Friday Reflections

Thought precedes actions

"All that a person achieves and all that he fails to achieve is the direct result of his/her own thoughts."

Story Line (from "The Psychology of Winning" by Denis Waitley):

It's the baseball world series: the New York Yankees versus the Milwaukee Braves.  The game has gone down to the wire.  It's the ninth inning, and the score is tied.  There are 2 men on base and 2 men out. The pitch count is 3-2. On the mound is one of the greatest left handed pitchers of the time, Warren Spahn.  At bat is the great Yankee catcher Elson Howard.

The Braves manager decides to come out of the dugout to give some encouraging, motivational advice to Warren. "Don't give him a high outside pitch" said the manager, and walked back to the dug out. Warren wondered "Don't give him a high fast ball?  Why did he have to tell me in that way, why is he telling me what not to do?"

Too late ... as obvious as a neon sign, Warren throws that high fast ball his mind was obsessing over. The Yankee player smashes the ball out of the park and the game is over.  The Yankees win and Braves loose.

Warren wondered for the rest of his life "Why would anyone motivate someone with the reverse of an idea?" Winners know that all of their actions are controlled by their currently dominant thoughts.  Winners focus on the rewards of success, not the penalty of failure.

Reflection:

A few points to ponder from an article "Positive Talk" sent by Anil Deora, Selina Saw and Thad Gardner:

Specific words affect our mental pictures, the words are a powerful programming factor in lifelong success. The mind has a very difficult time processing a negative image. In fact, people who rely on internal pictures cannot see a negative at all.

You can't visualize not doing something. The only way to properly visualize not doing something is to actually find a word for what you want to do and visualize that.  Psychologists claim it takes seventeen positive statements to offset one negative statement. I have no idea if it is true, but the logic holds true. It might take up to seventeen compliments to offset the emotional damage of one harsh criticism.

Confidence

Hint: you can click on the cartoon above to enlarge it.

Tough times do not last, but tough people do ...

"Hope is a good thing, may be the best thing, and no good thing ever dies”
- from the movie Shawshank Redemption

 

Storyline: 

In these times of global financial crisis, stock market meltdowns, wars and employment worries, I would like to share the remarkable life story of a "common" person that has been anything but common. Her friends and relatives affectionately call her “My Lola” (Grandma). I met her during my visit to Manila in 1978 and got to know her more during my expatriate assignment in the early '80s.  Here is her story:

She was born to a Chinese father and a Filipino mother. At the age of 12, she lost both her parents and was left to take care of three younger siblings. In order to survive, she started a small business: she supported the family by selling fruits, vegetables & fish to locals in the market.

During the second world war, most of the people in her town were slaughtered by the occupying force. She escaped death only because of the kindness of one enemy soldier. After the war, she got married and started another business that provided a comfortable, middle-class living for the next 30 years.

Sadly, in the mid '70s, a fire destroyed her home and her business. Before she could launch another venture, one of her teenage sons developed a rare disease and died, after long and very expensive medical treatment which drained the family savings. A year later, another teenage son met with an accident and died, while trying to help the family. One would think that this is enough misery for one person in one lifetime.

Unfortunately, in the early '80s, her eldest son and her husband died. She was left to support the three remaining young children by herself.  She learned to read and speak English while taking care of a young boy; she would make the little one read a book, and while moving her finger on every word, listen carefully and pick up the pronunciation.

Eventually she went abroad and for the last 27 years her life has turned for the better. Last December, on her 77th birthday, I asked her for a formal interview. After recapturing many of her experiences, and her creative approaches for surviving and eventually thriving in life, I asked her the final question. “What kept you going on in life with all that has happened?”

“Hope” she answered. “I never gave up thinking that tomorrow will be better than today and kept on going. Every day was precious and I gave my best efforts.”

Reflection: 

Personally I have not met anyone who has been through so much in one life time. But what she said in her final answer is what I witness every time I see her. Last Sunday, I chatted with her about the current global problems.  She told me, “Trust me. Things will get better.”

Out Of The Box Thinking - Nov 2008

It's that time again - watch the video above as we rotate a simple image, and let your creativity run free!  Let us know what you can see in the comments section.  The best idea (leaving an email address) will receive a free copy of Friday Reflections.

The Little Climber That Could

Technique and ability alone do not get you to the top — it is the will power that is the most important. This will power you cannot buy with money or be given by others — it rises from your heart.”
   -Junko Tabei, first woman ever to climb Mount Everest

Story Line:

The story of Junko Tabei is one of ambition and persistence. She had a love for nature, and there was something about mountains that was breathtaking to her. Her aspirations were to climb the highest mountains.

These were unconventional dreams for a woman to have. Especially one who stood at a mere 4 feet 9 inches. However, Tabei made up for her small size in determination.

Finally, in the spring of 1975, Tabei achieved her dreams by leading an all-Japanese female expedition up Mt. Everest. On the way up, they encountered obstacles typical of the mountains. The most extreme was an avalanche which injured the climbers, but not severely enough to go back.

On May 16, 1975, Junko Tabei became the first woman in the world to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

Incidentally Tabei wasn’t satisfied with just Everest. She is also the first woman to successfully climb the summits of the highest peaks on all seven continents.

Reflection:

Like Junko, all winners in life set high expectations. But whenever they are met with difficulties, and there will always be difficulties, they do not lower their expectations. They figure out different approaches to reach their ultimate goal and they keep going in the direction of their dream until they achieve it.