ziglar

“You cannot perform in a manner inconsistent with the way you see yourself.” — Zig Ziglar

“The foundation stones for a balanced success are honesty, character, integrity, faith, love and loyalty.” — Zig Ziglar

“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” — Zig Ziglar

“Make today worth remembering.” — Zig Ziglar

“Every choice you make has an end result.” — Zig Ziglar


Zig Ziglar on happiness:


“Happiness is not pleasure, it is victory.” — Zig Ziglar

“If standard of living is your major objective, quality of life almost never improves, but if quality of life is your number one objective, your standard of living almost always improves.” — Zig Ziglar

“Duty makes us do things well, but love makes us do them beautifully.” — Zig Ziglar

“The more you are grateful for what you have the more you will have to be grateful for” — Zig Ziglar



Zig Ziglar on failure:


“If you don’t see yourself as a winner, then you cannot perform as a winner.” — Zig Ziglar

“Failure is an event not a person” — Zig Ziglar

“The chief cause of failure and unhappiness is trading what you want most for what you want right now” — Zig Ziglar


“Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four hour days.” — Zig Ziglar

“If you learn from defeat, you haven’t really lost.” — Zig Ziglar

“Sometimes adversity is what you need to face in order to become successful.” — Zig Ziglar


Tuesday, August 5, 2014

The Power of Positive Thinking - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories

The Power of Positive Thinking - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories




The Power of Positive Thinking - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories
The Power of Positive Thinking - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories


Positive thinking is a mental attitude that admits into the mind thoughts, words and images that are conductive to growth, expansion and success. It is a mental attitude that expects good and favourable results. A positive mind anticipates happiness, joy, health and a successful outcome of every situation and action. Whatever the mind expects, it finds.

Many have heard it said that another person cannot make you happy. The happiness will come from within you. Being confident is a choice and it will produce positive emotions. There has been much research done on being in a positive state. It will produce a sense of well-being and has even proven to have multiple health benefits. Successful living today being positive will change your life.

The way that someone feels about themselves shows in the way they act. They always find funny things in everyday life that makes them and others happy. There is joy and cheerfulness that just rubs off on the people who are around them. The way they feel shows in their life because they are more relaxed and sleep better at night. They are not only physically assured but mentally as well. Most people have a spiritual connection that gives them the confident mindset in life.

People who have a confident mindset take full advantage of their work force. They go in everyday with a smile on their face and the confidence that they have the ability to handle anything that comes their way. Their ability to take responsibility and not to blame others when something goes wrong shows that they have a handle on life. Negative emotions have no place with them on their way to success.

Confidence is so much better than looking back and thinking of what could have been. Confident people are ones that you want to be around because they make the most of the present and look forward to the future. They are in awe of the beauty of nature and good things around them.

This behaviour comes from choosing the atmosphere that one is around. It is best to surround yourself with assured people that are upbeat and thinking good thoughts. Try to avoid negative news and thinking on unpleasant things. This will be to your advantage in building the blocks in your life of thinking of good wholesome thoughts.


The Power of Positive Thinking - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories
The Power of Positive Thinking - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories


Positive and negative thinking are both contagious.

All of us affect, in one way or another, the people we meet. This happens instinctively and on a subconscious level, through thoughts and feelings transference, and through body language. People sense our aura and are affected by our thoughts, and vice versa. Is it any wonder that we want to be around positive people and avoid negative ones? People are more disposed to help us if we are positive, and they dislike and avoid anyone broadcasting negativity.

Negative thoughts, words and attitude bring up negative and unhappy moods and actions. When the mind is negative, poisons are released into the blood, which cause more unhappiness and negativity. This is the way to failure, frustration and disappointment.


The Power of Positive Thinking - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories
The Power of Thinking - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories

Becoming a Positive Example to All

Being positive, doing the right things and thinking the right things will produce the kind of behaviour that is an example to all. It will be an encouragement to those around you and an example that they can follow. Watching your confident living will help those with negative tendencies to change the way they think. If it changes the course of their lives you have done a great thing. Being careful of the things we say also will manifest how we act. Our conversation should be complimentary and uplifting.

Being tolerant of others is another advantage of being confident. We will not always be treated in the manner that is right. We are not responsible for the negative way that people treat us, but we are responsible for how we react to it. A positive person will realize that sometimes people are a product of their environment. Maybe they didn't have all of the advantages that you did. The right thing to do is to act in a positive way.

It is always positive to think of others. Contributing in positive ways leads to an eternal happiness.


Original Article on : WISHBOWL


Saturday, August 2, 2014

I've Learned - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories

I've Learned - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories



I've learned-
that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is be someone who can be loved. The rest is up to them.

I've learned-
that no matter how much I care, some people just don’t care back.

I've learned-
that it takes years to build up trust, and only seconds to destroy it.


I've learned-
that no matter how good a friend is, they’re going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.


I've learned-
that it’s not what you have in your life but who you have in your life that counts.


I've learned-
that you should never ruin an apology with an excuse.


I've learned-
that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes. After that, you’d better know something.


I've learned-
that you shouldn't compare yourself to the best others can do.


I've learned-
that you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.


I've learned-
that it’s taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.


I've learned-
that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.


I've learned-
that you can keep going long after you can’t.


I've learned-
that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.


I've learned-
that either you control your attitude or it controls you.


I've learned-
that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades and there had better be something else to take its place.


I've learned-
that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.


I've learned-
that money is a lousy way of keeping score.


I've learned-
that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.


I've learned-
that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you’re down will be the ones to help you get back up.


I've learned-
that sometimes when I’m angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.


I've learned-
that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.


I've learned-
that just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to doesn't mean they don’t love you with all they have.


I've learned-
that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.


I've learned-
that you should never tell a child their dreams are unlikely or outlandish. Few things are more humiliating, and what a tragedy it would be if they believed it.


I've learned-
that your family won’t always be there for you. It may seem funny, but people you aren't related to can take care of you and love you and teach you to trust people again. Families aren't biological.


I've learned-
that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you are to learn to forgive yourself.


I've learned-
that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.


I've learned-
that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.


I've learned-
that a rich person is not the one who has the most, but is one who needs the least.


I've learned-
that just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don’t love each other. And just because they don’t argue, it doesn't mean they do.


I've learned-
that we don’t have to change friends if we understand that friends change.


I've learned-
that you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.


I've learned-
that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.


I've learned-
that no matter how you try to protect your children, they will eventually get hurt and you will hurt in the process.


I've learned-
that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.


I've learned-
that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.


I've learned-
that the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.


I've learned-
that it’s hard to determine where to draw the line between being nice and not hurting people’s feelings, and standing up for what you believe.


I've learned-
that people will forget what you said, and people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.


By Omer B. Washington




Friday, August 1, 2014

Nails, Hammer and a Tree - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories

Nails and Hammer - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories


Once upon a time there was a little boy who was talented, creative, handsome, and extremely bright. A natural leader. The kind of person everyone would normally have wanted on their team or project. 

But he was also self-centered and had a very bad temper. When he got angry, he usually said, and often did, some very hurtful things. 

In fact, he seemed to have little regard for those around him. Even friends. So, naturally, he had few. “But,” he told himself, “that just shows how stupid most people are!”

As he grew, his parents became concerned about this personality flaw, and pondered long and hard about what they should do. 

Finally, the father had an idea. And he struck a bargain with his son. He gave him a bag of nails, and a BIG hammer. “Whenever you lose your temper,” he told the boy, “I want you to really let it out. Just take a nail and drive it into the oak boards of that old fence out back. Hit that nail as hard as you can!”

Of course, those weathered oak boards in that old fence were almost as tough as iron, and the hammer was mighty heavy, so it wasn't nearly as easy as it first sounded. Nevertheless, by the end of the first day, the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence (That was one angry young man!). 

Gradually, over a period of weeks, the number dwindled down. Holding his temper proved to be easier than driving nails into the fence! Finally the day came when the boy didn’t lose his temper at all. He felt mighty proud as he told his parents about that accomplishment.

Nails, Hammer and a Tree - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories


“As a sign of your success,” his father responded, “you get to PULL OUT one nail. In fact, you can do that each day that you don’t lose your temper even once.”

Well, many weeks passed. Finally one day the young boy was able to report proudly that all the nails were gone.

At that point, the father asked his son to walk out back with him and take one more good look at the fence. 


“You have done well, my son,” he said. “But I want you to notice the holes that are left. No matter what happens from now on, this fence will never be the same. Saying or doing hurtful things in anger produces the same kind of result. There will always be a scar. It won’t matter how many times you say you’re sorry, or how many years pass, the scar will still be there. And a verbal wound is as bad as a physical one. People are much more valuable than an old fence. They make us smile. They help us succeed. Some will even become friends who share our joys, and support us through bad times. And, if they trust us, they will also open their hearts to us. That means we need to treat everyone with love and respect. We need to prevent as many of those scars as we can.”


A most valuable lesson, don’t you think? And a reminder most of us need from time to time. Everyone gets angry occasionally. The real test is what we DO with it.


If we are wise, we will spend our time building bridges rather than barriers in our relationships.



Wednesday, July 30, 2014

The Gift of Anger, Envy and Insults - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories

The Gift of Anger, Envy and Insults - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories



Near Tokyo lived a great Samurai, now old, who decided to teach Zen Buddhism to young people.

One afternoon, a warrior – known for his complete lack of scruples – arrived there. The young and impatient warrior had never lost a fight. Hearing of the Samurai’s reputation, he had come to defeat him, and increase his fame.

All the students were against the idea, but the old man accepted the challenge.

All gathered on the town square, and the young man started insulting the old master. He threw a few rocks in his direction, spat in his face, shouted every insult under the sun – he even insulted his ancestors.

For hours, he did everything to provoke him, but the old man remained impassive. At the end of the afternoon, by now feeling exhausted and humiliated, the impetuous warrior left.


The Gift of Anger, Envy and Insults - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories
The Gift of Anger, Envy and Insults - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories


Disappointed by the fact that the master had received so many insults and provocations, the students asked: “How could you bear such indignity? Why didn't you use your sword, even knowing you might lose the fight, instead of displaying your cowardice in front of us all?”

“If someone comes to you with a gift, and you do not accept it, who does the gift belong to?” – asked the old Samurai.

“He who tried to deliver it.” – replied one of his disciples.

“The same goes for envy, anger and insults.” – said the master. “When they are not accepted, they continue to belong to the one who carried them.”


Tuesday, July 29, 2014

A Little Boy Named TOM - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories

A Little Boy Named TOM - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories



Sally jumped up as soon as she saw the surgeon come out of the operating room. She said: “How is my little boy? Is he going to be all right? When can I see him?”

The surgeon said, “I’m sorry. We did all we could, but your boy didn't make it.”

Sally said, “Why do little children get cancer? Doesn't God care any more? Where were you, God, when my son needed you? What was Tom's fault, God?”

The surgeon asked, “Would you like some time alone with your son? One of the nurses will be out in a few minutes, before he’s transported to the university.”

Sally asked the nurse to stay with her while she said good-bye to son. She ran her fingers lovingly through his thick red curly hair.

“Would you like a lock of his hair?” the nurse asked.

Sally nodded yes. The nurse cut a lock of the boy’s hair, put it in a plastic bag and handed it to Sally.


A Little Boy Named Tom - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories
A Little Boy Named Tom - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories




The mother said, “It was Jimmy’s idea to donate his body to the university for study. He said it might help somebody else. “I said no at first, but Jimmy said, ‘Mom, I won’t be using it after I die. Maybe it will help some other little boy spend one more day with his Mom.” She went on, “My Jimmy had a heart of gold. Always thinking of someone else. Always wanting to help others if he could.”

Sally walked out of Children’s mercy Hospital for the last time, after spending most of the last six months there. She put the bag with Jimmy’s belongings on the seat beside her in the car.

The drive home was difficult. It was even harder to enter the empty house. She carried Jimmy’s belongings, and the plastic bag with the lock of his hair to her son’s room. She started placing the model cars and other personal things back in his room exactly where he had always kept them. She laid down across his bed and, hugging his pillow, cried herself to sleep.

It was around midnight when Sally awoke. Laying beside her on the bed was a folded letter. The letter said:


A Litttle Boy Named Tom - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories
A Litttle Boy Named Tom - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories




“Dear Mom,

I know you’re going to miss me; but don’t think that I will ever forget you, or stop loving you, just ’cause I’m not around to say I LOVE YOU. I will always love you, Mom, even more with each day. Someday we will see each other again. Until then, if you want to adopt a little boy so you won’t be so lonely, that’s okay with me. He can have my room and old stuff to play with. But, if you decide to get a girl instead, she probably wouldn't like the same things us boys do. You’ll have to buy her dolls and stuff girls like, you know. Don’t be sad thinking about me. This really is a neat place. Grandma and Grandpa met me as soon as I got here and showed me around some, but it will take a long time to see everything. The angels are so cool. I love to watch them fly. And, you know what? Jesus doesn't look like any of his pictures. Yet, when I saw Him, I knew it was Him. Jesus himself took me to see GOD! And guess what, Mom? I got to sit on God’s knee and talk to Him, like I was somebody important. That’s when I told Him that I wanted to write you a letter, to tell you good-bye and everything. But I already knew that wasn't allowed. Well, you know what Mom? God handed me some paper and His own personal pen to write you this letter. I think Gabriel is the name of the angel who is going to drop this letter off to you. God said for me to give you the answer to one of the questions you asked Him ‘Where was He when I needed him?’ “God said He was in the same place with me, as when His son Jesus was on the cross. He was right there, as He always is with all His children.

Oh, by the way, Mom, no one else can see what I've written except you. To everyone else this is just a blank piece of paper. Isn't that cool? I have to give God His pen back now. He needs it to write some more names in the Book of Life. Tonight I get to sit at the table with Jesus for supper. I’m, sure the food will be great.

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. I don’t hurt anymore. The cancer is all gone. I’m glad because I couldn't stand that pain anymore and God couldn't stand to see me hurt so much, either. That’s when He sent The Angel of Mercy to come get me. The Angel said I was a Special Delivery! How about that?

Signed with Love from: God, Jesus & Me.”





Friday, July 25, 2014

Living Life Peacefully - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories

Living Life Peacefully - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories


Once a fisherman was sitting near seashore, under the shadow of a tree smoking. Suddenly a rich businessman passing by approached him and inquired as to why he was sitting under a tree smoking and not working. To this the poor fisherman replied that he had caught enough fishes for the day.

Hearing this the rich man got angry and said: Why don’t you catch more fishes instead of sitting in shadow wasting your time?

Fisherman asked: What would I do by catching more fishes?

Businessman: You could catch more fishes, sell them and earn more money, and buy a bigger boat.

Fisherman: What would I do then?

Businessman: You could go fishing in deep waters and catch even more fishes and earn even more money.

Fisherman: What would I do then?


Living Life Peacefully - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories
Living Life Peacefully - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories


Businessman: You could buy many boats and employ many people to work for you and earn even more money.

Fisherman: What would I do then?

Businessman: You could become a rich businessman like me.

Fisherman: What would I do then?

Businessman: You could then enjoy your life peacefully.

Fisherman: Isn't that what I am doing now?




Living Life Peacefully - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories
Living Life Peacefully - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories


MORAL OF THE STORY


You don’t need to wait for tomorrow to be happy and enjoy your life. You don’t even need to be more rich, more powerful to enjoy life. LIFE is at this moment, enjoy it fully.

As some great men have said “My riches consist not in extent of my possessions but in the fewness of my wants”.


Wednesday, July 23, 2014

The Shark Bait - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories

The Shark Bait - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories


During a research experiment a marine biologist placed a shark into a large holding tank and then released several small bait fish into the tank.

As you would expect, the shark quickly swam around the tank, attacked and ate the smaller fish.

The marine biologist then inserted a strong piece of clear fiberglass into the tank, creating two separate partitions. She then put the shark on one side of the fiberglass and a new set of bait fish on the other.


The Shark Bait - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories
The Shark Bait - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories


Again, the shark quickly attacked.  This time, however, the shark slammed into the fiberglass divider and bounced off.  Undeterred, the shark kept repeating this behavior every few minutes to no avail.  Meanwhile, the bait fish swam around unharmed in the second partition.  Eventually, about an hour into the experiment, the shark gave up.

This experiment was repeated several dozen times over the next few weeks.  Each time, the shark got less aggressive and made fewer attempts to attack the bait fish, until eventually the shark got tired of hitting the fiberglass divider and simply stopped attacking altogether.


The Shark Bait - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories
The Shark Bait - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories


The marine biologist then removed the fiberglass divider, but the shark didn't attack.  The shark was trained to believe a barrier existed between it and the bait fish, so the bait fish swam wherever they wished, free from harm.



MORAL OF THE STORY 

 Many of us, after experiencing setbacks and failures, emotionally give up and stop trying. Like the shark in the story, we believe that because we were unsuccessful in the past, we will always be unsuccessful. In other words, we continue to see a barrier in our heads, even when no ‘real’ barrier exists between where we are and where we want to go. All you have to do is break that barrier, get past that obstacle, never give up and keep trying. Keep trying till your last breath, and then you will know how strong you are. Because you will be stronger than each and every person who gave up. You will be stronger than the person you were yesterday. And this is what makes all the difference in life.



Tuesday, July 22, 2014

The Weight of the Glass - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories

The Weight of the Glass - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories



Once upon a time a psychology professor walked around on a stage while teaching stress management principles to an auditorium filled with students.  As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they’d be asked the typical “glass half empty or glass half full” question.  

Instead, with a smile on her face, the professor asked, “How heavy is this glass of water I’m holding?”
Students shouted out answers ranging from eight ounces to a couple pounds.


The Weight of the Glass - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories
The Weight of the Glass - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories


She replied, “From my perspective, the absolute weight of this glass doesn't matter.  
It all depends on how long I hold it.  
If I hold it for a minute or two, it’s fairly light.  
If I hold it for an hour straight, its weight might make my arm ache a little.  
If I hold it for a day straight, my arm will likely cramp up and feel completely numb and paralyzed, forcing me to drop the glass to the floor.  
In each case, the weight of the glass doesn't change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it feels to me.”

The Weight of the Glass - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories
The Weight of the Glass - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories


As the class shook their heads in agreement, she continued, “Your stresses and worries in life are very much like this glass of water.  Think about them for a while and nothing happens.  Think about them a bit longer and you begin to ache a little.  Think about them all day long, and you will feel completely numb and paralyzed – incapable of doing anything else until you drop them.”




It’s important to remember to let go of your stresses and worries.  No matter what happens during the day, as early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down.  Don’t carry them through the night and into the next day with you.  If you still feel the weight of yesterday’s stress, it’s a strong sign that it’s time to put the glass down.




Monday, July 21, 2014

Stones, Pebbles, Sand and Water - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories

Stones, Pebbles, Sand and Water - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories



In my last year in college pursuing a degree in computer applications, my senior professor said to the class on the first day, rather bluntly “Most of you will fail this class, not because you’re not smart or won’t work hard. You will fail because of poor time management.”

I thought it was just his way to scare students to drop his class early, so he’d have an easier time. It’s a technique a lot of professors used on campus. Except other professors would say something like “This is the hardest class you’ll ever take! I have a 10% passing rate.” It was the first time I had heard someone using “time management” as a scare tactic.

Turned out he was serious about it. My project group did slip behind our milestone goals. Not because we didn't work hard. In fact, we pulled many all-nighters working on the project. We totally underestimated the importance of time management and setting up goals strategically. My group did pass the class, barely. A lot of people didn't.

The valuable lesson I walked away from that class with was the importance of time management.


Stones, Pebbles, Sand and Water - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories
Stones, Pebbles, Sand and Water - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories


Acknowledging the importance of it was just the beginning. It then took me years to get better at it. When I started freelancing as a content writer, many of my projects fell short, not because of my skills or even bad clients. It was due to poor judgment of time management on my part. There are countless books and articles on time management. If I have to give a single advice to anyone on this subject matter, I’d re-tell the following story:


One day, an old professor of the School of Public Management in France, was invited to lecture on the topic of “Efficient Time Management” in front of a group of 15 executive managers representing the largest, most successful companies in America.

The lecture was one in a series of 5 lectures conducted in one day, and the old professor was given 1 hr to lecture.

Standing in front of this group of elite managers, who were willing to write down every word that would come out of the famous professor’s mouth, the professor slowly met eyes with each manager, one by one, and finally said, “we are going to conduct an experiment”.

From under the table that stood between the professor and the listeners, the professor pulled out a big glass jar and gently placed it in front of him.

Next, he pulled out from under the table a bag of stones, each the size of a tennis ball, and placed the stones one by one in the jar. He did so until there was no room to add another stone in the jar.

Lifting his gaze to the managers, the professor asked, “Is the jar full?
The managers replied, “Yes”.
The professor paused for a moment, and replied, “Really?

Once again, he reached under the table and pulled out a bag full of pebbles. Carefully, the professor poured the pebbles in and slightly rattled the jar, allowing the pebbles to slip through the larger stones, until they settled at the bottom.

Again, the professor lifted his gaze to his audience and asked, “Is the jar full?
At this point, the managers began to understand his intentions.One replied, “Apparently not!
Correct”, replied the old professor, now pulling out a bag of sand from under the table.

Cautiously, the professor poured the sand into the jar. The sand filled up the spaces between the stones and the pebbles.

Yet again, the professor asked, “Is the jar full?
Without hesitation, the entire group of students replied in unison, “NO!
Correct”, replied the professor.

And as was expected by the students, the professor reached for the pitcher of water that was on the table, and poured water in the jar until it was absolutely full.

The professor now lifted his gaze once again and asked, “What great truth can we surmise from this experiment?

With his thoughts on the lecture topic, one manager quickly replied, “We learn that as full as our schedules may appear, if we only increase our effort, it is always possible to add more meetings and tasks.

No”, replied the professor.“The great truth that we can conclude from this experiment is: If we don’t put all the larger stones in the jar first, we will never be able to fit all of them later.


Stones, Pebbles, Sand and Water - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories
Stones, Pebbles, Sand and Water - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories


The auditorium fell silent, as every manager processed the significance of the professor’s words in their entirety.

The old professor continued, “What are the large stones in your life? Health? Family? Friends? Your goals? Doing what you love? Fighting for a Cause? Taking time for yourself?”
“What we must remember is that it is most important to include the larger stones in our lives, because if we don’t do so, we are likely to miss out on life altogether. If we give priority to the smaller things in life (pebbles & sand), our lives will be filled up with less important things, leaving little or no time for the things in our lives that are most important to us. Because of this, never forget to ask yourself, ‘What are the Large Stones in your Life?’ And once you identify them, be sure to put them first in your ‘Jar of Life’”.



Stones, Pebbles, Sand and Water - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories
Stones, Pebbles, Sand and Water - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories


With a warm wave of his hand, the professor bid farewell to the managers, and slowly walked out of the room.


Stones, Pebbles, Sand and Water - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories
Stones, Pebbles, Sand and Water - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I first read this story from a mailing-list years ago. It has had a profound impact on me. If you've been following my blog, you’d know that I’m a fan of analogies. Identifying the “large stones,” both in my personal or professional life, has helped me to get the important stuff done first. Time is like money, it’s never there when you really need it. Time is also like money, in that small changes add up over time. Accomplish important tasks first, then the rest will come at ease.



Sunday, July 20, 2014

The Other Side - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories

The Other Side - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories


A Father was reading a magazine and his little daughter every now and then would distracted him. To keep her busy, he tore one page on which was printed the map of the world. He tore it into pieces and asked her to go to her room and put them together to make the map again.


The Other Side - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories
The Other Side - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories


He was sure she would take the whole day to get it done. But the little one came back within minutes with perfect map……When he asked how she could do it so quickly, she said, “Oh…. Dad, there is a man’s face on the other side of the paper….. I made the face perfect to get the map right.” She ran outside to play leaving the father surprised.





There is always the other side to whatever you experience in this world. Whenever we come across a challenge or a puzzling situation, look at the other side…. You will be surprised to see an easy way to tackle the problem.



Thursday, July 17, 2014

The Deceased Colleague - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories

The Deceased Colleague - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories 


One fine day when all the employees of a company reached the office they saw a big board at the entrance on which was written: “This is to inform you that the person who has been impeding your growth in this company passed away yesterday. We invite you to join the final prayers for the deceased that has been arranged in the meeting room.” As soon as they read this notice all the employees felt sad about the death of one of their colleagues, but then they became curious to know who this person, who was hampering their growth, really was.


The Deceased Colleague - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories
The Deceased Colleague - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories

All the employees headed to the meeting room where the casket was kept. The excitement to see the person heated up in the room. Everybody thought to himself “Who could this guy be who was hampering my progress? Well, at least he died. Now that he is gone I can really perform better and nobody can stop me from progressing.” One by one the excited and thrilled employees got closer to the casket, and when they looked inside it. The sight in the casket left all of them speechless. They all stood beside the casket shocked and speechless as if someone had touched the deepest part of their soul. There was a mirror inside the casket. Every employee who looked inside it saw their own selves in it.


The Deceased Colleague - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories
The Deceased Colleague - The Best Motivational Quotes and Stories


There was also a note next to the mirror that read, “There is only one person who can hinder your growth and progress and that is YOU.” You are the only person who can revolutionize your life. You are the only person who can help yourself.  Your life does not change when your boss changes, when your friends change, when your partner changes, when your company changes. Your life changes when YOU change, when you go beyond your limiting beliefs, when you realize that you are the only one responsible for your life. You know better why your life is the way it is. “The most important relationship you can have is the one you have with yourself”.



Moral

The world is like a mirror: it gives back to anyone the reflection of the thoughts in which one has strongly believed. The world and your reality are like mirrors lying in a casket, which show to any individual the death of his divine capability to imagine and create his happiness and his success. It’s the way you face life that makes the difference. Rely on GOD first and try your best. Then NO ONE can hinder your growth God willing.