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Sunday Story…Won’t you do right?
Everybody wants to do the right thing. No one wants to do the wrong thing. But it seems there is little reward for doing the right thing. We even have all these little sayings about it…”no good deed goes unpunished” is one that comes to mind. What??? Who decided that one? We have all heard it but do you really think it to be true? And if so, why would any of us do a good deed? I mean I may choose a certain amount of abnegation in my life but I am not sure I really want to be punished for doing nice things.
Recently a very good friend was lamenting the fact that she seems to be doing the “right” things yet she keeps getting handed the short end of the stick. Actually she said she keeps getting screwed every time she does what she thinks is the “right” thing. We all have heard of whistle blowers who end up fired or ostracized or even worse after they tell the world about some wrong doing. How in the world does this work out? I mean shouldn’t I be rewarded by doing the “right“ thing?
Weeeeelll, yes you should be rewarded. But why are you doing the right thing you are doing? Are you doing it for the reward? Are you doing the right thing because you think it’s the right thing and it’s easier/better/safer than doing any other thing? Are you staking out some kind of moral campsite where you get to hold yourself up as some sort of saint or martyr that we will all kneel at your lotus feet in wonder at your virtuous stands?
Then again, who decided the thing you are doing is, in fact, the right thing? Are there some moral absolutes that will always be right (or wrong)? Maybe you are the arbiter of all things moral…the right/wrong decider. Then you get to tell the rest of us when we are off track or that we should be doing some other thing that would more closely approximate the right thing. Or maybe your moral compass is decided by someone else…some big organization or some Grand Poobah who has the “right“ lineage and is transmitting the “right” wisdom from some moral high ground (which none of us regular people could ever hope to understand.)
Let’s be honest here…we all know what the right thing is most of the time. And most of us are doing the right thing most of the time. What about in the face of pain and suffering? What about in the face of no reward? What about when we know that the right thing is going to cost us dearly…our job, our love, the respect of others? What then? Are you willing to do the right thing because it is the right thing? Not for reward, not for taking the moral high ground, but because it is very simply the RIGHT thing to do. Are you willing to be stoned, crucified, ridiculed, ruined and laughed at because you did the right thing? There is no crown in heaven waiting for you. There is no karmic retribution that is going to take place striking down the evil doers and finger pointers. No, you may be alone in the wilderness struggling with your own conscience wondering why you got punished for doing the right thing.
Wait…maybe you won’t have to wonder about that punishment. Maybe doing the right thing is a reward in and of itself. Maybe, just maybe, your heart will tell you what the right thing is to do, not some high and mighty. And maybe when you do the right thing your heart will sing with the courage you just had. Folks this is not brain surgery. But many of us have had our moral compass removed through the slings and arrows life has been throwing at us. We have become jaded and cynical…”no good deed goes unpunished”…not in my world, not on my watch. I celebrate you doing the right thing…standing against injustice, defending the weak, the poor, and the disenfranchised. I celebrate you when you decide you are worth the effort it may take to stand up and be counted as a person of character and ethics, not just some caricature spewing platitudes about truth, justice and the American way.
Courage is often defined as facing your fear and going ahead anyway….Are you afraid of doing the right thing? Does your heart tell you it is the right thing? Have you really explored all the options? Completely, honestly and openly explored all the other choices to make sure you are on the path of harmony and balance? If so then go ahead and jump. Do the right thing. Just do it.
Namaste
John “Teaching Focus, Inspiring Transformation”
Follow me at:
Twitter --- http://m.twitter.com/jmariotti
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Blog Spots…John Mariotti
http://feel-good-friday.blogspot.com/
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Showing posts with label training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label training. Show all posts
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Sunday Story…Love the one you’re with
Not so many years ago in nearby places there was a hit song that went like this…”If you can’t be with the one you love, Love the one you’re with.” Now for most of my life I have interpreted the lyrics of this song as an anthem to the free love attitudes of the late 1960’s and 1970’s. But what if there was a slightly different way to look at this? What if, just maybe, the one I am with is me? After all aren’t I the one I am with all the time?
Maybe it is time we stopped looking outside ourselves for validation, for love. And maybe we can start looking inside for that same love. If I don’t love myself why on earth would anyone else love me? If I am worthy of your love, I am worthy of loving myself. It isn’t “conceited” or egotistical --- it is just plain good sense.
All too often we want someone to love us. We want to make them love us. Or to keep loving us. You can’t do this…you cannot”make” anyone love you. You cannot make them love you the way you want to be loved. They can only love you the way they love you. You get to set limits and boundaries around your love but I do not get to say “You must love me this way and that way”. It isn’t going to work. Now, if the way you show your love is by sending your size 12 boot upside my head , well that may be outside my boundary and I will have to limit my exposure to your love. Or if your love means we spend every waking moment together that may not work either. But those limits and boundaries are about me and what I need to feel safe and yes, to feel love, from you.
But enough about you, what about me? I need to love me first. Remember our friend Bugs, head over heels in love? Self love isn’t about being out of balance, out of harmony, it’s about being completely in the moment. This really is a simple idea, yet so hard for many of us to put into practice. We have been so conditioned throughout our lives to get a reward from some on else when we do the thing they want us to do. In this case we give up some piece of ourselves in order to get love from them. The intrinsic reward for our self love is a feeling of strong self worth and knowledge that we are valuable to the flow of the universe.
Let’s be really honest shall we…I like the books I like; I like the music I like, I like the food I like. You may or may not like the things I like and I may or may not like the things you like. We will in our relationship find common ground, things we both like but I should not give up my love of Brussels sprouts just because you think they look like bird’s heads or something equally gross. Again, when I do that, when I give up the things I like, I am proving to myself that my feelings, my needs, my desires are not as important, not as valuable as yours. And that is not a recipe for long term success. That has me “falling” out of a harmonious relationship with myself. If I love myself first; then I can love you more and more completely from a position of strength and centeredness.
My reason to be no longer hinges upon you. My reason to be hinges upon myself. When I hang my self worth and my self love on my own bed post, I can be in a harmonious relationship with myself. In that harmony I become very attractive to other people seeking harmony. If misery loves company, Happiness revels in it! Stop worrying about loving someone “right.” Start loving yourself “right.” Love your self the way you want to be loved. Honor your self the way you want to honored. Eat your own cooking and you will find other people who will enjoy and honor your cooking as well.
You can always love the one you are with…and you are always with you.
Namaste
John “Teaching Focus, Inspiring Transformation”
Follow me at:
Twitter --- http://m.twitter.com/jmariotti
FaceBook --- John Mariotti
Blog Spots…John Mariotti
http://feel-good-friday.blogspot.com/
http://sunday-stories.blogspot.com/
Not so many years ago in nearby places there was a hit song that went like this…”If you can’t be with the one you love, Love the one you’re with.” Now for most of my life I have interpreted the lyrics of this song as an anthem to the free love attitudes of the late 1960’s and 1970’s. But what if there was a slightly different way to look at this? What if, just maybe, the one I am with is me? After all aren’t I the one I am with all the time?
Maybe it is time we stopped looking outside ourselves for validation, for love. And maybe we can start looking inside for that same love. If I don’t love myself why on earth would anyone else love me? If I am worthy of your love, I am worthy of loving myself. It isn’t “conceited” or egotistical --- it is just plain good sense.
All too often we want someone to love us. We want to make them love us. Or to keep loving us. You can’t do this…you cannot”make” anyone love you. You cannot make them love you the way you want to be loved. They can only love you the way they love you. You get to set limits and boundaries around your love but I do not get to say “You must love me this way and that way”. It isn’t going to work. Now, if the way you show your love is by sending your size 12 boot upside my head , well that may be outside my boundary and I will have to limit my exposure to your love. Or if your love means we spend every waking moment together that may not work either. But those limits and boundaries are about me and what I need to feel safe and yes, to feel love, from you.
But enough about you, what about me? I need to love me first. Remember our friend Bugs, head over heels in love? Self love isn’t about being out of balance, out of harmony, it’s about being completely in the moment. This really is a simple idea, yet so hard for many of us to put into practice. We have been so conditioned throughout our lives to get a reward from some on else when we do the thing they want us to do. In this case we give up some piece of ourselves in order to get love from them. The intrinsic reward for our self love is a feeling of strong self worth and knowledge that we are valuable to the flow of the universe.
Let’s be really honest shall we…I like the books I like; I like the music I like, I like the food I like. You may or may not like the things I like and I may or may not like the things you like. We will in our relationship find common ground, things we both like but I should not give up my love of Brussels sprouts just because you think they look like bird’s heads or something equally gross. Again, when I do that, when I give up the things I like, I am proving to myself that my feelings, my needs, my desires are not as important, not as valuable as yours. And that is not a recipe for long term success. That has me “falling” out of a harmonious relationship with myself. If I love myself first; then I can love you more and more completely from a position of strength and centeredness.
My reason to be no longer hinges upon you. My reason to be hinges upon myself. When I hang my self worth and my self love on my own bed post, I can be in a harmonious relationship with myself. In that harmony I become very attractive to other people seeking harmony. If misery loves company, Happiness revels in it! Stop worrying about loving someone “right.” Start loving yourself “right.” Love your self the way you want to be loved. Honor your self the way you want to honored. Eat your own cooking and you will find other people who will enjoy and honor your cooking as well.
You can always love the one you are with…and you are always with you.
Namaste
John “Teaching Focus, Inspiring Transformation”
Follow me at:
Twitter --- http://m.twitter.com/jmariotti
FaceBook --- John Mariotti
Blog Spots…John Mariotti
http://feel-good-friday.blogspot.com/
http://sunday-stories.blogspot.com/
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Sunday Story...What's Up Doc
Sunday Story…What’s up doc?
Ahhh..Bugs Bunny…that “wascally wabbit”…Bugs was always just a little bit smarter, a little funnier, a little quicker than any one of his counter parts. I always wanted to be like Bugs…chewing on my carrot, the epitome of cool…he never got rattled or excited, calm in the face of danger, and the only time I can remember seeing Bugs get a little off-center was in the presence of his “love interest”. Then he got way out of balance. He didn’t just fall in love he jumped, off the cliff in love.
I am not Bugs. I am not the “Fonz”. You know the guy who snaps his fingers and has people fawning over him. He has the coolest car, the cutest girl, and the best clothes. Not me. So what’s my point you may be asking? Bugs was Bugs. The “Fonz” was the “Fonz”. I am me, I believe in something different. Each of you believes in something different. Your beliefs might be similar but different. Even those of us who belong to this group or that group (think religion) have some differences of opinion among us. Even in those groups we don’t all believe the same thing. And we may agree on many things but disagree on something as basic as how we like our eggs cooked or our favorite color.
I believe what I believe. I believe you should spend some time working on the evolution of your soul. What I don’t believe is that I have the one right and true way for you to do that. Nor does anyone else hold that truth. Now if your version of heaven looks a certain way and you have to do perform certain tasks to get there then that’s what you should do if you want to get to your heaven. I would say, however, that whatever those requirements are that you will be evolving your soul in some fashion.
I don’t know everything about every religious path in the world but what I know about the ones I do know about, they all require us to live lives of purpose and harmony, in harmony with our beliefs. This harmony contributes to our well being, to our feeling s of happiness and contentment. When I begin to act out of harmony with my beliefs, things will take a turn in another direction.
The universe responds to my energetic signature. When I am in harmony my signature moves in accordance with the flow of energy of the universe. When I am doing things that are not in harmony with my beliefs the universe will start trying to correct me. I may see a drop in income, lose a love, get sick, and find my way in to a car accident. These are all ways the universe tells us we are out of balance, out of harmony.
When that happens, the sooner I get the message that I am in an attitude of discord, the sooner I can correct it and the less painful the message will be. Because the messages will continue until I either get back into harmony, one way or the other. And the messages will get more and more strident, louder, and more painful. You ignore these messages at your own peril.
Our friend Bugs was in harmony. Until he dove into love. Then his previous “cool quotient” disappeared. He jumped out of harmony and into discord. Rather than diving head first Bugs should maintain his harmonic cool to get the kind of relationship he really wants. So should we all. Harmony with the flow of the universe will allow us to be in love each moment with each moment. Here, Now.
We are not talking balance here. Balance is not moving, it is static…think of the old time scales….equal amount of weight on each side and nothing is moving. In harmony I am moving with the flow of the universe. Whether I am in love or moving to a new place I want to stay in harmony with the flow of the universe. I don’t want a balanced life, I want a harmonious one. A life that is constantly moving toward something greater. Moving to a transformation into something. I have been many things in my life, Father, Son, Brother, Friend, Rancher, Deputy, Stock broker, Martial Artist. I will be many, many ,more before I am done. But each one had to be in harmony with whom and with what I was at the time.
Look around you. Are you in harmony? Or are you moving from one calamity, one train wreck to another? And wondering why “this stuff” always happens to you? Stop wondering and start listening. The rocks are speaking to you and you aren’t listening. The discord has to come out somewhere. Or you get to get back into harmony. And then things will start to fit together a little tighter. Then you can be like Bugs…super cool, sitting around chewing a carrot, completely at peace and in harmony with the universe…
What’s up Doc?
Ahhh..Bugs Bunny…that “wascally wabbit”…Bugs was always just a little bit smarter, a little funnier, a little quicker than any one of his counter parts. I always wanted to be like Bugs…chewing on my carrot, the epitome of cool…he never got rattled or excited, calm in the face of danger, and the only time I can remember seeing Bugs get a little off-center was in the presence of his “love interest”. Then he got way out of balance. He didn’t just fall in love he jumped, off the cliff in love.
I am not Bugs. I am not the “Fonz”. You know the guy who snaps his fingers and has people fawning over him. He has the coolest car, the cutest girl, and the best clothes. Not me. So what’s my point you may be asking? Bugs was Bugs. The “Fonz” was the “Fonz”. I am me, I believe in something different. Each of you believes in something different. Your beliefs might be similar but different. Even those of us who belong to this group or that group (think religion) have some differences of opinion among us. Even in those groups we don’t all believe the same thing. And we may agree on many things but disagree on something as basic as how we like our eggs cooked or our favorite color.
I believe what I believe. I believe you should spend some time working on the evolution of your soul. What I don’t believe is that I have the one right and true way for you to do that. Nor does anyone else hold that truth. Now if your version of heaven looks a certain way and you have to do perform certain tasks to get there then that’s what you should do if you want to get to your heaven. I would say, however, that whatever those requirements are that you will be evolving your soul in some fashion.
I don’t know everything about every religious path in the world but what I know about the ones I do know about, they all require us to live lives of purpose and harmony, in harmony with our beliefs. This harmony contributes to our well being, to our feeling s of happiness and contentment. When I begin to act out of harmony with my beliefs, things will take a turn in another direction.
The universe responds to my energetic signature. When I am in harmony my signature moves in accordance with the flow of energy of the universe. When I am doing things that are not in harmony with my beliefs the universe will start trying to correct me. I may see a drop in income, lose a love, get sick, and find my way in to a car accident. These are all ways the universe tells us we are out of balance, out of harmony.
When that happens, the sooner I get the message that I am in an attitude of discord, the sooner I can correct it and the less painful the message will be. Because the messages will continue until I either get back into harmony, one way or the other. And the messages will get more and more strident, louder, and more painful. You ignore these messages at your own peril.
Our friend Bugs was in harmony. Until he dove into love. Then his previous “cool quotient” disappeared. He jumped out of harmony and into discord. Rather than diving head first Bugs should maintain his harmonic cool to get the kind of relationship he really wants. So should we all. Harmony with the flow of the universe will allow us to be in love each moment with each moment. Here, Now.
We are not talking balance here. Balance is not moving, it is static…think of the old time scales….equal amount of weight on each side and nothing is moving. In harmony I am moving with the flow of the universe. Whether I am in love or moving to a new place I want to stay in harmony with the flow of the universe. I don’t want a balanced life, I want a harmonious one. A life that is constantly moving toward something greater. Moving to a transformation into something. I have been many things in my life, Father, Son, Brother, Friend, Rancher, Deputy, Stock broker, Martial Artist. I will be many, many ,more before I am done. But each one had to be in harmony with whom and with what I was at the time.
Look around you. Are you in harmony? Or are you moving from one calamity, one train wreck to another? And wondering why “this stuff” always happens to you? Stop wondering and start listening. The rocks are speaking to you and you aren’t listening. The discord has to come out somewhere. Or you get to get back into harmony. And then things will start to fit together a little tighter. Then you can be like Bugs…super cool, sitting around chewing a carrot, completely at peace and in harmony with the universe…
What’s up Doc?
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Sunday Story...live like a ?
Sunday Story…live like a?
One of the questions I frequently ask my students goes like this:
…If you knew on Saturday that you were going to be thrown in the middle of the ocean with no hope of rescue for 3 hours and you did NOT know how to swim today, how much would swim lessons be worth to you today? AND how hard would you apply yourself to those lessons? The answer is pretty obvious isn’t it? Those lessons would be invaluable and you would be the most attentive student on the planet. Anyone know where I am going with this?
Sure you should apply yourself to your lessons…martial arts, school, work. Any learning environment is providing lessons to you all the time. Are you paying attention to those lessons like your life depends on it? If you knew the punch you were learning or the choke would save your life tomorrow would you practice it differently? If the report you are writing right now would earn you a million dollars next month would you write it differently? Are you doing million dollar work? Will your training today save your life tomorrow?
This is a pretty obvious question and answer. Of course we would train differently if we knew our life depended on it today or there was a million dollars on the line tomorrow. This is why we look at champion fights or championship games the way we do…at the end the victor gets bragging rights, the rings, the checks, and the adulation. So did those champions just get lucky and show up that day for the big game? Of course, not they trained for years before that game or that match.
Obviously, you should train hard, work hard, and live like a champion. BUT (here it comes) what about all those lessons and teachings that are not so obvious. It’s easy to apply yourself to the things you want to do. What are you doing about the OTHER things? Things like looking at the patterns of your life, the stuff that keeps coming up, the situations that occur over and over again. The stuff in your relationships that happen time after time…maybe you are constantly having drama around money with your significant other, children, and boss. Why is that? What are you doing to cause that? What do you need to heal to move on? Are you even looking and listening to that lesson? Are you willing to attack those lessons like your life depends on it? Because it does you know. The stress caused by these lessons occurring time after time after time is killing you, robbing you of optimum health and fitness.
The lessons the universe is serving up are important to the health and healing of your soul. Ask yourself why do the same things keep happening to me? What am I meant to learn from this situation? Train your focus on the why of it. AND then start contemplating on what you need to do differently to create a different outcome. Because if you don’t do something differently you will just get more of what you already have. If your life is full of challenges about money, start looking at your belief system about money. Don’t bemoan the fact that every time you get some money it disappears and it isn’t your fault. Maybe your relationships are full of drama and trauma. Let’s look at your part in those dramas and find what YOU are doing to call those energies forward. Because your life is about you, it is your movie and you are the main character.
Start playing full out my friends. Not just on the training mat. Not just in the class room. Not just on the job. But in the interior of your life. Start playing full out on the field of your soul. What price is your happiness, what price is the evolution of your soul? Because it isn’t going to just happen. Just like you are not just going to happen to run a marathon or earn your doctorate. This is part of the Master’s journey, the Master’s work…it isn’t just physical fitness, or mental acuity, or emotional harmony although it is all of those things. It is about creating a soul’s journey that will leave your next journey clear of obstacles. And the only way you are going to get on that road is by looking very closely at your life. Clearly inspect the things, situations, and people that keep ‘popping” up. Is the same person saying the same things year after year? Don’t you think you should do something about that? Maybe if you catch the signs early enough you can save yourself some heartache.
Let’s apply the same focus we do to our studies, our training, our work, our play, our friends, and our environments to the landscape of our souls. Spend some time meditating (listening), spend some time praying (speaking), but most of all spend some time inspecting all the canyons, streams, forests and deserts of your interior being. If you don’t like what it looks like learn some lessons. And start working on some solutions that will yield different results than the ones you already got. Talk to someone if need be. Someone who is not attached to the outcome. Get out of your little box and start playing like your life and a million bucks were on the line. Because just maybe they are.
So…how are you living your life? Are you living like a champion, like a Buddha, like a Christ? Just wondering you know.
Namaste
John
“Teaching Focus, Inspiring Transformation”
Follow my blog at http://sunday-stories.blogspot.com/
Twitter me at: http://twitter.com/jmariotti
Facebook: John Mariotti
One of the questions I frequently ask my students goes like this:
…If you knew on Saturday that you were going to be thrown in the middle of the ocean with no hope of rescue for 3 hours and you did NOT know how to swim today, how much would swim lessons be worth to you today? AND how hard would you apply yourself to those lessons? The answer is pretty obvious isn’t it? Those lessons would be invaluable and you would be the most attentive student on the planet. Anyone know where I am going with this?
Sure you should apply yourself to your lessons…martial arts, school, work. Any learning environment is providing lessons to you all the time. Are you paying attention to those lessons like your life depends on it? If you knew the punch you were learning or the choke would save your life tomorrow would you practice it differently? If the report you are writing right now would earn you a million dollars next month would you write it differently? Are you doing million dollar work? Will your training today save your life tomorrow?
This is a pretty obvious question and answer. Of course we would train differently if we knew our life depended on it today or there was a million dollars on the line tomorrow. This is why we look at champion fights or championship games the way we do…at the end the victor gets bragging rights, the rings, the checks, and the adulation. So did those champions just get lucky and show up that day for the big game? Of course, not they trained for years before that game or that match.
Obviously, you should train hard, work hard, and live like a champion. BUT (here it comes) what about all those lessons and teachings that are not so obvious. It’s easy to apply yourself to the things you want to do. What are you doing about the OTHER things? Things like looking at the patterns of your life, the stuff that keeps coming up, the situations that occur over and over again. The stuff in your relationships that happen time after time…maybe you are constantly having drama around money with your significant other, children, and boss. Why is that? What are you doing to cause that? What do you need to heal to move on? Are you even looking and listening to that lesson? Are you willing to attack those lessons like your life depends on it? Because it does you know. The stress caused by these lessons occurring time after time after time is killing you, robbing you of optimum health and fitness.
The lessons the universe is serving up are important to the health and healing of your soul. Ask yourself why do the same things keep happening to me? What am I meant to learn from this situation? Train your focus on the why of it. AND then start contemplating on what you need to do differently to create a different outcome. Because if you don’t do something differently you will just get more of what you already have. If your life is full of challenges about money, start looking at your belief system about money. Don’t bemoan the fact that every time you get some money it disappears and it isn’t your fault. Maybe your relationships are full of drama and trauma. Let’s look at your part in those dramas and find what YOU are doing to call those energies forward. Because your life is about you, it is your movie and you are the main character.
Start playing full out my friends. Not just on the training mat. Not just in the class room. Not just on the job. But in the interior of your life. Start playing full out on the field of your soul. What price is your happiness, what price is the evolution of your soul? Because it isn’t going to just happen. Just like you are not just going to happen to run a marathon or earn your doctorate. This is part of the Master’s journey, the Master’s work…it isn’t just physical fitness, or mental acuity, or emotional harmony although it is all of those things. It is about creating a soul’s journey that will leave your next journey clear of obstacles. And the only way you are going to get on that road is by looking very closely at your life. Clearly inspect the things, situations, and people that keep ‘popping” up. Is the same person saying the same things year after year? Don’t you think you should do something about that? Maybe if you catch the signs early enough you can save yourself some heartache.
Let’s apply the same focus we do to our studies, our training, our work, our play, our friends, and our environments to the landscape of our souls. Spend some time meditating (listening), spend some time praying (speaking), but most of all spend some time inspecting all the canyons, streams, forests and deserts of your interior being. If you don’t like what it looks like learn some lessons. And start working on some solutions that will yield different results than the ones you already got. Talk to someone if need be. Someone who is not attached to the outcome. Get out of your little box and start playing like your life and a million bucks were on the line. Because just maybe they are.
So…how are you living your life? Are you living like a champion, like a Buddha, like a Christ? Just wondering you know.
Namaste
John
“Teaching Focus, Inspiring Transformation”
Follow my blog at http://sunday-stories.blogspot.com/
Twitter me at: http://twitter.com/jmariotti
Facebook: John Mariotti
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Sunday Story...Focus, Re-Focus
Sunday Story…Focus, Re-Focus
"The world beyond will not belong to 'managers' or those who can make the numbers dance. The world will belong to passionate, driven leaders -- people who will not only have enormous amounts of energy but who can energize those whom they lead."
— Jack Welch
Businessman and CEO of General Electric
OK…Every week I sit down in front of this computer screen and these words magically appear and I send them out to all of you to read. At least that’s the way it seems most of the time. I have some idea, or some catalyst that starts the ball rolling and WHAM! the next thing I know the thing is done. I have this laser beam of focus that seems to keep me on task. But sometimes it is more difficult than others. And I think we all experience this halting step from time to time.
Maybe you are worried about your finances or your job. Maybe you are falling in love or falling out of love. Maybe the people closest to you are having difficulties with their health. Maybe you just can’t seem to get your head around what it is you are supposed to be doing.
There are a myriad of distractions in this world we live in today. Cell phones, computers, personal music devices, video games, and television just to name a few. It is so easy to get sucked into the vortex of hyper-communication and “busy-ness”. How many time have you said…”I am so busy, I barely have time to turn around” or something like that. The laundry, the dishes, the kids, the job, and the spouse, all call to us incessantly.
All of these things can make it hard to focus on what really matters. All those bells and whistles calling out, all the siren calls are pulling us in different directions. What can you do to stay true to your purpose, stay on course with your mission?
There are 4 questions I ask myself when I am doing anything:
1. How am I making a difference?
2. Is what I am doing right now on purpose?
3. Is this what I really want to do?
4. Am I following my passion?
Here are some simple tips and tricks to get you back on track (some of them obviously work since you are reading this today!):
Step away from the desk…get outside, take a brisk walk, breath some fresh air
• Get your mission statement out, go to the nearest mirror and start reading it aloud to your self
• Meditate…take 15 minutes to just sit and let your mind clear, concentrate on your breath going in and out.
• Read a short inspirational passage in your favorite book
• Get your hair shirt out and beat yourself with a stick (not really, just checking to see if you are paying attention)
• Train/exercise
• Call a friend and tell them your problem, maybe they will have a spark for you.
In the face of adversity or in the jaws of difficulty, the truly purpose driven person will find a way to fulfill their purpose, their mission. This is one of the ways we know we are on the right track. When the entire world is cracking up you can only see the mission. When the crew is mutinying and threatening to throw you overboard you find the right words to get them back on the job. When every fiber of your being is resisting and fighting, you relax, breathe, and push forward knowing the mission is right and the purpose is there to be fulfilled.
This is leadership in the new world. This is visionary, purposeful living. We are all leading, if only ourselves. So lead yourself where you want to go, not where the wind will blow you.
Namaste
John
“Teaching Focus, Inspiring Transformation”
Follow my blog at http://sunday-stories.blogspot.com/
Twitter me at: http://twitter.com/jmariotti
Facebook: John Mariotti
"The world beyond will not belong to 'managers' or those who can make the numbers dance. The world will belong to passionate, driven leaders -- people who will not only have enormous amounts of energy but who can energize those whom they lead."
— Jack Welch
Businessman and CEO of General Electric
OK…Every week I sit down in front of this computer screen and these words magically appear and I send them out to all of you to read. At least that’s the way it seems most of the time. I have some idea, or some catalyst that starts the ball rolling and WHAM! the next thing I know the thing is done. I have this laser beam of focus that seems to keep me on task. But sometimes it is more difficult than others. And I think we all experience this halting step from time to time.
Maybe you are worried about your finances or your job. Maybe you are falling in love or falling out of love. Maybe the people closest to you are having difficulties with their health. Maybe you just can’t seem to get your head around what it is you are supposed to be doing.
There are a myriad of distractions in this world we live in today. Cell phones, computers, personal music devices, video games, and television just to name a few. It is so easy to get sucked into the vortex of hyper-communication and “busy-ness”. How many time have you said…”I am so busy, I barely have time to turn around” or something like that. The laundry, the dishes, the kids, the job, and the spouse, all call to us incessantly.
All of these things can make it hard to focus on what really matters. All those bells and whistles calling out, all the siren calls are pulling us in different directions. What can you do to stay true to your purpose, stay on course with your mission?
There are 4 questions I ask myself when I am doing anything:
1. How am I making a difference?
2. Is what I am doing right now on purpose?
3. Is this what I really want to do?
4. Am I following my passion?
Here are some simple tips and tricks to get you back on track (some of them obviously work since you are reading this today!):
Step away from the desk…get outside, take a brisk walk, breath some fresh air
• Get your mission statement out, go to the nearest mirror and start reading it aloud to your self
• Meditate…take 15 minutes to just sit and let your mind clear, concentrate on your breath going in and out.
• Read a short inspirational passage in your favorite book
• Get your hair shirt out and beat yourself with a stick (not really, just checking to see if you are paying attention)
• Train/exercise
• Call a friend and tell them your problem, maybe they will have a spark for you.
In the face of adversity or in the jaws of difficulty, the truly purpose driven person will find a way to fulfill their purpose, their mission. This is one of the ways we know we are on the right track. When the entire world is cracking up you can only see the mission. When the crew is mutinying and threatening to throw you overboard you find the right words to get them back on the job. When every fiber of your being is resisting and fighting, you relax, breathe, and push forward knowing the mission is right and the purpose is there to be fulfilled.
This is leadership in the new world. This is visionary, purposeful living. We are all leading, if only ourselves. So lead yourself where you want to go, not where the wind will blow you.
Namaste
John
“Teaching Focus, Inspiring Transformation”
Follow my blog at http://sunday-stories.blogspot.com/
Twitter me at: http://twitter.com/jmariotti
Facebook: John Mariotti
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
06/27/08
Sunday Story
Listen to the Rocks Move
I live in an animate universe. When I say that I mean the natural world has ways that are always speaking. In the universe I live in, the rocks move, trees weep, and plants sing. The problem is we are not listening. When a butterfly expresses gratitude to the flower can you hear it? When the mountain heaves a sigh are you listening?
This natural order goes by many names. For today we will not be naming it. Imagine the secrets the rocks could tell you if you could hear them, if you had the patience to get really, really still and listen carefully.
Guess what? The universe is constantly talking to each of us. At least I hear it talking to me. As you all know, I do a lot of physical training. Training for marathons, grappler’s quest, ultra marathons, Ironman races and my TaeKwon-Do 5th degree test are all things I have been doing recently. As matter of fact, one of my sayings is: “Shut up and train.” Well on May 17th I ran 50 miles and completely trashed my knee. You may have seen me limping around. No problem, I will start riding my bike! Last Sunday my road bike was stolen off the back of my car! Gee, do you think there is a message there? First my knee, then my bike, and the pool is closed all summer. Maybe my training needs to slow down? Maybe I need to spend a little more time listening to the rocks move (hard to do when you are running and riding). So, I am back doing Tai Chi K’ung (join me if you wish). And I am spending a lot of my training time just sitting and listening. Now I can ignore these messages if I choose to. But I do so at my own peril. Maybe I go and get a new bike and get hit by a car. Try running and break a leg. Who knows? But what I know is the universe is speaking to me and loud enough for me to hear. I am sure if I would have been listening better, I would have heard it before this.
Lately I have been struggling with forgiveness and anger. I have been working to forgive others for real and imagined wrongs done to me. This is a real challenge point for me. It may be the Italian in me or it may be just my growth edge. And yesterday you know what arrives in my inbox right? You guessed it--- a number of quotes about forgiveness and anger. How does that happen?
Here is one of them:
A decision to hold on to a grievance is a decision to suffer. Whether the other person deserves to be forgiven or not, throw away the grudge for your own sake.
– Michael Josephson
So what is my point? What are you listening to? Have you turned off the background noise long enough to hear the rocks move? Because the TV, the computer and all the rest of our modern conveniences (cell phone, texting, my space, etc) are all conspiring to shut off your hearing. If you can get back in touch with the natural order, with the language of the harmony of the world you will hear it speak. And you will be able to move effortlessly, magically through life. The ability to listen and interpret the rhythm of the world may be your greatest gift. What are you listening to?
Namaste
John
Listen to the Rocks Move
I live in an animate universe. When I say that I mean the natural world has ways that are always speaking. In the universe I live in, the rocks move, trees weep, and plants sing. The problem is we are not listening. When a butterfly expresses gratitude to the flower can you hear it? When the mountain heaves a sigh are you listening?
This natural order goes by many names. For today we will not be naming it. Imagine the secrets the rocks could tell you if you could hear them, if you had the patience to get really, really still and listen carefully.
Guess what? The universe is constantly talking to each of us. At least I hear it talking to me. As you all know, I do a lot of physical training. Training for marathons, grappler’s quest, ultra marathons, Ironman races and my TaeKwon-Do 5th degree test are all things I have been doing recently. As matter of fact, one of my sayings is: “Shut up and train.” Well on May 17th I ran 50 miles and completely trashed my knee. You may have seen me limping around. No problem, I will start riding my bike! Last Sunday my road bike was stolen off the back of my car! Gee, do you think there is a message there? First my knee, then my bike, and the pool is closed all summer. Maybe my training needs to slow down? Maybe I need to spend a little more time listening to the rocks move (hard to do when you are running and riding). So, I am back doing Tai Chi K’ung (join me if you wish). And I am spending a lot of my training time just sitting and listening. Now I can ignore these messages if I choose to. But I do so at my own peril. Maybe I go and get a new bike and get hit by a car. Try running and break a leg. Who knows? But what I know is the universe is speaking to me and loud enough for me to hear. I am sure if I would have been listening better, I would have heard it before this.
Lately I have been struggling with forgiveness and anger. I have been working to forgive others for real and imagined wrongs done to me. This is a real challenge point for me. It may be the Italian in me or it may be just my growth edge. And yesterday you know what arrives in my inbox right? You guessed it--- a number of quotes about forgiveness and anger. How does that happen?
Here is one of them:
A decision to hold on to a grievance is a decision to suffer. Whether the other person deserves to be forgiven or not, throw away the grudge for your own sake.
– Michael Josephson
So what is my point? What are you listening to? Have you turned off the background noise long enough to hear the rocks move? Because the TV, the computer and all the rest of our modern conveniences (cell phone, texting, my space, etc) are all conspiring to shut off your hearing. If you can get back in touch with the natural order, with the language of the harmony of the world you will hear it speak. And you will be able to move effortlessly, magically through life. The ability to listen and interpret the rhythm of the world may be your greatest gift. What are you listening to?
Namaste
John
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