Build a large trust fund

Every one of us has a trust fund that really matters: the trust of other people. The only question is, how large is it? Many people, not knowing how important a trust fund is to their own success, are practically bankrupt in this critical account.

The way to build a large trust fund is simple and straightforward. It involves being accountable for your actions, however large or small, doing what you say you are going to do, delivering on your promises, being on time, and so forth. Anything and everything you do that reinforces your own trustworthiness is like money in the bank. Accountability is derived in both small and large doses. For example, if you tell someone you are going to call them at three ‘o’clock, or pick them up at the railway station, and you do so on time, as you say you are going to do, you earn small credits toward your trust fund.

Likewise, if you tell someone that you’ll send them a copy of a book you’ve been discussing, and you actually do it, you earn credibility with that person. If you don’t do exactly what you say you’re going to do, while any individual action or inaction may not seem like a very big deal, it decreases your credibility and reduces the size of your trust fund.

Obviously, no one is perfect. We all make mistakes, show up late, and occasionally forget appointments. It’s far easier and wiser to avoid making commitments that we can’t keep than it is to make promises, however small, that may eventually reduce the size of our trust fund.

Starting today, speak and behave with your trust fund in mind. Before you say you are going to do something that someone else is going to depend on, check in with yourself. Ask yourself, will I be able to keep this commitment? Remember, the size of your trust fund depends on it.

Attitude!

How we react, what we do or say, all depends on our attitude. It determines whether we'll be happy or sad. Attitude can help, or hinder us in all areas of our lives.

If your thoughts are constantly of doom and gloom, you will receive the same in return.

Your thoughts and your perception of the world influences all that you do, and all that you are, and all that you can be.

Changing your attitude is really changing the way you see things. To begin the change, you must start looking for the good in every situation, rather than the negative.

So, you see the choice is yours. If we compare attitude to swimming, which are you doing?

Are you swimming - even against the currents and the waves, you keep going, you see your destination and you are taking action to reach it.

Are you floating - just allowing the waves to carry you, you end up where ever the water takes you.

Are you drowning - you see the waves and the currents as difficulties you cannot overcome.

The law of the seed

Take a look at an apple tree. There might be five hundred apples on the tree, each with ten seeds. That's a lot of seeds!

We might ask, "Why would you need so many seeds to grow just a few more trees?"

Nature has something to teach us here. It's telling us: "Most seeds never grow. So if you really want to make something happen, you better try more than once."

This might mean:

You'll attend twenty interviews to get one job.

You'll interview forty people to find one good employee.

You'll talk to fifty people to sell one house, car, vacuum cleaner, insurance policy, idea...

And you might meet a hundred acquaintances to find one special friend.

When we understand the "Law of the Seed", we don't get so disappointed.

We stop feeling like victims. Laws of nature are not things to take personally.

We just need to understand them - and work with them.

Don’t draw conclusions until you know all the facts!

One old man was sitting with his 25 year old son in the train. Train is about to leave the station. All passengers are settling down their seat. As train started, young man was filled with lot of joy and curiosity.

He was sitting on the window side. He put out one hand and feeling the passing air, he shouted, "Papa see all trees are going behind".

Old man smiled and admired son’s feelings. Beside the young man one couple was sitting and listening to all the conversation between father and son.

They were little awkward with the attitude of 25 years old man behaving like a small child. Suddenly the young man again shouted, "Papa see the pond and animals. Clouds are moving with train". Couple was watching the young man in embarrassment. Now it starts raining and some of water drops touch the young man's hand.

He is filled with joy and he closed the eyes. He shouted again, "Papa it's raining, water is touching me, see papa".

Couple couldn't help themselves and ask the old man.

"Why don't you visit the Doctor and get treatment for your son."

Old man said, “Yes, We are coming from the hospital as today my son got his eye sight for first time in his life".

Moral: Don’t draw conclusions until you know all the facts!

Stay focused in the present!

So often, our attention wanders off into the future. We think (and worry) about many things all at once – deadlines and potential problems. We anticipate objections and hassles and things that are likely to go wrong. We often convince ourselves how difficult something is going to be, well in advance of the actual event.
   
Or our attention is drawn to the past – we regret a mistake we made last week, or an argument we had this morning. We sometimes fret about “last quarter’s poor ratings,” or relive a painful or embarrassing event. And whether it’s in the future or the past, we usually find a way to imagine the worst.

A great deal of this mental activity is about things in the future that may or may not ever happen. And even if they do, the anticipation of it is usually worse that the actual event, and is rarely helpful. Or it’s about past activities that are over and done with; things that may have actually happened, that we no longer have any control over.

Get completely absorbed in what you are doing. Be in the present!

Practice those qualities which you believe in

If kindness, patience, honesty, and generosity are qualities that you believe in, you make every effort to practice those qualities at work.

Treat people with kindness and respect. If someone is late or makes a mistake, you try to be patient. Even if it’s your job or appropriate to reprimand someone, you do so from a foundation of love and respect.

In a given day, you have so many opportunities to practice patience, acts of kindness, and forgiveness. You have time to think loving thoughts, smile, embrace others, and practice gratitude. You can practice being non-defensive and a better listener.

You can try to be compassionate, particularly with difficult or abrasive people. Practice the way you greet people and deal with conflict. You can practice in virtually everything that you do.

Handling criticism

Rather than trying to avoid criticism, expert performers welcome it. They seek out coaches and advisors who can give them constructive, sometimes even painful feedback. They then use this feedback as a guide for steady improvement.

Here are some steps you can take to handle criticism effectively:

1. Acknowledge Your Error - Acknowledging a mistake is not the same as acknowledging that you are an inferior person/a failure. If you believe the criticism is accurate, take full responsibility. Don’t blame something or someone else and don’t make excuses. If appropriate, offer a diplomatic apology: “I’m sorry that my actions led to that result. It certainly was not my intention.” Again, if appropriate, ask for suggestions on how you can improve your performance the next time.

2. Take Corrective Action - After you’ve heard the other person out completely, and listened to any suggestions for improvement, state/communicate your eagerness to improve in the future. If appropriate, describe any actions you will take at his time to counterbalance your previous error.

3. Acknowledge the other person’s motive - Thank the other person for the feedback and make sure to state how valuable you consider it. This demonstrates your ability to use criticism as a way to improve – an essential quality of a leader. In addition, let the other person know that you are open to receiving his or her feedback in the future.

Even when you don’t care for the style in which criticism is presented, be thankful that the other person is willing to give you feedback, and along with it, an opportunity to improve.

Be Thankful

Be thankful when you don't know something ... for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times ... during those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations ... they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge... which will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes ... they will teach you valuable lessons.

It's easy to be thankful for the 'good' things ... yet, a life of rich fulfilment comes to those who are thankful for the setbacks.

Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive ... find a way to be thankful for your troubles and they can become your blessings!

It's called Mindset

As I was passing by the elephants, I suddenly stopped, confused by the fact that these huge creatures were being held by only a small rope tied to their front leg.

No chains, no cages. It was obvious that the elephants could, at anytime, break away from the ropes they were tied to but for some reason, they did not. I saw a trainer nearby and asked why these beautiful, magnificent animals just stood there and made no attempt to get away.
   
"Well," he said, "when they are very young and much smaller we use the same size rope to tie them and, at that age, it's enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot break away. They believe the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free.

"I was amazed. These animals could at any time break free from their bonds but because they believed they couldn't, they were stuck right where they were.
   
Like the elephants, how many of us go through life hanging onto a belief that we cannot do something, simply because we failed at it once before?

Wise say, “Your attempt may fail, but never fail to make an attempt.”

With complaining out of the way

If you’re black or white; a woman or a man; or if you were abused, taken advantage of, or bankrupt – these facts cannot change. If your parents couldn’t afford to send you to college or if you had to work your way through school, or walk ten miles to school – these are all things in your past. It’s time to get over them and move on.

You’ll find that life will be a lot easier when you make the decision to drop your complaining. All it does is make you feel sorry for yourself – sad, angry and victimized. When you argue for your limitations, your thoughts and words merely get in your way and greatly interfere with your ability to create.

With complaining out of the way, you’ll create the space for an explosion of creativity and brilliance. Instead of focusing on problems, you’ll begin to see solutions. Instead of maintaining an “I can’t attitude, you’ll quickly develop a more positive vision for yourself.

Stop complaining!

Take responsibility by creating an ideal working environment

You’d be amazed at what people can (and will) do if you not only give them a chance but also believe in their potential. It’s important to know that everyone has unique gifts and talents. It’s your job to assist in bringing those gifts and talents out into the world.

What happens to someone when she is insecure, resentful, or frightened? Very simply, she loses most of her motivation and other positive work-related qualities.

Consider the following example: You have an assistant. Every day when we walk in the door, you remind him how incompetent he is. You point out his weaknesses and flaws. You belittle him in front of other people. The question is how does your assistant feel? It’s hard to know for sure, because people react differently to the same set of facts. But it’s a good bet that he’s frightened, insecure, resentful of you, or, most likely, all of the above.
    
Most people, given the right environment, are hard-working, talented, creative, and productive. They want to please others just as you and I want to. Unfortunately, however, most people are hardly ever exposed to an ideal working environment.

Rather than sitting back and waiting for people to be perfect – and being frustrated when they are not – take some responsibility in the process by creating an ideal psychological working environment.

The Painting on the wall

There was a king who was a great admirer of art. One day an artist came and said to the king, “Oh King! Give me a blank wall in your palace and let me paint a picture on it.”

The artist was given the job. Just then, another young man said, “Oh King! Please allow me to work on the opposite wall. I too am an artist.”  The king said, “What would you like to make?” The man said, “My Lord, I shall make exactly what that man will make on the opposite wall. Moreover, I shall do so, without looking at his work. I would even request you to have a thick curtain put up between the two walls so that either of us cannot see the other.”

Everyone in the king’s court, including the king was intrigued. He decided to give the young fellow a chance. The following day a thick curtain was put into place and both the artists got to work. The first artist brought in a regular supply of paint, oil, water etc. The second one worked with some cloth and a bucket of water. After a month the first artist told the king that his work was complete. The king sent for the second artist and asked him, “Young man, when would your work be ready? I am coming to see the first wall this evening.” The man said, “My Lord, my wall is ready too!”

The king went to see the first artist’s wall. He was very, very impressed with the painting and gave a hefty sum as a reward to the artist. He then asked for the curtain to be opened up. Lo and behold! The same painting was to be seen on the opposite wall too! Amazing! But true! Each line, each minor detail was exactly as it was on the first wall. But this man had not been seeing what was going on, on the other side of the curtain. So how had he done it?
The king wanted to know the secret. He gave a double reward to the fellow. Then he said, “Young man, I am indeed very happy with your work. But you must tell me; how did you do it?”
The lad said simply, “It’s very easy! I just polished the wall every day till it shone like a mirror!” It was a wall made of white marble! The reflection of the painting across the room, showed up in it!

That is what it means to polish yourself. World is a reflection of you. Whatever you are, the world will seem to be that too. If you are happy, the world will look to be happy. If you are sad; jealous; angry; restless... that is what the world will seem to be to you!

Value of Finger

A screw that is connected with a machine is valuable because it is working with the whole machine. And if the screw is taken away from the machine, or if it is faulty, it is worthless. My finger is worth millions of dollars as long as it is attached to this body and is serving the body. And if it is cut off from this body, then what is its worth? Nothing. Similarly, our relationship is that we are very small particles of God; therefore our duty is to dovetail our energies with Him and cooperate with Him. That is our relationship. Otherwise we are worthless. We are cut off. When the finger becomes useless the doctor says, "Oh, amputate this finger. Otherwise the body will be poisoned." Similarly, when we become godless we are cut off from our relationship with God and suffer in this material world. If we try to join again with the Supreme Lord, then our relationship is revived.

We cannot have anything that is not in God. That is not possible. Therefore in the Vedanta-sutra it is said that everything that we have is also found in God. It is emanating from God. So our relationship is that because we are small, because we are minute, we are the eternal servitors of God. In this material world also, in ordinary behavior, we see that a man goes to serve another man because the other man is greater than he and can pay him a nice salary. So naturally the conclusion is that if we are small, our duty is to serve God. We have no other business. We are all different parts and parcels of the original entity.

The story of the eagle

The eagle has the longest life-span among birds.

In its 40’s…..It’s long and flexible talons can no longer grab prey which serves as food. It’s long and sharp beak becomes bent. Then, the eagle is left with only two options: die or go through a painful process of change which lasts 150 days.

The process requires that the eagle fly to a mountain top and sit on its’ nest. There the eagle knocks its’ beak against a rock until it plucks it out. After plucking it out, the eagle will wait for a new beak to grow back and then it will pluck out its’ talons. When its’ new talons grow back, the eagle starts plucking its old-aged feathers. And after five months, the eagle takes its’ famous flight of rebirth and lives for 30 more years.
   
Why is change needed? Many times, in order to survive we have to start a change process. We sometimes need to get rid of old memories habits and other past limiting beliefs.
     
Only freed from past burdens, can we take advantage of the present. Our lives are not determined by what happens to us but by how we react to what happens, not by what life brings to us, but by the attitude we bring to life.

A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events, and outcomes. It is a catalyst, a spark that creates extraordinary results. Let’s change to make a change!!!

Pray regularly

There is a story of about a sea captain who in his retirement skippered a boat taking day-trippers to Shetland Islands. On one trip, the boat was full of young people.

They laughed at the old captain when they saw him say a prayer before sailing out, because the day was fine and the sea was calm.

However they weren't long at sea when a storm suddenly blew up and the boat began to pitch violently. The terrified passengers came to the captain and asked him to join them in prayer.  
   
But he replied, "I say my prayers when it's calm. When it's rough I attend to my ship."
 
Here is a lesson for us: 
   
If we cannot and will not seek God in quiet moments of our lives; we are not likely to find Him when trouble strikes. We are more likely to panic. But if we have learnt to seek Him and trust Him in quiet moments, then most certainly we will find Him when the going gets rough.

Stay out of reverse

Reverse, in a psychological sense, works the same as the reverse gear in your car – it takes you backward. And, like your car, if you want to change direction and begin moving forward, you must shift gears completely. It’s impossible to move forward in reverse gear.
   
The way reverse sounds in day-to-day living is this: "Can you believe what happened yesterday? Those guys were jerks. Every time I work on something, it gets messed up. That’s the sixth time this week our deliveries were delayed. I’m still mad at what she said to me." There are an unlimited number of possible examples. Anytime you are fixated, immobilized, absorbed in, or even overly concerned with something that is over – whether it happened this morning or ten years ago – constitutes reverse gear. I challenge you to take an honest look at how often you (and probably most people you know) are focused in reverse. You may be shocked.
   
The way you can tell if you are in reverse gear is simple. It will feel heavy and serious. You won’t be moving forward; you might even be moving backward. You’ll be complaining about things, people, circumstances, events, rules, problems, and concerns that are, for the most part, over and done with. Being in reverse saps the joy out of whatever you are doing. It’s boring, unforgiving and counterproductive.
   
As you notice your thoughts drifting backward, remind yourself that the past is over and done with. Then, gently and easily, guide yourself back to the here and now. All it takes is a little patience and some practice. Pretty soon, your tendency to be in reverse gear will be a part of your past.

Let go of the fear that if you're relaxed or happy, you're going to fall

When you eat too much, the energy that is usually directed toward normal body functions – healing, cell division, metabolism, and all sorts of other good stuff – must go toward digestion. This makes you feel sleepy and lethargic. You lose motivation and energy.

There is an emotional equivalent. You can extend this same metaphor to your tendency to be overly serious and immobilized over little things. When you are angry, bothered, and annoyed, virtually all the mental and emotional energy that could otherwise be used for creativity, spontaneity, and mental ambition is taken away.

When you focus on things that irritate you, it interferes with the process of creation. It keeps you down, stuck, focused not on the wonder and mystery of life and its many possibilities but on what’s lacking, what’s wrong, and all that makes you mad and frustrated.

As you lighten up, relax, and unwind, you open the doors of creativity and joy that were previously hidden. So, starting today, remind yourself that it’s okay to relax – in fact, it’s more than okay, it’s downright important.

Life isn't your enemy, but your thinking can be

At times, it can seem like life is our enemy, as if things never quite pan out the way we would like them to, as if there’s a secret conspiracy against us. However, it’s critical to remember that, in reality, life isn’t our enemy. There is no conspiracy. Life is just life. It is what it is. The factor that can make life seem like our enemy, however, is our thinking.
   
As obvious as this insight may seem, the implications are enormous. The truth is, life isn’t going to accommodate any of us by giving us fewer demands, less traffic, people who are easier to get along with, or a smoother path toward success. If we want a different experience of life, a more peaceful outlook, we are the ones who must change.
   
If you’re angry, you’re the one having angry thoughts. If you’re stressed, you’re the one having stressful thoughts. If you’re feeling sorry for yourself, again, you’re the one having thoughts of self-pity. The good news, of course, is that while you can’t alter life very often to suit your needs, you do have a fair measure of control over your own thinking. You can change the way you think, and you can change your reactions to life. It’s entirely up to you. You can go on hating the many inconvenient aspects of life or you can relax and commit to changing your reactions to them.
   
It’s very helpful to remind yourself (daily) that your life isn’t your enemy. While you’re at it, remind yourself of the tremendous power of your own thinking that your world is shaped by those thoughts you choose to focus on the most.

Correct Calculation

We cannot simply accept that part of the scripture we like, and reject what we don't like, and still expect to get the result. If you miss one point, there is a mistake in your calculation. Regardless of what you add or subtract after that, the mistake is already in the calculation, and everything that follows will also be faulty.

For example, a hen lays eggs with its back part and eats with its beak. A farmer may consider, "The front part of the hen is very expensive because I have to feed it. Better to cut it off." But if the head is missing there will be no eggs anymore, because the body is dead. Similarly, if we reject the difficult part of the scriptures and obey the part we like, such an interpretation will not help us. We have to accept all the injunctions of the scripture as they are given, not only those that suit us.

Stop complaining about your circumstances

It’s extremely rare to find a successful person who whines, complains, and frets about his circumstances. This is despite the fact that he may have overcome great obstacles to achieve his level of success. On the other hand, it’s extremely common for struggling individuals to continually blame their circumstances for their lack of joy and happiness.

The real question is: what came first – the attitude or the success? The answer, in virtually all cases, is that the winning, positive attitude came first, followed by a lifetime of success.

All it takes is a simple decision; the decision to stop yourself from falling into the habit of complaining about your circumstances. At first it may be difficult – even funny – to observe how often you complain.

Habits can be hard to break. But in this case, it’s well worth the effort. As an excuse of complaint comes to mind, gently shoo it away. Don’t worry about it too much. You’ll quickly get used to the nicer feelings that come from a life without complaints.