What would you think about today

What would you think about today, Victorio, if you knew those very thoughts would command leagues in the unseen?


And what would you say today, if you knew each word you chose would send great waves into motion?

And, Victorio, what would you do today, if you knew I'd glean from the slightest of your moves, whether or not you believed in life's magic, so that I could prove you right?

No, no, you don't have to answer! We'll just wait and see...

Holding our breath,

The Universe and friends

Be still

Be still, Victorio.


Stop thinking.

Feel.

Take action.

Visualize.

Repeat.

Yours,
The Universe

Did you catch the double entendre, Victorio? I've still got "it"... and so do you

Please tell anyone who wants to know

Please tell anyone who wants to know, Victorio, that a dream not followed by consistent action, however humble or small the actions may be, points to either a huge contradiction or a gigantic misunderstanding.


Because when people get clear and realize just how powerful they truly are, wild horses can't stop them from taking even the humblest of baby steps, everyday.

eeeee-hee-hee,
The Universe

See their good

See their good, Victorio.


See nothing else.

Do it for you.

Tallyho,
The Universe

This is how we roll, Victorio.

To young souls....and old souls...

To young souls, Victorio, there are good folks and bad folks.


To mature souls there are only good folks, though some do bad things.

And old souls, only see themselves.

I see you,
The Universe

And they love, love, love, Victorio.

With self-confidence

With self-confidence, Victorio, the world bows to greet you and coincidence becomes your partner.


And self-confidence comes from loving yourself.

And loving yourself comes from knowing that you are, still, exactly who I most want to be.

And so I am,
The Universe

If I could get married, Victorio, I would marry you.

it's easier to accept others, than to change them

Actually, Victorio, it's easier to accept others, than to change them.


It's wiser to understand them, than to get angry.

And most of the time, it's more fun to love 'em, than to leave 'em.

Your call,

The Universe
 
Loving you, Victorio, on a WEDNESDAY... Sweet!

a fabulous adventure is fast approaching...

Invariably, Victorio, a sudden disappointment, a bit of "bad" news, or a flock of butterflies gathering in your stomach, are all omens that a fabulous adventure is fast approaching.


Hit me baby,
The Universe

Flock sounded better than swarm, Victorio.

Everything you give you get back, times seven

Everything you give, Victorio, you get back, times seven.


Plus, what you give, grows, times seven.

Plus plus, there's a little known intergalactic algorithm that states whenever love is added to the giving, a awesomely fabulous dream house draws ever closer to the giver. Whoa!

I give it all to you,
The Universe
 
Victorio, you simply can't give too much.

GREAT news for all Earthlings!

GREAT news for all Earthlings!


All disappointing circumstances, Victorio - like stock prices falling, chocolate prices rising, or being disappointed by others - are temporary. You, however, are eternal.

You don't even have a say in the matter.

Patience,
The Universe

You will outlast, outsmart, and outlive anything that doesn't please you, Victorio, and sooner than you think.

No matter what anyone else thinks

Insecurity, Victorio, is the greatest social piranha in the pool of human existence. Yet discovering that no matter what anyone else thinks, you can still choose your own thoughts, manifest your own things, and live happily ever after is like wearing underwater, titanium body armor in your favorite color, with built-in rabbit ear slippers and a ghetto-like hoodie.


Priceless,
The Universe

Armor, amor, amour, Victorio? Curiously similar... si?

In the end

In the end, Victorio, not that there really is an end, it's ALL going to be about how much you smiled, how much you laughed, and how much you enjoyed your life.


Right now,
The Universe

You can do anything, Victorio. And you can start today.

Seed of Greatness

You can be a total winner, even if you’re a beginner

If you think you can you can, if you think you can you can
You can wear the gold medallion, you can ride your own black stallion
If you think you can you can, if you think you can you can

It’s not your talent or the gifted birth
It’s not your bank book that determines worth
It isn’t in your gender or the color of your skin
It’s your attitude that lets you win

It doesn’t matter what you’ve done before
It makes no difference what the halftime score
It’s never over ‘til the final gun
So keep on trying and you’ll find you’ve won

Just grab your dream and then believe it
Go out and work, and you’ll achieve it
If you think you can, you can
If you think you can, you can

—DW

You deserve all the love

You deserve all the love, Victorio, in the world.


Done.

Helps to have connections,
The Universe

Just a small perk, Victorio, for sharing all the love in you. I notice these things, you know.

To empower another, is to empower yourself

To empower another, is to empower yourself.

To celebrate another, is to celebrate yourself.

And to free another, Victorio, is to free yourself.

I say empower, celebrate, and free them all,
The Universe

See the trend, Victorio? Whatever you give, you get.

Throughout the hallowed ages

Throughout the hallowed ages, Victorio, those in the unseen have always marveled at the accomplishments and creations of humankind. Whether a sandcastle or a skyscraper; a painting or a poem; they're humbled by your ability to reflect, to engineer, to craft, and to create something that has never before existed within time and space.


But it's not the creation that impresses; these all exist here to the nth degree. It's the persistence and determination of the seemingly mortal dreamer who steadfastly holds a new thought in mind, either of the creation or of its inevitable success, and moves with it, even while the rest of the world is content dreaming their father's dreams.

This is what is admired, Victorio; not just because it's so rare, but because it is so, even when such innovative potential lies within all.

Cool, huh?
The Universe

Victorio, just follow your heart.

Play...

For the earnest student, Victorio, taking responsibility means never forgetting to have fun.


Seriously,
The Universe

Play, Victorio, play. That is, if you want to be responsible.

It's OK. Everything is fine.

Hey, Victorio... It's OK. Everything is fine. You've always been guided. Even now you are watched, and held, and adored. You've made great stuff happen, and you will make more great stuff happen. You've changed lives. You've changed your own. You've moved mountains and done the impossible. You've been scared and you overcame. You've been knocked down and you rose. And you've been lost, or so you thought, only to discover it was just the calm before another storm of creativity, love, and fun.


Humbled like the rest of 'em,
The Universe

Victorio... it's "way" OK. Schools here have your name on them and our coaches teach the "Victorio Claveria Method" to their advanced students.

Believe it or not

Have you noticed, Victorio, how moving towards a great dream summons from life's jungles the fiercest lions, the scariest tigers, and the grizzliest bears... who eventually turn out to be the noblest teachers, the bravest guides, and the dearest friends?


You're on your way,
The Universe

Believe it or not, Victorio, people used to be scared of me!!

Think about it as if it were already done

Time for a little refresher on manifesting change, parking spots, and a new awesomely fabulous dream house. Victorio:

Think about it as if it were already done. (Note "already done" part.)

Keep showing up, doing all you can, every day, in every way, until already done. (Note "keep" part.)

For complicated cases, like when dealing with invisible, limiting beliefs, negative friends, or staring down adversity: same-same.

You've got it made,
The Universe

Your part is easy, Victorio; it's my part that requires the math

Life itself

Life itself, Victorio - not your friends, partners, or peers - is your source. Dance with life. Dance with me. Dance, no matter what others may think, say, or do. You can have it all.


1, 2, 3, lean, dip, shake -
The Universe

In fact, Victorio, it's all already yours. Hul-lo....

You can make anything happen

You can make anything happen, Victorio.


After all, who do you think put the stars in the sky?

Who do you think teaches each bird to fly?

And who do you think I mean when I say, "Me, myself, and I"?

Life, good -
The Universe

Everyone in your life

Everyone in your life, Victorio, was specially summoned to help you think and feel things you have never thought or felt before.


It's working, huh?

Crazy rascals,
The Universe

Which, of course, Victorio, is why you summoned them....

Dare not wish to change even the slightest thing about a loved one

Dare not wish to change even the slightest thing about a loved one, Victorio, without first understanding how it might change the rest of them.


Keep your eye on the ball,
The Universe

Besides, if the big picture is rocking you, Victorio, why make a fuss over a few splots? Splots is now a word. Literally, as in now now.

Little is more impressive, inspirational, or sexy

Little is more impressive, inspirational, or sexy, Victorio, than watching someone in the throes of action, driven by purpose, oblivious to all but their aim.


Today has your name all over it -
The Universe

This one was inspired from watching you, Victorio.

Life's magic isn't a substitute for networking, socializing, and "working

The thing is, Victorio, life's magic isn't a substitute for networking, socializing, and "working." To the contrary, these are some of its greatest incubators.

To the office -
The Universe

Stoke it, stir it, wave your wand, Victorio, and smile like you know a great secret.

Now they're clapping!

They surround you even now, Victorio. They see, hear, and feel what you see, hear, and feel. They trade vantage points, study possibilities, and learn to think bigger. They brag about you, compliment you, and laugh at your jokes. They only ever squabble over who loves you most.


And of course, I'm talking about the teachers who prepared you for time and space, who've now become your students.

Shhhh... they're reading this...
The Universe

Now they're clapping, Victorio!

Be the LOVE!

Be the love, Victorio, you wish to see in the world.


Turn it up,
The Universe

El amor, Victorio.

Wow!

The recession is now over, Victorio.

Good one.

You can take the rest of the week off.

Wow -
The Universe

Who else do you think decides this stuff, Victorio?

Out there

Can you imagine an astral plane somewhere "out there," Victorio, where very old souls rendezvous to practice and perfect their most highly developed manifestation techniques? A members-only kind of place, where whatever they think about comes to life in the most vivid colors and sounds, and as the most intricate plots and circumstances? Where the only limits that exist lie in their ability to imagine what they've never before imagined, and to move with it in anticipation of its "physical" expression?


And best of all, being astral, no harm can come to them; they're completely untouchable. Nothing is real, yet everything matters. And there can be infinite gains in terms of insight and fun, yet no losses since everything is illusory. Actually, the worst thing that can happen is that they temporarily become so entranced by their creations that they completely forget who they are, where they are, and how powerful they really are....

Yep, it's exactly like this astral plane.

Tallyhoo,
The Universe

Victorio, you have so much to look forward to!

Two choices in LIFE

There are two primary choices in life: to accept CONDITIONS as they exist, or accept the RESPONSIBILITY for changing them. ~ Denis Waitley

Life could not possibly be more beautiful than it is now

For simply giving thanks, Victorio, when you lay down to sleep each night, or, from time to time, for no reason or rhyme, you'll begin to move with life instead of against it.


You'll be shown that life could not possibly be more beautiful than it is now. You'll see that you are the fountainhead of your experience. You'll remember that you transcend all things time and space, and thus are their very master. And you'll find that you live in a paradise where the only thing that truly seems impossible is how powerful you really are and how much you are loved.

What else would you think about, anyway?

Phew!
The Universe

Victorio, your life is not like anyone else's who has lived, or will ever live, in time and space... or anywhere else.

One of the greatest paradoxes of your physical senses

One of the greatest paradoxes of your physical senses, Victorio, is that your eyes actually show you what you believe, not what you see.


Smoke on that,
The Universe

And fortunately, Victorio, it's easier to change what you believe, than what you see.

YES!!!!!

WHAT?!!!!!!!!!!!!

Victorio!! Of course you can! YES, this year! That and more! Easy, done, HISTORY. Just imagine it, feel it, and leap like your pants are on fire... I'll catch you.

I'm there now, waiting, and all I can tell you is that a awesomely fabulous dream house is just the tiniest tip of the iceberg.

Whooooha,
The Universe

LEAP, Victorio, wait not a second more.

It's the only rule that's ever existed

The slate's been wiped clean, the past has released its grip, and before you sparkles eternity, yearning for direction. Victorio, all that lies between you and the life of your dreams is just one teeny, tiny, gentle, little rule. Only one condition, prerequisite, principle that matters.


It's not love. It's not God. It's not fate, or luck, or karma. It's not complicated or esoteric, and you needn't sacrifice, plead, or pray to invoke it. It's the only rule that's ever existed, and it's the only one that will ever exist. No reality can exist in its absence. For its mere existence, you are. With its existence, the power, the light, and the way are revealed. It's your purpose to discover it, and it's your destiny to master it. It's the beginning, the middle, and the end. The Alpha and the Omega. The be-all and end-all of every wish, desire, and dream, and you are its keeper.

This caveat of all caveats is that absolutely nothing can be anything until it is first imagined. Thoughts become things, nothing else does. And so, Victorio, it's the thoughts you choose from here on out that will become the things and events of your life, forevermore. It is written in stone. There's no other way. It's your ticket to anywhere you can dream of. Your passport to abundance, health, and friendships. The key to the palace of your wildest dreams.

Your thoughts, and your thoughts alone, will set you in motion. Your thoughts will yield the inspiration, creativity, and determination you need. Your thoughts will orchestrate the magic and inspire the Universe. Your thoughts will carry you to the finish line if you just keep thinking them. Never give up. Never waiver, doubt, or ask.

Aim high.

That you've even received this Note, that you're able to read it through, means you are so close. So extraordinarily close. The hardest work has been done. The wars have already been waged. The lessons have already been learned. The journey, now, is for home.

Ain't no Blarney,
The Universe

You're so deserving. You're ready. Victorio, it's all that lies between you and the life of your dreams.

Mahathma Gandhi once said...

A "No" uttered from deepest conviction is better and greater than a "Yes" merely uttered to please, or what is worsed to avoid trouble. ~ Mahathma Gandhi

Those who achieve great things, defeat long odds, and...

Those who achieve great things, defeat long odds, and become legends, Victorio, didn't have anything you don't have.


They just kept showing up, expecting a miracle, long after everyone else got practical.

Here comes one now...!
The Universe

And, oh, we love when that happens, Victorio. Great excuse for a rainbow, a snow day, or a shooting star....

You can do it!

You can do it, Victorio.

It's why you're there.

And it's why I'm here -
The Universe

Though, Victorio, I have to admit that the view here totally rocks, too.

Every day you're getting closer!

It's working, Victorio! Every day you're getting closer! Everything you've ever wanted is being pressed toward you. Everything is clicking. Don't let the illusions trick you. Don't let the events of today dampen your spirits. Things couldn't be any better than they now are. You couldn't have more reasons to celebrate. Now! Do it! The hardest work is done! Just show up, be present, open every door and let events unfold. Life is your stage. This is your parade. Together we can do anything.


I love it when you're hot,
The Universe

Together, Victorio, also means we share your awesomely fabulous dream house! Cool?

When something difficult or painful happens

When something difficult or painful happens, Victorio, always look to see what it makes possible that wouldn't have otherwise been possible.

Like a new adventure, a closer friendship, or chocolate in your peanut butter.

Everything makes you better,
The Universe

Clever of me, huh, Victorio?

No one loses anything

No one loses anything, Victorio, that doesn't eventually come back.


Love, grins, and horseshoes -
The Universe

And usually, Victorio, it comes back bigger, better, and zippier.

Right this very moment

Talk about magical rendezvous, Victorio...

Right this very moment, on a distant farm, there basks a fig, a nut, or a berry, whose very life force will soon be your own. But that's not all...

Right this very moment, there's a gorgeous home on a splendid property with a spectacular view, whose roof will someday give you shelter. But that's not all...

Right this very moment, there are beautiful souls on your beautiful planet, whom you do not even know, yet through your meanderings and theirs, paths will cross, love will be shared, and eternal friendships will be created. I'm still not done...

And nothing you do, or don't do, can prevent these serendipities I've just shared, and so, so many more.

Amen, hallelujah, rock me Amadeus -
The Universe

"Kodak Moment."

It's pretty much always been the same, Victorio: First there's the life review, then there's the homecoming parties and happy tears flowing like Niagara Falls, and finally... the sudden and profound realization that throughout their entire life all things were, indeed, possible, and that such a concept wasn't just wishful, part-time, feel-good thinking.


It's quite the "Kodak Moment."

Whoops, here comes another one. Tissues everyone!

Tallyho,
The Universe

Of course, Victorio, these Notes are beginning to change things considerably.

Seeing the end result in all its glorious detail

Victorio, I think you're amazing. I think your approach to life is dead-on. And I can't think of anything you've ever done that I wouldn't have done had I been in your shoes.

Still, beloved, I think we could have a little chat about visualizing more often. Seeing the end result in all its glorious detail, bypassing the cursed-hows, and feeling the emotions you expect to feel.

Hey, it's my life too.

Tallyho,
The Universe

Yeah, Victorio, nothing you've ever done....

There's always a higher level to go when it comes to happiness

Sometimes, Victorio, having more fun and being happier comes from looking for each in crazy, new places; instead of waiting for them to come from where you've found them before or where others are now finding them.


And I do mean crazy. Not just from the old standbys of travel, adventure, and romance, but from stretching, reaching, and growing. Accepting new responsibilities for your happiness, totally accepting others, and grasping even higher ideals. Philosophically taking yourself to places few have ever dared before.

Red hot smokin' love,
The Universe

There's always a higher level to go, Victorio, when it comes to happiness.

The Winner's Circle

by Dr. Denis Waitley

Every four years we see those five brilliant, interlocking Olympic rings on flags and in television and billboard advertising globally. The Olympic Games are where the best in the world go for the gold and the few stand, listening to their national anthem, in the coveted winner’s circle. If the five Olympic rings were attitudes of champions in every profession, these five attitudes would be prominent in the mindset of the peak performer:

Paying the Price. Everyone wants to win, but few are willing to invest the time and effort. Paying the price means focusing on developing the skills and training regimen of champions—observation, imitation, repetition and the internalization of knowledge into habits; also, learning why and how to go the extra mile and seeing success as a marathon, not a dash. Champions view failures as temporary inconveniences and learning experiences.

The Olympian Within. Winners believe in their worth in advance of their performance. Most people base their worth on their current status or achievement level, which means that until they are judged successful by society’s standards, they have little to be proud of. Champions believe in their dreams when they have only a dream to hang on to, even in the face of criticism and superior achievements by others.

Non-situational Integrity. Authentic, lasting winners have an uncompromising attitude about self-honesty. They function according to an “integrity triangle,” consisting of three basic questions: (a) Are my beliefs based upon truth? (b) Do my words and actions correspond with truth and honesty? (c) Before I speak or act, do I honestly consider the impact of my decision on other people and the environment?

The “Coachability” Factor. Champions are always open to alternatives to improve their performance. Consistent winners are not the arrogant egotists who dominate the media spotlight. The most successful individuals in the game of life are often the most approachable, most gracious, least judgmental of others and most critical of their own performances, as well as most eager to learn and improve.

Being a Team Player. A team in harmony is synergy in motion, where the whole is greater than the sum of the individual talents. When all assignments are understood, when each takes 100 percent responsibility for the outcome, a quantum leap in performance takes place. Winners learn how to become interdependent—without sacrificing individuality—and how to stand out, while fitting in.

there is no challenge larger than you.

A few words on perspective:


In all of time and space, Victorio, there is no challenge, pothole, mountain, chasm, hurdle, or foe larger than you. Not even close. Although if all you use to size them up are your physical senses... good luck!

Tallyho,
The Universe

Objects in time and space, Victorio, appear larger, mucho, than they really are.

How to Turn Nothing into Something

by Jim Rohn

Have you ever wondered how to turn nothing into something?

First, in order to turn nothing into something, you’ve got to start with some ideas and imagination. Now, it might be hard to call ideas and imagination nothing; but how tangible are those ideas? That is a bit of a mystery. I don’t believe that ideas that can be turned into a hotel, ideas that can be turned into an enterprise, ideas that can be turned into a new vaccine or ideas that can be turned into some miracle product, should be called nothing. But tangibly, you have nothing. Interesting! Think of it, ideas that become so powerful in your mind and in your consciousness that they seem real to you even before they become tangible. Imagination that is so strong, you can actually see it.

When I built my first home for my family in Idaho all those years ago, before I started construction, I would take my friends and associates out to the vacant property and give them a tour of the house. Is that possible? Is it possible to take someone on a tour through an imaginary house? And the answer is, “Yes, of course.” “Here is the three-car garage,” I used to say, and my friends would look and say, “Yes, this garage will hold three cars.” I could really make it “live.” I would take them on a tour throughout the house…. “Here is the fireplace, and look, this side is brick and the other side is stone.” I could make it so real…. “Follow me through the rest of the house. Take a look through the picture window here in the kitchen. Isn’t the view great?” One day, I made the house so real that one of my friends bumped his elbow on the fireplace. I mean, it was that real.

So, the first step of turning nothing into something is to imagine the possibilities. Imagine all of the possibilities. One of the reasons for seminars, sermons, lyrics from songs and testimonials of others is to give us an idea of the possibilities, to help us imagine and to see the potential.

Now here is the second step for turning nothing into something: You must believe that what you imagine is possible for you. Testimonials, like “If I can do it, you can do it,” often become a support to our belief. And we start believing. First we imagine it’s possible. Second, we start to believe that what’s possible is possible for us.

We might also believe because of our own testimonial. Here is what your testimonial might say: “If I did it once, I can do it again. If it happened for me before, it could very well happen again.” So we believe not only the testimonials of others who say, “If I can do it, you can do it; If I can change, you can change; If I can start with nothing, you can start with nothing; If I can turn it all around, you can turn it all around.” Then we also have the support of our own testimonial, if we’ve accomplished something before. “If we did it once, we can do it again. If we did it last year, we can do it this year.” So those two things together are very powerful. Now, we do not have actual substance yet, although it is very close.

Again, step one is to imagine the possibilities. Step two is to imagine that what is possible is possible for you. Here is what we call step two: faith to believe. In fact, one writer said this, “Faith is substance.” An interesting word: “substance,” the powerful ability to believe in the possibilities that are possible for you. If you have faith to believe, that faith is substance, substance meaning “a piece of the real.” Now it’s not “the real,” it’s not this podium, but it is so powerful that it is very close to being real, and so the writer said, “The faith is a piece of, the substance of.” He then goes on to call it evidence, substance and evidence. It is difficult to call substance and evidence “nothing.” It is nothing, in the sense that it cannot be seen except with the inner eye. You can’t get a hold of it because it isn’t yet tangible. But it is possible to turn nothing, especially ideas and imaginations, into something, if you believe that it is now possible for you—that substance and evidence become so powerful that they can now be turned into reality.

So the first step is to imagine what is possible; the second is to have the faith to believe that what is possible is possible for you. And now the third step is that you go to work to make it real. You go to work to make it a hotel. You go to work to make it an enterprise. You go to work and make it good health. You go to work and make it an association. You go to work and make it a good marriage. You go to work and make it a movement. You make it tangible. You make it viable. You breathe life into it and then you construct it. That is such a unique and powerful ability for all of us human beings. Put this to work and start the miracle process today!

The more you find good in another...

The more you find good in another, Victorio, the more you'll find good in yourself.

No matter who that "other" is.

Happy, happy Monday -
The Universe

Though honestly, Victorio, it's not like I hid it in the first place.

Have a laser like focus!

The successful warrior is the average man, with laser-like focus. – Bruce Lee 1940-1973, Chinese-American Actor, Director, Author, Martial Artist

The Law of Accumulation

By: Brian Tracy

The Law of Accumulation: how your financial fortune accumulates slowly over time and then becomes enormous, like a snowball. The Law of Accumulation: Every great financial achievement is an accumulation of hundreds of small efforts and sacrifices that no one ever sees or appreciates.

Develop Discipline
The achievement of financial independence will require a tremendous number of small efforts on your part. To begin the process of accumulation, you must be disciplined and persistent. You must keep at it for a long, long time. Initially, you will see very little change or difference but gradually, your efforts will begin to bear fruit. You will begin to pull ahead of your peers. Your finances will improve and your debts will disappear. Your bank account will grow and your whole life will improve.

Build Up Momentum
The first corollary of the Law of Accumulation says: "As your savings accumulate, you develop a momentum that moves you more rapidly toward your financial goals."

It is hard to get started on a program of financial accumulation, but once you do get started, you find it easier and easier to keep at it. The "momentum principle" is one of the great success secrets. This principle says that it takes tremendous energy to overcome the initial inertia and resistance to financial accumulation and get started, but once started, it takes much less energy to keep moving.
 
Start Slow, Finish Fast
The second corollary of the Law of Accumulation says, "By the yard it's hard, but inch by inch, anything's a cinch."

When you begin thinking about saving 10 or 20 percent of your earnings, you will immediately think of all kinds of reasons that it is not possible. You might be up to your neck in debt. You might be spending every single penny that you earn today just to keep afloat.

If you do find yourself in this situation, instead of saving 10 percent, begin saving just 1 percent of your earnings in a special account, which you refuse to touch.

Increase As You Go Along
This small amount will begin to add up at a rate that will surprise you. As you become comfortable with saving 1 percent, increase your savings rate to 2 percent, then 3 percent, then 4 percent and 5 percent and so on. Within a year, you will find yourself getting out of debt and saving 10 percent, 15 percent and even 20 percent of your earnings without it really affecting your lifestyle.

Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do to apply this law immediately:

First, decide upon your long-term financial goals and then resolve to work toward them one step at a time. The first steps are the hardest and you must discipline yourself to avoid backsliding into old habits.

Second, practice the law of accumulation in other parts of your life as well. Resolve to master a subject one page at a time. Lose extra pounds one ounce at a time. Learn a language one lesson at a time. The cumulative effect can be enormous.

"What's the purpose of life?"

I'm often asked, Victorio, you know, being the Universe and all, "What's the purpose of life?" But truthfully, no matter who or what you are that's a pretty daunting question. So daunting, I'm invariably compelled to reply with a few questions of my own:

"Do you mean besides having fun? Besides learning that the world has always spun in the palm of your hand? Besides bicycles, long walks, and hot chocolate? Besides holding hands, giving hugs, and drying tears? Besides having a dream and making it come true? Besides February, Fridays, and Polar Bears? Besides witnessing miracles that only you are privy to? Besides sunrises, sunsets, and every rare and fleeting moment in between?"

Daunting is an understatement.

Happy Friday!!
The Universe

Oh, I forgot sauntering, Victorio!

A gentle reminder from your greater self (me)

Sometimes, Victorio, when things take longer than you thought they would, it's just a gentle reminder from your greater self (me), that you have more time than you thought, and that there's a journey to enjoy.

Yeah, like all the time in the world.

The Universe
 
Besides, Victorio, just because it's taking longer than you thought it would, doesn't mean stuff isn't happening, even as you read these words.

Just think what you know to think...

You're right, Victorio; too much self-discipline will discourage your playful, wandering imagination. It'll snuff out the flames of inspiration and creativity. And it'll weigh you down with routines and logic. It simply isn't "spiritual."


But, then, neither is too little.

Tallyho,
The Universe

Just think what you know to think, say what you know to say, and do what you know to do, Victorio. Every day, lots and lots.

A super-secret, double-reminder for all fearless flowers

A super-secret, double-reminder for all fearless flowers:


If you but soak up the sunlight you are given, drink each drop of water I send, and strive only to be yourself, life shall quicken in your roots, spirit shall raise you into the light, and your bloom will inspire the world.

You see, Victorio... I do all the hard stuff.
The Universe

Amazing, Victorio, how much you have in common with fearless flowers.

Love is...

Love is a game that two can play and both win. – Eva Gabor, 1919-1995,

Think that it's fun!

Think that it's fun, Victorio, that you're guided, and that all is well; that there's time, that life is easy, and that the best has yet to come.

Think that the reasons that elude you will one day catch up, that the lessons that have stumped you will one day bring joy, and that the sorrows that have crippled you will soon give you wings.

Think that you're important, that you cannot fail, and that happiness always returns.

And think that you're beautiful, Victorio.

I do.
The Universe

You can also think that today is Valentine's Day, Victorio, and that you are mine forever, if you don't mind the age difference.

All endings are happy endings

All endings, Victorio, are happy endings.


If you even believe in endings.

Whah!!
The Universe

It's just a matter of staying with the story long enough, Victorio. And by the way, yours is about to get really, really exciting!!!!!!!!!!!!

Making the Most of Today

by Denis Waitley

(Excerpted from The Psychology of Motivation)

What each of us is doing this minute is the most important event in history for us. We have decided to invest our resources in THIS opportunity rather than in any other.

It is helpful to remember this when we consider the passage of time. As the years pass, I am acutely aware that the bird of time is on the wing. At my high school reunion, I saw people who claimed to be my former classmates. We all had big name tags printed in capital letters so we wouldn't have to squint with our reading glasses on trying to associate the name with each well-traveled face. It was only yesterday that I was really enjoying high school. What had happened to the four decades in between? Where had they flown?

To the side of the bandstand, where the big-band sound of the late 1940s and 50s blared our favorite top-ten hits, there was a poster with a printed verse for all of us to see. I read the words aloud:

"There are two days in every week about which we should not worry, two days which should be kept free from fear and apprehension.

"One of these days is YESTERDAY, with its mistakes and cares, its faults and blunders, its aches and pains. Yesterday has passed forever beyond our control. All the money in the world cannot bring back yesterday. We cannot undo a single act we performed or erase a single word we said. Yesterday is gone.

"The other day we should not worry about is TOMORROW, with its possible adversities, its burdens, its large promise, and its poor performance. Tomorrow is also beyond our immediate control.

"This leaves only one day, TODAY. Anyone can fight the battles of just one day. It is only when you and I add the burdens of those two awful eternities - Yesterday and Tomorrow - that we break down.

"It is not the experience of Today that drives us mad, it is remorse and bitterness for something which happened yesterday and the dread of what tomorrow may bring. Let us therefore… Live this one full TODAY."

Malcolm Forbes believed the important thing is "never say die until you're dead," and he lived that example to the hilt. It is, as we realize when we suddenly attend our high school reunion, a short journey.

But it is difficult to be depressed and active at the same time. So get active! Live TODAY.

The Rose

by Jim Rohn

Lifestyle is style over amount. And style is an art—the art of living. You can't buy style with money. You can't buy good taste with money. You can only buy more with money. Lifestyle is culture—the appreciation of good music, dance, art, sculpture, literature, plays and the art of living well. It's a taste for the fine, the unique, the beautiful.

Lifestyle also means rewarding excellence wherever you find it by not taking the small things of life for granted. With Valentine's Day approaching I wanted to illustrate this with a personal anecdote:
Many years ago my lady friend and I were on a trip to Carmel, California, for some shopping and exploring. On the way we stopped at a service station. As soon as we parked our car in front of the pumps, a young man, about eighteen or nineteen, came bouncing out to the car and with a big smile said, "Can I help you?"
"Yes," I answered. "A full tank of gas, please." I wasn't prepared for what followed. In this day and age of self-service and deteriorating customer treatment, this young man checked every tire, washed every window—even the sunroof—singing and whistling the whole time. We couldn't believe both the quality of service and his upbeat attitude about his work.

When he brought the bill, I said to the young man, "Hey, you really have taken good care of us. I appreciate it."

He replied, "I really enjoy working. It's fun for me and I get to meet nice people like you."

This kid was really something!

I said, "We're on our way to Carmel and we want to get some milkshakes. Can you tell us where we can find the nearest Baskin-Robbins?"

"Baskin-Robbins is just a few blocks away," he said as he gave us exact directions. Then he added, "Don't park out front—park around to the side so your car won't get sideswiped."

What a kid!

As we got to the ice cream store we ordered milkshakes, except that instead of two, we ordered three. Then we drove back to the station. Our young friend dashed out to greet us. "Hey, I see you got your milkshakes."

"Yes, and this one is for you!"

His mouth fell open. "For me?"

"Sure. With all the fantastic service you gave us, I couldn't leave you out of the milkshake deal."

"Wow!" was his astonished reply.

As we drove off I could see him in my rear-view mirror just standing there, grinning from ear to ear.

Now, what did this little act of generosity cost me? Only about two dollars - you see, it's not the money, it's the style.

Well, I must have been feeling especially creative that day, so upon our arrival in Carmel I drove directly to a flower shop. As we walked inside I said to the florist, "I need a long-stemmed rose for my lady to carry while we go shopping in Carmel."

The florist, a rather unromantic type, replied, "We sell them by the dozen."

"I don't need a dozen," I said, "just one."

"Well," he replied haughtily, "it will cost you two dollars."

"Wonderful," I exclaimed. "There's nothing worse than a cheap rose."

Selecting the rose with some deliberation, I handed it to my friend. She was so impressed! And the cost? Two dollars. Just two dollars. A bit later she looked up and said, "Jim, I must be the only woman in Carmel today carrying a rose." And I believe she probably was.

Can you imagine the opportunity to create magic with those around you, and all for the cost of a few dollars, some imagination and care. Remember, it is not the amount that matters but the thought and care that often has the greatest impact upon those you love.

Ever feel like you're here for something more than you've yet identified?

Ever have that feeling, Victorio, that your life, your true work, has not yet begun?

Ever feel like you're here for something more than you've yet identified? And that a billion eyes are upon you, just waiting for the prophecy to unfold?

Hmmmmmm.......

And, have you also ever wanted something so badly that all your wishing, hoping, and praying kept you from seeing that you had it all along?

Precisely,
The Universe
 
Yeah, Victorio, like times three! Your work has begun. You know exactly what you're doing. And your fans think you're just delish.

Some laugh, some cry, and some laugh until they cry.

When people see, for the first time, how everyone else on the planet is just another version of themselves - the same spark of God except for the pressures and desires unique to each life - some laugh, some cry, and some laugh until they cry.

May you live your life, Victorio, so that when this day dawns for you, you're among those who laugh and laugh and laugh.

Tallyho, ho, ho -
The Universe

Now think about it, Victorio. Why would they laugh? Yeah, because they discovered that their profuse love for others turned out to be a profuse love for their own supercoolhappyselves.

Take the initiative

None will improve your lot if you yourself do not. -

Bertolt Brecht, 1898-1956, German Dramatist, Poet

The Efficiency Curve

By: Brian Tracy

The more you discipline yourself to working non-stop on a single task, the more you move down the "Efficiency Curve." You get more and more high quality work done in less and less time.

Each time you stop working however, you break this cycle and move back up the curve to where every part of the task is more difficult and time consuming.

Self Discipline Is The Key
Elbert Hubbard defined self discipline as, "The ability to make yourself do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not."

In the final analysis, success in any area requires tons of discipline. Self-discipline, self-mastery and self-control are the basic building blocks of character and high performance.

The True Test of Willpower
Starting a high priority task and persisting with that task until it is 100% complete is the true test of your character, your willpower and your resolve.

Persistence is actually self-discipline in action. The good news is that the more you discipline yourself to persist on a major task, the more you like and respect yourself, and the higher is your self-esteem.

And the more you like and respect yourself, the easier it is for you to discipline yourself to persist even more.

Focus Clearly on Your Number One Task
By focusing clearly on your most valuable task and concentrating single mindedly until it is 100% complete, you actually shape and mold your own character. You become a superior person.

You become a stronger, more competent, confident and happier person. You feel more powerful and productive.

Build Your Self-Confidence
You eventually feel capable of setting and achieving any goal. You become the master of your own destiny. You place yourself on an ascending spiral of personal effectiveness on which your future is absolutely guaranteed.

And the key to all of this is for you to determine the most valuable and important thing you could possibly do at every single moment and then, "Eat That Frog!"

Action Exercises
Once you start your most important task, discipline yourself to persevere without diversion or distraction until it is 100% complete. See it as a “test” to determine whether you are the kind of person who can make a decision to complete something and then carry it out. Once you begin, refuse to stop until the job is finished.

completely forget about who, how, and when....

First, Victorio, completely forget about who, how, and when. Then, decide only upon what you want, the end result, with as much clarity as possible. I'll shuffle the deck, the magic show will begin, and jokers won't be all that are wild.


Gosh, you're so much fun to watch when you read these things.

Deal,
The Universe

First, Victorio, completely forget about who, how, and when....

Every day someone new falls in love with you.

Every day, Victorio, someone new falls in love with you.


Sometimes many more.

You can't deny it,
The Universe

You've got that "it" quality, Victorio... probably from me.

Anything worth having...is worth visualizing.

Anything worth having, Victorio, is worth thinking about, every day, for 5 minutes, in a dark room, wearing a really huge smile.

Shamu slippers optional.

Tallyho,
The Universe

Anything worth having, Victorio, is worth visualizing.

All great accomplishments require 4 things

Have you noticed, Victorio, that all great accomplishments require 4 things:

A dream, action, patience, and a whole bunch of miracles?

The miracles part is on me.

1, 2, 3, Me -
The Universe

You pretty much just need to show up, Victorio, dreaming, baby stepping, and loving the inevitability of it all.

Napoleon Hill once said...

Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success. - Napoleon Hill, 1883-1970, American Speaker, Motivational Writer, "Think and Grow Rich"

How Do You Attract Opportunity Into Your Life?

Someone recently asked me the question: "How can I have more opportunities come into my life?" Good question, but I think my answer surprised them a bit.

I bypassed the obvious (and necessary) points about hard work, persistence and preparation. They actually were very hard workers. And they had the great attribute of being seekers, they were on the outlook. But I felt maybe they were missing this next and most valuable point - attraction.

I always thought opportunities and success were something you went after, then I found out that I needed to turn it around. Opportunities and success are not something you go after necessarily, but something you attract - by becoming an attractive person.

That's why I teach development of skills. If you can develop your skills, keep refining all the parts of your character and yourself, your health, your relationships, etc. so that you become an attractive person to the marketplace - you'll attract opportunity. Opportunity will probably seek you out. Your reputation will probably precede you and someone will want to do business with you. All of the possibilities are there by working on the philosophy that success is something you attract.

The key is to continue making yourself a more attractive person by the skills you have, the disciplines you have, the personality you've acquired, the character and reputation you have established, the language and speech you use - all of that refinement makes you more attractive to the marketplace.

Personal development - the never-ending chance to improve not only yourself, but also to attract opportunities and affect others.

To Your Success,

Jim Rohn

Be "Gutsy."

Do you know what we used to call you before you leapt into the jungles of time and space, Victorio?

"Gutsy."

Do you know what we call you now?

"An example."

Do you know what we'll call you when you return?

"Teacher."

Tallyho,
The Universe

That's in addition to "Missed," Victorio, (and "Spaghetti Legs").

Visualize and Expect Success

Our studies of high achievers have shown that no matter how different their personalities, work habits, occupations or gender, the people who accomplish great things in life have visualized and expected success all along. They’ve had the ability to vividly picture their achievements and to reassure themselves in the face of long odds that they would come through.

To visualize the person you want most to become, set aside some time this week in which you can create an atmosphere conducive to re-affirming your life dreams. You may want to be near the ocean, or a lake, or in a park, in a garden or in the woods. Or you might just sit quietly by yourself in a comfortable lounge or chair. Get yourself in the mood for visualizing. When the left hemisphere of the brain is quiet and relaxed, the mind is most receptive to creative inputs. To facilitate this you may want to use soothing recorded music, preferably slow and inspiring like Bach, Handel or Vivaldi if you like classical music, or soft, popular instrumentals from epic movies or other mood music.

Once you’re properly relaxed and optimistic, let your mind focus on who you really want to become. Visualize the future in two time frames: five years from now and ten years from now. First, design a day in your life five years from now. Who are you five years from now? Where are you professionally and geographically? On Monday mornings, where do you go?

What are you doing, seeing, feeling and thinking? Who are the people around you? What’s different about your life five years from now?

Next, project ahead ten years from today. Picture a film of your life at that time. Who is watching it with you? What dramatic moments are depicted by that film? What personal triumphs are revealed? What obstacles are courageously overcome?

Don’t be shy! The purpose of this exercise is to load visualized software in your mental computer. Just as a computer must be configured to accept specific materials, your mind must be prepared to accept the reality of your greater success. By introducing positive images of goal achievement, you’re preparing yourself to translate those goals into reality.

I especially like to visualize myself being introduced at a dinner in my honor. Maybe it’s the Coaches’ Hall of Fame! Don’t laugh! It could happen! The emcee comes to the microphone and reads the highlights of my life and adds some insights as to who I really am. What would the emcee be saying about you if such a dinner were held in your honor ten years from now? Devote a page in your journal to describing the things you would want said about you.

This visualization will put you on a path that leads to your future self that you vividly picture today!

—Denis Waitley

Your unending baby steps will be matched...

People who do all they can, with what they've got, from where they are, Victorio, no matter how puny their actions, how tiny their steps, or how futile it may seem, simply have more fun. Way.


Of course, to the uninitiated it doesn't appear that way. To them it appears as if only those taking gigantic leaps, who drive cars with fancy wheels, have loads of friends, perfect bodies, and fly around the world in First Class Sleeper Seats, are having fun. But what they don't realize is that we're often talking about the very same folks, just at different points in their journey.

Coffee, tea, or a brand new Bentley?
The Universe

You see, Victorio, your unending baby steps will be matched by my own, and the next thing you'll know MTV Cribs will be knocking at your door.

Learn to maintain an unwavering focus upon your desired end result

Victorio, the trick is learning to maintain an unwavering focus upon your desired end result, your completed dream, the "finish line," without insisting upon, or even contemplating, its means of attainment, no matter how logical, obvious, or tempting it may seem.


Tallyho,
The Universe

That's all you ever really need to know, Victorio.

100th post

accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble...

I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble. ~ Helen Keller

Getting More Done, Faster and Easier

By: Brian Tracy

There are so many demands on your time today that very little of your time is yours to use as you choose. The good news is that you can take far more control over how you use your time at work and in your personal life.

The Starting Point

Time management begins with you making a list of your goals in order of priority. You always work from a list. You then organize each day with a list as well.

Priorities Versus Posteriorities

There is a difference between priorities and posteriorities. In order to get your personal time under control, you must decide very clearly upon your priorities. You must decide on the most important things that you could possible be doing to give yourself the same amount of happiness, satisfaction, and joy in life. But at the same time, you must establish posteriorities as well. Just as priorities are things that you do more of and sooner, posteriorities are things that you do less of and later.

The fact is, your calendar is full. You have no spare time. Your time is extremely valuable. Therefore, for you to do anything new, you will have to stop doing something old. In order to get into something, you will have to get out of something else. In order to pick something up, you will have to put something down. Before you make any new commitment of your time, you must firmly decide what activities you are going to discontinue in your personal life. If you want to spend more time with your family, for example, you must decide what activities you currently engage in that are preventing you from doing so.

Hard Time Pushes Out Soft Time

A key principle of time management says that hard time pushes out soft time. This means that hard time, such as working, will push out soft time, such as the time you spend with your family. So concentrate on working when you are at work so that you can concentrate on your family when you are at home.

Three Questions For Life Balance

There are three key questions that you can ask yourself continually to keep your personal life in balance. The first question is, "What is really important to me?" Whenever you find yourself with too much to do and too little time, stop and ask yourself, "What is it that is really important for me to do in this situation?" Then, make sure that what you are doing is the answer to that question.

Your Highest Value Activities

The second question is, "What are my highest value activities?" In your personal life, this means, "What are the things that I do that give me the greatest pleasure and satisfaction? Of all the things that I could be doing at any one time, what are the things that I could do to add the greatest value to my life?"

The Most Valuable Use of Your Time

And the final question for you to ask over and over again is, "What is the most valuable use of my time right now?" Since you can only do one thing at a time, you must constantly organize your life so that you are doing one thing, the most important thing, at every moment. Personal time management enables you to choose what to do first, what to do second, and what not to do at all. It enables you to organize every aspect of your life so that you can get the greatest joy, happiness, and satisfaction out of everything you do.

Action Exercises

First, look at your calendar, your list of tasks and responsibilities, and decide what you are going to cut back on or stop doing altogether. Second, organize your work so that you work all the time you work. Don't waste time in idle socializing or low value activities. Third, ask yourself continually, "What is the most valuable use of my time, right now?" and whatever your answer, work on that task exclusively until it is complete.

Just one!

Victorio, it only takes one idea, one second in time, one friend, one dream, one leap of faith, to change everything, forever.

Just one!

Yet eternity lies in the palm of your hand.

Hallelujah,
The Universe

Nice odds, Victorio, huh?

The Power of Habit

(This excerpt was taken from Denis Waitley's book The Seeds of Greatness Treasury)

You may know me.
I’m your constant companion.
I’m your greatest helper; I’m your heaviest burden
I will push you onward or drag you down to failure.
I am at your command.
Half the tasks you do might as well be turned over to me. I’m able to do them quickly, and I’m able to do them the same every time,
If that’s what you want.

I’m easily managed; all you’ve got to do is be firm with me.
Show me exactly how you want it done; after a few lessons I’ll do it automatically.
I am the servant of all great men and women; of course,
I’m the servant of all the failures as well.
I’ve made all the winners who have ever lived.
And, I’ve made all the losers too.

But I work with all the precision of a marvelous computer
With the intelligence of a human being.
You may run me for profit, or you may run me to ruin;
It makes no difference to me.

Take me. Be easy with me, and I will destroy you.
Be firm with me, and I’ll put the world at your feet.
Who am I?

I’m Habit!

-- Denis Waitley

funky, confusing, gray, lonely days were just part of a "system"

What if funky, confusing, gray, lonely days were just part of a "system" that, in turn, created bright, rich, happy, friendly days?


What if they were just meant to give deeper elements of your creativity a rest?

What if they were deliberately crafted holidays, of a sort, devised by your inner psyche to relieve you from the pressure of artificial expectations?

Would you still bemoan them, wonder what's wrong with you, or fear that they'll never end? Or, Victorio, would they kind of tickle you pink?

You party animal, you -
The Universe

I knew "tickle" would get your attention, Victorio.

Four Rules of Time

By: Brian Tracy

There are four rules of time. The first is that time is perishable. This means that it cannot be saved. In fact, time can only be spent. Because time is perishable, the only thing you can do with it is to spend it differently, to reallocate your time away from activities of low value and toward activities of higher value. But once it is gone, it is gone forever.

Time is Indispensable

The second rule of time is that time is indispensable. All work requires time. No matter what it is you want to do in life, even looking out a window or sleeping in for a few extra minutes, it requires a certain amount of time. And according to the 10/90 Rule, the 10% of time that you take to plan your activities carefully in advance will save you 90% of the effort involved in achieving your goals later. The very act of thinking through and planning your work in advance will dramatically reduce the amount of time that it takes you to do the actual job.

The Currency of the Future

The third rule of time is that time is irreplaceable. Nothing else will do, especially in relationships. Time is the only currency that means anything in your relationships with the members of your family, your friends, colleagues, customers and coworkers. Truly effective people give a lot of thought to creating blocks of time that they can then spend, without interruption, with the important people in their lives.

Spell The Word Correctly

There is a question: “How do children spell the word ‘Love?’”

And the answer is “T-I-M-E.” It is the same with your spouse, as well. The important people in your life equate the amount of time that you spend with them, face to face, head to head, knee to knee, with the amount that you actually love them.

Grow Your Relationships

The more time that you spend with another person, especially a member of your family, the deeper grows your understanding and affection for that person. If you get too busy to spend time with your children, you eventually lose contact with them and they go off into their own personal world of school, peers and other activities.

The Key to Goal Achievement

The fourth rule is that time is essential for accomplishment. Every goal you want to achieve, everything you want to accomplish, requires time. In fact, one of the smartest things you ever do, when you set a goal, is to sit down and allocate the exact amount of time that you are going to have to invest to achieve that goal. The failure to do this almost always leaves the goal unaccomplished.

Action Exercises

1. Decide today to redirect and reallocate your time away from low-value tasks and toward high-value activities.

2. Make a plan to spend more time face-to-face with the most important people in your life. The more you think about the use of your time, the better you will become.

Introspection is an amazing tool!

Nope. No one on this end is authorized, or even interested, in telling someone on your end when their thoughts are in conflict. Can you blame us? We'd immediately risk being labeled critical, unsupportive, and misguided. Forget it!

But that's perfectly all right, Victorio, because under the current system everyone eventually discovers truth... either through manifesting so much chaos they're forced to ask the hard questions, or through just plain asking the hard questions from the get-go.

Win-win, sort of.

Love you masses,
The Universe

Victorio, introspection is an amazing tool!

Always speak to the highest

Whenever conferring with another, Victorio, either face to face or across the miles, whether a human being, departed spirit, or sentient tree, always speak to the highest within them.


Makes such a difference.

Amen,
The Universe
 
Yeah, Victorio, as if some trees weren't sentient. Glad you caught that.

Expecting "end results"

Expecting "end results" - such as wealth and abundance, health and harmony, friends and laughter - in broad brush strokes, is part of the secret formula, Victorio, for manifesting the life of your dreams.


Expecting your path to follow a certain route - such as writing a bestseller to accumulate wealth, having a particular someone fall in love with you, or insisting upon this idea, that diet, or the other invention to be your deliverance - is just plain messing with the cursed hows and severely limits my options... (I hate when that happens.)

Cool?
The Universe

Release any expectations you may have of how you think your dreams will come true, Victorio, but by all means, with every fiber of your being, expect that they will, as you busy yourself enjoying who and where you already are.

Gain strength, courage, and confidence

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. - Eleanor Roosevelt

Some people just have big hearts ;o)

Some people just have big hearts, Victorio. And with this gift they're very often able to feel, offer, and show far more love than they receive from those around them. Which, at times, is a heavy load to bear. So today I'd like to remind them, and especially you, that the sun asks not that the moon and planets help brighten each day, but relishes her role as a keeper of the light and a bringer of the dawn. A role much like your own.


Happy weekend, from the Sun and I -
The Universe

Victorio, nice flares lately... showoff.

Expect for the things you want to happen not just hope for it

Victorio, in case you were wondering what might happen next - how this week will unfold, who you will become tomorrow - it all boils down to one thing...

Expectation.

Yours.

Whoohoo,
The Universe

Now, to be crystal clear, Victorio: Expectation that's not followed by action is not expectation... it's just hoping; and hoping has never achieved very much.

Don't be afraid to make mistakes

The greatest mistake a man can ever make is to be afraid of making one.


   ~Elbert Hubbard 1859-1915, American Author, Publisher

The Safari Called Life

by Dr. Denis Waitley

Many of my current keynote presentations to major corporations have focused on my recent experiences in Africa, and how they can be applied to our individual and collective performance in pursuit of excellence and quality of life. I view life as a way of traveling on a mysterious, ever-challenging safari, where the trail is blazed by our daily choices, actions and responses.

There is an oft-repeated cliché I have heard ever since I was a boy: “It’s a jungle out there!” Every television and newspaper headline seems to shout about the perils of existence. Bad news is always the special meal of the day, and because of the media’s increasing preoccupation with what’s wrong in the world, each generation believes it is living in the most difficult time in history. How are we to face our deepening feelings of apprehension and fear during a time of increasing global unrest and insecurity? How can we achieve survival, success and serenity in this savage paradise called life?

What I have learned on my annual pilgrimages to Africa on safari, can be applied to our own daily lives. Life in every environment today is a savage paradise. Savage to the ignorant, uneducated, unskilled, prejudiced and ill-informed. A paradise to those who have learned to adapt to and manage change, remain flexible, unhook prejudices, view failures and mistakes as temporary detours and target corrections, and remain lifelong learners. Our safari guides were comfortable and at ease in the dangerous ecosystem of Africa. We, on the other hand, felt vulnerable, insecure and hesitant. We were the newcomers, the tourists. They were the guides, confident through training and experience.

In my book, Safari to the Soul (which is now available in a newsix-CD audio set), I mention another book that made the same parallel as I had, entitled The Jungle is Neutral, written by Col. F. Spencer Chapman, an officer in the British army during World War II. Col. Chapman survived for four years as a guerilla fighter in Malaysia. Cut off from the outside world, which listed him as “missing, believed killed,” he was isolated deep in the jungle, undergoing ordeals such as few individuals have ever lived to document. He escaped twice from prison camps because, in his own words, “I needed to get back to my assignment!”

When questioned later about his adversaries being expert jungle fighters and the fact that he was up against scorpions, yellow fever, malaria, poisonous snakes, incessant rain, wild tigers, leeches and undergrowth so thick it took four hours to walk a mile, these were Col. Chapman’s observations:

“I had my bouts with most of what you mentioned. Some of it I was prepared for. Some of it I learned on the job. I managed to get around by bicycle, dugout canoe, mostly on foot, and some of the time on my belly crawling through the jungle muck. The jungle provides drinking water, fruit and food, shelter and plenty of places to hide. I also made friends with the tribal chiefs and natives who had lived there all their lives and who taught me coping skills.”

When it was brought to his attention that others who spent only days or weeks in the jungle swore that the jungle is hostile, cruel and vindictive, Col. Chapman answered resolutely:

“To me, the jungle is neutral. It is your knowledge, attitude, skills and habits that see you through. The jungle is what it is. It doesn’t think. It is the backdrop for your journey. Your preparation, training, resourcefulness and dedication are what count.”

On your own safari in pursuit of your professional and personal goals, as you look forward to a new beginning and the climb to a higher level, where you have never journeyed before, remember that acronym called the “KASH-flow” of life.

K is for Knowledge. Invest fully in your lifelong learning. The shelf life of your formal education, with any and all of your degrees, is about 18 months. Every five minutes, there is a new scientific or technological breakthrough that upgrades or makes obsolete what had gone before. Knowledge is the new power and the greatest tool for combating fear and prejudice.

A is for Attitude. Examine your “why,” and compare it with those who are peak-performers in every business. View problems as opportunities to grow, and understand that virtually every successful entrepreneur has been a problem-solver and risk-taker. Taking the calculated risk is what creates security. Seeking security provided by others is the greatest risk to your personal freedom and fulfillment. Your attitude is either the lock on or key to your door of success.

S is for Skills. Attend meetings and conference calls, and take advantage of every opportunity to gain insights and experiences from successful role models and mentors. We learn by observation, imitation and repetition. Model yourself after mentors with proven track records of success, whose character traits and personal lives match their professional accomplishments. Behind every world-class athlete, there is a world-class coach. The same holds true in every business arena. Surround yourself with winning coaches.

H is for Habits. By the inch, success is a cinch. By the yard, it’s hard. Break your major goals down into mini-goals, and stair step your way to the top by establishing a dynamic daily routine that eliminates time-wasting activities and maximizes performance-achieving activities. Remember, the more you train, the more you gain. Habits are like submarines; they run silent and deep. Repetition is the key. Habits grow, over time, from cobwebs into cables to shackle or strengthen our lives. Practice makes permanent. Only perfect practice makes perfect. You don’t break habits; you replace them.

By using the KASH formula, you will increase your cash flow and your productivity, giving you more free time to go on safaris when and where you want. Instead of a tourist, you’ll become a tour guide, with a greater awareness of your environment, courage based on skills and training, and an attitude of confidence to turn every stumbling block you face into a steppingstone to success and fulfillment.

Life is a safari into a savage paradise. The quality of your journey will depend on your preparation, choices and responses. Become a guide instead of a tourist!

Patience is cool

The BIG THING, Victorio, rarely happens when you ask for it, nor does it typically come from who or where you expect. It usually comes a bit later, from someone you didn't even know when you first asked, as a result of some weird turn of events that were impossible to foresee.


So, chill. Be patient. Enjoy the moment. And let your friends, employers, and partners off the hook. Besides, they're going to have enough to deal with when the BIG THING does arrive, if you know what I mean.

Won't be long,

The Universe
 
Patience is cool, Victorio. Really cool.

for every single time you ever fell in love

Thanks, Victorio, for every single time you ever fell in love.

Whether or not it was obvious. Whether or not it lasted. And whether or not you were loved back.

It changed everything.

You changer,
The Universe

Actually, Victorio, you're always loved back....

The 13 Absolutely Unbreakable Laws of Success

by Brian Tracy

1. The Law of Control: You feel good about yourself to the degree to which you feel that you are in control of you own life.

2. The Law of Responsibility: You are completely responsible for everything you are and fore everything you become and achieve.

3. The Law of Direction: Successful people have a clear sense of purpose and direction in every area of their lives.

4. The Law of Compensation: You are always fully compensated for whatever you do, positive or negative.

5. The Law of Service: Your rewards in life will always be in direct proportion to the value of your service to others.

6. The Law of Applied Effort: All things are amenable to hard work.

7. The Law of Overcompensation: If you always do more than you are paid for, you will always be paid more than you are getting now.

8. The Law of Preparation: Effective performance is preceded by painstaking preparation.

9. The Law of Forced Efficiency: The more things you have to do in a limited period of time, the more you will be forced to work on your most important tasks.

10. The Law of Decision: Every great leap forward in life is preceded by a clear decision and a commitment to action.

11. The Law of Creativity: Every advance in human life begins with an idea in the mind of a single person.

12. The Law of Flexibility: Success is best achieved when you are clear about the goal but flexible about the process of getting there.

13. The Law of Persistence: Your ability to persist in the face of setbacks and disappointments is your measure of your belief in yourself and your ability to succeed.

You can ALWAYS start anew

Now, I have to admit that among inventions, the "Undo" button is right up there with the very greatest of all time, but it'll never compare to the "Do" button, from which worlds are born.
Victorio, this is your chance!

2010, Baby -
The Universe
 
Plus, Victorio, even while some things can't be undone, you can ALWAYS start anew.

Seek out the real YOU then follow Him

Seek out that particular mental attribute which makes you feel most deeply and vitally alive, along with which comes the inner voice which says, "This is the real me," and when you have found that attitude, follow it. - William James (1842-1910)

you're the fruit

I love watching when you walk into a room, Victorio.

How faces light up.

People "inexplicably" feeling better about themselves.

Angels singing Hallelujah.

The fruit doesn't fall far from the tree, huh?

I'm the tree,
The Universe

And you're the fruit, Victorio.

2010 Customized Abundance Advisory and Relativity Alert

2010 Customized Abundance Advisory and Relativity Alert for Victorio Claveria (shhhh...)

Soon, for you Victorio, hundred dollar bills in forgotten blue jean pockets will be as plentiful as singles are in your wallet today. Earning an extra five thousand for lending a hand will only be as challenging as earning five hundred, today. And then, before you can even ask, "Who let the bucks out?!" you'll have as many millions in the bank as there are meters in a mile, popes in the Vatican, and stairways to heaven.

Yet still, you'll be loved most for being a great friend.

That's just how you roll,
The Universe

And every day, Victorio, will feel like Friday... but not just because you're really, really rich.

Your Dream Begins Today

by Les Brown

What will your life be like when you’ve achieved your most deeply held dreams? Let’s take a look at how you can start living your dreams this very day.

Do you have a dream, a vision of the life you wish to live?
How specific is that dream?
How clear is that vision?
How do you intend to reach it?
What obstacles stand in your way?
Are your fears holding you back or are you using them to move you forward?

Your fears can actually lead you to success. Fear is an intense emotion. But that doesn’t mean it has to control you, or even stop you. Fear can prepare you and push you forward just as strongly as it can hold you back. Fear heightens your awareness and increases your physical strength. Fear brings your mind to sharp focus. With all that going for you, does it make sense to just run and hide? Of course not. Fear gets you in shape to take action!

Are you waiting for things to get better before moving ahead? If you’re serious about success, you need to start taking action today. If you’re waiting for things to be perfect, you’ll wait forever and nothing will ever get done.

The way to achieve is to bloom where you’re planted, to do what you can, where you are, with what you have. It’s easy to think up excuses for not taking action. “If only I had more hours in the day. If only I had a better job. If only I could meet the right person.” But excuses won’t bring you anything of value. You’ve got to change your “if only” into an “I will.” “I will make better use of my time. I will work on improving my career. I will create and nurture my relationships.”

Take a chance. Have faith in yourself. Your circumstances will improve when you make the effort to improve them. Start where you are right now. You have everything it takes to reach for whatever you desire. Stop wishing. Use your time, your energy, your thoughts and efforts to make it happen! You’ll be glad you did!

your thoughts become things

If given just one wish for the New Year, Victorio, knowing you could wish for anything at all and that whatever you wished for was GUARANTEED to come true... would you wish for all things to be EXACTLY as they are?

Me too.

We bad,
The Universe

As things are now, Victorio, you've still got forever, your thoughts become things, and not only do most people around you have golden intentions... but they really, really like you.

DREAM BIGGER THIS 2010!!!

I want you to know, Victorio, that I've ordered up another year for you.

Think I'll call it 2010.

I'm going to put most of the same people of 2009 in it, since you all think so much alike. But there'll also be a few new, very cool cats coming to play - give them some time to grow up though.

And I'm going to have things start off pretty much exactly where they left off in 2009, for continuity's sake. Flips folks out too much when I don't.

All in all, 365 more days in paradise... and only one request of you:

DREAM BIGGER.

Coolio?

Let's do this,

The Universe

Bigger than even your awesomely fabulous dream house, Victorio, since that's pretty much in the bag now.