“Knowing others is intelligence, knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength, mastering yourself is true power.” ~Lao-Tzu

Intellect instills knowledge.  To know is to know, but the wisdom in knowledge is how you apply what you know.

It is good to study and/or have letters of distinction indicating advanced degrees behind your name. You’ve earned the right to flag your knowledge. However, it is as important to be aware of your self-content.

Who are you without the accompaniment of letters of degrees. How you think of yourself and who you are is the greatest benefit to your progress.  Brian Tracy, in Maximum Achievement, says “it is only when you understand and accept yourself that you begin moving forward in all areas of your life.”

“If  you have knowledge, let others light their candles in it.” ~Margaret Fuller

Build your intellect and self worth daily, as winners do, by engaging a mentor or being a mentor, listening to or reading inspiring messages, studying actual patterns of other achievers, and spending time in positive environments.

Learn well.

Opportunity Step: Spend time with your mentor today.

(This is an excerpt from Climb Every Obstacle: Eliminate Your Limits! Buy your copy today, FREE shipping, for the rest of the story.)

“Action speaks louder than fear.” ~Dr. Mark Goulston

Inertia impedes action.  Staying planted in one place, no matter how comfortable you are, is a success disaster.  Progress demands activity.

Advancement defeats stagnation. If you find yourself settling for less than your potential or removed from living a life of passion and purpose, ask yourself two questions:

1. What am I avoiding and why?
2. What would I do if I could not fail?

Honest answers to these questions often re-energize you and restore your focus.

Act and continue to act with deliberate, constant action. Combat unproductive inertia, time waits for no one. Don’t settle, never resign or move away from your dream, and always find something better to do.

Eat your P’s (by Al Wiseman)

Realize your Potential

Discover your Purpose

Stand on Principle

Live life with Passion

Ignite your spirit!

Opportunity Step: Go out and dance today.

(This is an excerpt from the book, Climb Every Obstacle: Eliminate Your Limits! Buy your copy today, FREE shipping, for the rest of the story.)

“We expect more of ourselves than we have any right to.” ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

Impatience increases distance. It takes time for an oyster to form a pearl. It takes time to build a skyscraper. It takes time to actualize sustained success.

Banish impatience if you intend to achieve your dreams.  Hyrum Smith says, “Great people achieve more because they are both pragmatic and patient.” Successful people plan success.

Develop long-term and short-term goals. Begin by writing daily goals lists. Specify steps you will take to achieve a success marker.  Be patient with yourself, but move forward.  If you are already writing goal steps, then write longer term stretch goals.

Be patient, there are no overnight successes.

Impatience clouds your vision; it obscures dreams. Success takes time and cannot be rushed. Dreams never ripen before their time.

Opportunity Step: Walk at a slower pace today.

(This is an excerpt from the book, Climb Every Obstacle: Eliminate Your Limits! Buy your copy today for the rest of the story. FREE shipping.

May the breeze blow new strength into your being.

May you walk gently through the world and know its beauty

all the days of your life.”

~Apache blessing

“Not to know is bad, not to wish to know is worse.”

~Nigerian Proverb

Disraeli says, ” Ignorance never settles a question.” Ignorance is distinct from being uneducated. Throughout history uneducated (in the formal sense) people have commanded armies, led slaves to freedom, written classical works of art or designed complex projects or even written obtuse mathematical formulas.

Thus, a lack of  formal education is not an excuse to stalemate, thinking you have little to offer.  If you want to increase your learning, enroll in distance learning classes or night school, read voraciously, think creatively, paint through your soul.

Do what you need to do to increase your exposure and intelligence.  Find a mentor. Ask questions and study. Illumine your mind.

Ignorance is not a virtue.

Opportunity Step:  Study new topics on the internet today.

(This is an excerpt from the book, Climb Every Obstacle: Eliminate Your Limits! Buy your copy today for the rest of the story! Free shipping.

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“Hatred is a feeling which leads to extinction of values.” ~Joe Ortega y Gasset

Hatred hinders the heart.  The infectious nature of hatred hurts, it multiplies when left unchecked, until one’s existence becomes demonic.  The remedy is kindness and love.

Success is joy, hatred robs joy.  Rather than dwell in the unpleasantness of hatred, investigate the truth of its source, questions assumptions, initiate conversations; in other words change hatred to understanding awareness.

Hatred devalues goodness. Free yourself, un-limit your experiences.

“To hate and to fear is to be psychologically ill.  It is, in fact, the consuming illness of our time.” ~H. A. Overstreet

Cultivate love.

Opportunity Step:  Be kind to another person of another culture today.

(This is an excerpt from the book, Climb Every Obstacle: Eliminate Your Limits!Buy your copy today for the rest of the story. Free shipping for blog members.)

“Fire is the test of gold, adversity of strong men.” ~Senecal

Hardship heralds honor. Experiencing only ease can be a handicap. Hardships are an indissoluble part of existence.  Protecting yourself therefrom can be a success barrier if it causes you to over deliberate.

To survive and cope through hardship you must gain fortitude, it is the backbone of the successful. You cope better by facing situations realistically, focusing on solutions, realigning your goals and/or by implementing new practices.

Hardships are an inevitable life event.  That’s all it is, take each incident in stride. Rather than think of hardship as punitive strengthen your resolve. Each hardship contains a life lesson, probe for the answers. Ask: What does this mean?

Proverbially, hardships are a blessing in disguise.

Embrace hardship.

Opportunity Step: Ask what have I learned today?

(This is an excerpt from the book, Climb Every Obstacle: Eliminate Your Limits! Buy your copy today to get the rest of the story. Free shipping._

“To fall into a habit is to begin to cease to be.” Miguel de Unamuno

Habits harm personal progress.  They stifle opportunity and can breed complacency when habits shut off learning, exploration, and the discovery of new ideas.

Some habits are beneficial; you know what and when to do specific tasks. Automatically this averts many mundane decisions. On the other hand, automatic attachment to habit can actually induce stress if new situations confound you because you are so habit-bound.

Read a book upside down or right to left for a few minutes. Use your non-dominant hand, memorize a poem, drive down a different street, explore a new place. Engage your mind differently so that you interrupt restraining habits.

Sow an act, and you reap a habit.

Sow a habit, and you reap a character.

Sow a character, and you reap a destiny. ~G. D. Boardman

Restrictive habits are made to be broken.

Opportunity Step: Take a new route home today.

(This is an excerpt from the book, Climb Every Obstacle: Eliminate Your Limits! Buy your copy today for the rest of the story. Free shipping)

“Guilt is the mafia of the mind.” ~Bob Mandel

GUILT gainsays growth.  It is a wasted emotion that retards success.  Banish guilt and instead spend energy working on your goals. (Read Where Is Your Chi (Energy)? http://anitaanswersadvice.wordpress.com). Achievement releases the past.

Guilt stalks your mind; it is the gift that keeps on giving. Grow beyond guilt. If you feel remedy a fault or situation, do it now!  Apologize, send a note, call the person and arrange to meet up to talk about the issue. Deal with it blame-free and let it go.

Don’t own what is not yours.  Once you have done all you can do, get over it.  Dump it. Postponed guilt stalls your happiness.

Your life is waiting!

Opportunity Step: Buy flowers for yourself today.

(This is an excerpt from the book, Climb Every Obstacle: Eliminate Your Limits! Reduced blog price-buy your copy today.)

Haiku

“Pure sun shine down on weeping willow souls, grieving for lost soul and seed.” ~Elizabeth Bowers-Pieces of the Tapestry

GRIEF grinds growth.  There is no grief which time does not soften and heal.  Be present and patient with yourself and others as they grieve.  Take the time, but gradually restore moments of enjoyment.

Sadness is a legacy of the past.  Symptomatic grief is traumatic.  Not releasing your feelings of loss is like drinking bitters for an appetizer-it just does not satisfy your hunger. Instead, accept comfort. Cry and take time to mourn but also realize that each day is offered for you to re-energize your life. You are still alive.

Live! That’s the antidote for grief. Grief is supposed to be short-lived and temporary because it forces you to stagnate and live in the past. Keep the memories, but live in the present.

When you feel it is time to tell your bereavement memory stories, join a grief support group or gather friends and family around and have sharing moments to commemorate post death. You may also dedicate acts of service in the memory of your loved one. These acts heal.

Heal, but don’t forget.

  Opportunity Step: Volunteer in memory of a loved one today.

(This is an excerpt from the book, Climb Every Obstacle: Eliminate Your Limits! Buy your copy today.)