Resolve a Habit of Persistence

Persistence

      My life is perfect. Everything is like it should be. A picturesque summertime float on a calm, crystal clear lake. The sun out with but wisps of clouds in the royal blue sky. Not too hot, not too cold. I want for nothing. Friends and family surround. Laughter and reverie abound all around.

      Then, there's that sound again. It sounds like a knock on a door. Is it another distraction, or, another opportunity?

      I wake. Dream over for now.

      I have to return to the task at hand. Do I continue working, or, do I pause and consider making a decision?

      Now is not the time to rethink. I am in work mode, now, today. Back to the formula. Just execute. Saying my self talk I am able to regain focus.

      Clickety clack, clickety clack, like a train going down a track. The knocks on the door fade away. I'm returning to my zone.

     

     

      I recently became reacquainted with a verse in scripture. It has resonated so well with my self talk, that I have printed it out, hung it on the wall, and have added it to my daily self talk routine:

           "... I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down ..." Nehemiah 6:3

     

     

      Persistence and focus seem to intertwine themselves with each other. These are crucial as I succeed with any resolution.

     

with gratitude and in service,

Tony Koker

Image credit: CanStockPhoto.com

Decision and Action

Decision and Action

      I decide all the time. Whenever I add a task to one of my lists, I've already decided it needed to be done. I've developed quite a talent for putting things down and keeping track of them.
      One of the mistakes I have made often involves my mental excitement and pleasure I get from mentally visualizing these tasks as complete. Don't get me wrong, on the way to getting these things done, this is an important step. The more realistic I can visualize the task as complete, the easier it is for me to do it. My mistake has often been the elation I feel having identified the task and writing it down, ends up being gratification enough, right now, to make me feel I've got things all planned and ready. At least for right now. The mistake I often make, after a little time has elapsed, is to revisit the list(s) and discover ways to make them even better. I find holes that need new solutions. Real or imagined, I second-guess myself until I plan myself to another point of elation, or not. Revisiting these decisions and plans is where I go astray. I have had to work on the habit of deciding now. Closing the plan, having decided the steps, and begin the doing. If there are minor corrections that need to be made, I just need to let go and adjust along the way.
      Through the reading of this book (Think and Grow Rich), and with the help of my mentors, I've found that I need to let go of this decision process of mine. I need to focus on just one more list - my to do list. I've actually renamed this to my ACTION list. My self-talk keeps me focused and motivated, and my ACTION list tells me exactly what I need to be doing, and deciding to change the list, is NOT on the list.
      I am continually grateful for the participation and support of this system (here and here) - the people who mastermind and fellowship each other in peace today and towards greater joy tomorrow.
with gratitude and in service,
Tony Koker
Image credit: CanStockPhoto.com

Ain't Nothing Like a Hound Dog!

Ain't Nothing Like a Hound Dog!

     
"Ain't nothing like a hound dog, crying all the time." Famous lyrics, but they remind me of a story I've heard told.
     
Picture, if you will, a raw wood house, grayed by the weather. A larger farmer's porch in front, with steps up, small columns, a railing and a roof overhead for rain cover.
     
Found on the porch, away from the stairs in the front and doorway to the house is found a wooden rocking chair. Next to the chair is found a beat up old metal container of some sort. The top is hinged and can be opened when needed. Inside this box can be found all manner of material for idle time busy work. Perhaps a chunk of wood being carved into various shapes will be found.
     
To the side of the chair on the porch, when the owner is in the chair, can be found his faithful companion, his basset hound, or hound dog, for short.
     
While sitting in the chair, rocking slowly forward and back, whittling away on this new sculpture, the occupant of the chair is engaged with a passerby. On the way to or from, they engage in banter about people, events, things and ideas. Whatever seems to be the most pressing topic for discussion of the moment.
     
Invariably the discussion leads to complaints of frustration encountered by either or both of them. Likely the issues are out of the control of either of them. But as misery often enjoys the company of its kin, they both can be found to echo the unpleasantness with eager enthusiasm. An observation might include that one actually seems to try to outdo the misery of the other.
     
It too almost seems as though they moan in sympathy of each other.
     
Each time they relate such a condition, the dog, too, can be heard to howl almost right on queue. First one, then the other, and finally the third, like a symphony of low tone instruments, cascading a symphony of emotional expression.
     
Not as familiar with the animal as the owner, the passerby asks about what the dog has to complain about.
     
Not skipping a beat in his rocking or handiwork the owner presents an explanation thusly. The dog had come to rest upon a nail that is sticking up from the floor of the porch. It is pressing sufficiently against his hyde that discomfort or even pain is being felt. But, it is not significant enough that the animal will gather together the energy necessary to get up and move to another spot. It just chooses to complain to the universe, another note in the chorus of three.
     
Are you stuck in the chorus, too? Have you examined why you remain, yet are not happy nor fulfilled? Discover how to break free together, with us here.
Image credit: CanStockPhoto.com

How to Outwit the Six Ghosts of Fear

HOW TO OUTWIT THE SIX GHOSTS OF FEAR

      Indecision, doubt and fear are the three enemies Napoleon Hill uses to describe the primary obstacles to our achieving what we desire.
      These are powerful adversaries. In the competitive world of commerce we find an acronym, FUD, or, Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt. Major technological companies have even embraced these to wield, like swords against their competition. If enough FUD is put out there, it makes it all the more difficult to chop through the weeds and find the real, substantiated facts. The less black and white the information, the more FUD there is.
      For me, my biggest challenges, have not been the jump from the airplane, my survival is at risk kind of fears. But, the insidious uncertainty that mentally seems to be around the next corner that causes me to not make a decision, and fail to act.
      Instead of boldly moving forward, I find I succumb to the temptation of choosing to just do something else. Often this is something well traveled, in the past, and is well known and understood. I rationalize that these other things, although not really important right now, still need to get done. And, I will feel some sense of accomplishment, having marked these off my list.
      I return, however, to the important task at hand, and again feel the impact of these enemies as they chip away at my self-esteem. I find myself asking how did this not get done, again? I begin to question my motivation. If this was so important to me, why didn't it get done?
      ... to read the rest of this post, please visit our public forum, where you will also find our mastermind lessons on this subject.
with gratitude and in service,
Tony Koker
Image credit: CanStockPhoto.com

Decision

      Whenever I read one of these chapters, I take notes of ideas and concepts I takeaway as pertinent of the ideas presented. The following is my list from this chapter:

• Lack of decision causes failure.
• Procrastination is the opposite of decision.
• Reach decisions promptly and change them slowly.
• Harmony with your desires (which are derived from your values - I added this last part, myself).
• Listen rather than talk.
• Show the world, don't tell it. Act.
• Being all in. "Freedom or death on a decision".
• Mastermind. "I tell you further, that if two of you agree upon the earth concerning anything for which you ask, it will come to you from My Father, who is in Heaven.”
• Courage.

      That last one always reminds me of the Serenity Prayer:

      Lord, Grant me the Serenity to Accept the Things I Cannot Change,
      Grant me the Courage to Change the Things I Can, and
      Grant me the Wisdom to Know the Difference.

      One of the things us greens (self-contained, indirect, primary personality) are good at, is learning ideas and concepts and embracing them from the perspective presented. I can read every word, collect and organize, then summarize and deduce. But, at least for me, I fail to then take the ideas and concepts from my mind and get it into my heart. When I do this, I don't need my outline or list, anymore. My heart is where my desires reside. It has the faith that the steps I take today are part of the staircase up, even if I cannot see the whole staircase. My heart has the belief that sees past temporary obstacles.

      I decide to win. I decide that the best way for me to obtain my desire of helping other people, of being of service to my fellow humans, of breathing when the pressure and oxygen is lost, is to put my mask on first.

      I decide to take back ownership of my life. Slowly, over time, pieces have been given away. They weren't forcibly taken. They were subtly, and perhaps deceptively coerced away, and I let it happen. It didn't seem threatening at the time. It was only a small chip from the large block. But many, many of these have occurred. I cannot simply stand up and declare that they are again mine. I have to bargain and work to maneuver to take them back, one piece at a time. They weren't given away all at once, but over time, and I know they will have to be won back the same way.

      I decide that the past is history. Aside from lessons learned, it does not restrain me. The future starts now. I decide to be fully engaged in the experience of today, right now.

      I decide that the future is molded by me. Only my hand is on the rudder of my boat. I decide to face the waves and the wind, to find the path forward.

      I decide to periodically review my values. My values build my desires. My desires provide harmony for my decisions. Today, I decide to continue to ACT upon these desire-based decisions. I have embraced today - listened with my ears and other senses and capabilities of mind - and now demonstrate this by taking focused actions, avoiding distraction along the way.

      I decide to listen to my heart. My heart provides the drive to silence the fears. My heart provides the energy and enthusiasm to continue on, even in the presence of un-silenced fear, discomfort, or even pain. My heart has the faith that knows the reward is worth it.

with gratitude and in service,

Tony Koker

Image credit: CanStockPhoto.com