Persistent Dedication

When I was younger I would sometimes sit and wonder how people like Bill Gates and Richard Branson had managed to achieve what they had achieved. What did they have that I seemed to lack? I couldn't figure it out. They were like super humans. It wasn't until a couple of years ago when I discovered that Branson has dyslexia and didn't finish high school, and Gates was considered a nerd because of his fascination with computers. And then it all became clear. They are human just like the rest of us. But they used there passion, knowledge and most importantly their persistent dedication to get themselves to where they are now.

My lecturer told showed us a video the one day about a female sound engineer who had won a Grammy award. He never told us this before hand but when the video was finished he asked us if we had noticed it. Most of us said no. He then proceeded to tell us that this lady had work as the maid in the studio when she came straight out of high school and went to work for the studio. She has no formal training in sound engineering. Yet there she sits in the video with a Grammy award behind her on a shelf. Once again, persistent dedication.

Where am I going with this?

There are times in our lives where we are unmotivated because we are not doing what we want to be doing. And a lot of the time this is because we are unwilling to take the risk of doing what we love and loving what we do. So we are never persistent in pursuing our dreams and we are never dedicated to achieving them.

I look at all of these people who have so much money that they don't know what do with it all while those who need it most don't have the persistent dedication to go out and find away to become those wealthy people. As the old saying goes "Better the devil they know then the one they don't." I feel it shouldn't have to be that way.

In a nutshell. GO out there. Carpe diem. Live, don't just be alive. Do NOT fear change, embrace it. Learn to have that persistent dedication that drives those who have it.

Keep feeling the beat

'Til next time

Grant

What Does Music Mean to You?

When you surround yourself with music everyday like i do you start to see how it affects people. It shows you the diversity of human nature. It can even tell you about a person.

Music is not just a bunch of lyrics that have been put to a beat that sounds good. It is something deeper, and more intense. Every word, every lyric is like a poem, reaching out to touch your emotions. Provoking your emotions. Trying to get you to feel something. Every instrument is there to capture your attention, appeal to your senses and draw you into a state of deeper meaning.

How many people realize that?

I, for example, use music to express how I feel. Whether it is to show my emotional state or to compensate for my inability to express myself at that moment with my own words.

The ability that music gives DJ’s is amazing. You will hardly ever find a talk show host getting the whole crowd to their feet, waving their arms like mad people. Unless of course there is music involved. DJ’s on the other hand almost always have people on their feet, going crazy. Why? Because their music is feel good music. It stimulates the feel good chemicals in your brain.

I have been around music for so long now I start to see these things and actually take note of them. I start to pick up on the small things. That girl likes those songs, so she might be a very outgoing person. That guy likes that band, so he might be a very withdrawn person. But just like the art of reading body language it is never an exact science. There are so many variable that it could really mean anything.

So for me, as a student and lover of music, music is not only an inspiration but also a tool. It enables me to see and feel things that I would never have seen or felt otherwise.

What does it do for you?

I have another challenge. See which music best fits your personality and listen to it often. It could very well enable you to feel better about yourself and or circumstances.

Keep feeling the beat.

‘Til next time.

Grant

One Degree (1°)

One degree is all it takes to change direction. Think about this - if you travel one hundred kilometres, from where you are now, in a straight line in a helicopter and then turn 179 degrees and travel home in a straight line, you will find that you are about 30 meters from your starting point. Now think about the decisions that you made 10 years ago; and think about where, if you changed that decision by just as little as one degree, you would be ten years later. Let’s just say, for example, that you travel a hypothetical 10 000 km a year you would be 3 333 km from where you are now. A degree of longitude is widest at the equator at 69.172 miles (111.321km)

But, wait a minute. Think about the people that say to you change just one thing a day and you will alter your life radically. True but think about this - if you change your life in the same way every day by one degree after 360 days you will be back where you started!

So change it for the better but be aware of your changes. Look at what is not working and change it in another direction.

If you take those first frightened, dragging steps towards what is scaring us now, we will grow in spirit, in confidence and strength of character. And as we move forward into fear we learn that the things that we fear either do not come to pass at all or if they do, because you have grown in confidence, you will look at them differently. What you used to perceive as life ending will now only appear as a speed bump in the road.

You need the butterflies in your stomach and the sleepless nights to tell you that you are on the right path. Almost nothing that you do for the first time will be a cake walk, only after you have done it, so often that it is second nature, will it be easy.

What do you think is the difference between you and people such Richard Branson, Tony Robbins, John Demartini and Thomas Edison? They all started their adult life with little or no Education and made a huge success of themselves.

It is the way they think - to them there are no impossibilities, just opportunities to do things that have not yet been done!

It is the way we perceive “problems, stumbling blocks and obstacles.” If we look at them as opportunity for solutions or challenges would it not be easier?

Remember that if you punctuate impossible it becomes I’m-possible. And remember, everything that you see around you today, technologically was impossible 100 to 200 years ago.

You would have been, at best, locked up and, at worst; you would have been burnt at the stake for witch craft for even trying to predict it. The only thing that makes it impossible is our mindset. It is may not yet be possible for technological reasons, but that does not mean it is impossible. It just means that you, or someone else, has not found a solution yet.

If in 1910 you told someone that we would fly faster than the speed of sound and go to the moon, chances are that you would be laughed at and ridiculed. And, fifty years ago, if you told some one that you would carry your phone in your pocket and can take it all over the world with you, you would be avoided as loony. In 1990 if you said that the cell phone would have GPS, a camera or two and be able to connect to the internet you would have laughed at.

Now most of us carry phones that do that and so much more! The point I am making is that anything you think is impossible just means you have not found out how to do it yet or you are too caught up in the day to day grind to spend the time looking at how to make it possible.

There is the case in 2011 where scientists had been struggling for more than a decade to come up with the shape of a protein that will help them understand how to better fight retroviral diseases. So one scientists, who is also an online gamer, asked the online community to play a game called “Foldit” - it took gamers three weeks to come up with a serviceable solution to the problem!

So remember nothing is impossible - it is just not possible yet.

We are the only stumbling blocks to our future. If we have no money ask for sponsorship or sell part of the rights to your idea to fund it. Or if you have vast amounts of online friends, do a crowd funding exercise. Apply to companies that are in the same sort of business to finance it and you will give them exclusive rights to market it. Speak to friends and family. Put posters up on message boards asking for help or advice or financial assistance.

Just a one degree change today can change your future for the best!

With warm regards from a beautiful Cape Town,
Ryan

Oh the Joys of Youth

We celebrate Youth Day on 16 June here in South Africa. And for me, it is wonderful to see how things have changed and grown and integrated over the last 20 years of our democracy. We've, by no means, gotten it all right over these years. But there is much that we have gotten right. And knowing that my son will grow up in this fledgling democracy of ours gives me hope for the future.

It got me thinking about how different my son's world is today, to what mine was at his age. But it also made me think of all the things that have remained the same. No matter the generation, there are still many of the issues that I dealt with as a youth that our youth do today. So this is what I'd like to say to them.

I was 20 when I got married and 22 when we welcomed our son into this world; barely an adult. Don’t misunderstand me. I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world … now. But at 22 there were so many things I still wanted to do and see, indulge in and experience.

I can remember at that age, despite already being a wife and mother, how I considered my parents (in their late 40’s then) to be old. It was impossible to image being that old. Now I can only look back and laugh because now I am in my 40’s and suddenly it doesn’t seem so old. But I have to say “Thank You” to our amazing son for all that he has taught me; and that he continues to “keep me young”. Looking back over the past 20-odd years, these are the things I learned along the way.

• Don’t let people tell you that “finding yourself” is a waste of time. It’s not! Take the time to learn all about yourself. Who you are, what you want and how you’re going to go about getting it.
• Don’t be in a hurry to grow up. Don’t wish your life away by thinking “I can’t wait to be an adult”. Savour every moment of being young … it will only happen once!
• Don’t roll your eyes and mutter “whatever” when your folks offer some advice. No, it’s usually not what you want to hear but it is said out of love … we know, we’ve been there and done that … we weren’t born 40! Strange as it may seem to you, we were your age once.
• Mom and Dad might not always know best, but the will always do their best because they love you.
• Share yourself with your parents. It means more to us than you will ever know. My son is now in his 20’s but he still plays “his” music for/with me … and then gives me a pop-quiz about who the artist(s) is. And I've to to say, I’m pretty darn good too! Or we'll crank Nickelback up loud and sing along ... and yes, not only do I know who Nickelback is but I know the words to the songs too! :)
• I get that you have a volatile cocktail of hormones raging rampantly through your blood stream and the opposite sex looks really good to you right now but save it. If you don’t want to wait … like parents always nag you to do … at least be selective about who you’re going to have sex with. There’s a reason why we tell you to wait for someone who cares for you … they’re the one that will be willing to think of your pleasure too and not just their own.
• Take responsibility for what you do and say. We, and only we, are responsible for our actions. And when we come to realise this, we then realise that anything is possible. Our achievements soar when we take responsibility for ourselves.
• YOU ARE AMAZING … JUST AS YOU ARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When Mom tells you you’re beautiful she’s not saying it because she likes the sound of her voice. She means it! When Dad says he’s proud of your achievements he’s not saying it because you’re his child. He means it! Please don’t compare yourself to others? You are unique, one of a kind, the Divine’s most amazing creation. Accept it, be proud of it! Own it!!!
• Be mindful … of what you do and say. You don’t like it when people make fun of you or put you down. Don’t do it to others. We all deserve to be here. Live and let live. If you can’t say something nice … don’t say anything at all.
• And yes, there is such a thing as Karma! What you do to others will come back to you. Since you can take that to the bank, why not make sure that what comes around is something good.
• Lastly, be good to yourself … you ARE worth it.

Use it, don’t use it, it’s all up to you but whatever you do; make the most of this life. Treasure this gift of life, make every day count. As the famous quote says, “Dance as if no one were watching, sing as if no one were listening, and live every day as if it were your last” ~ Unknown.

Go get ‘em Tiger!

With much love,

Dorothy

Inspiranté (guest post)

Inspiranté – Translated from the Latin – Inspiration!  The direct Latin translation is a Divine influence directly & immediately exerted upon the mind or soul.  Call me an incurable romantic but that sounds wonderful, doesn’t it?  Exerted immediately upon the mind or the soul – I love it!  It ignites in me great passion for the topic of exertion.  I mean really, couldn’t we all do with a bit (read a lot) of inspiration every now and then?  I know I could!

In this context I particularly love the Latin translation, as opposed to the Spanish - inspiring:  producing a feeling, thought or action.  Now normally I love, love, love the Spanish but this particular explanation lacks … drama (not normally something the Spanish choose to take a back seat on).  The Latin translation puts it out there early … Inspiration is not from us, it is a Divine Influence, fabulous!  With all the gazillion things The Divine is handling right this moment, He immediately exerted upon my mind the menu for tonight’s supper. The ordinary, some might even say the mundane, has now been Divinely decreed – very Herculean.  I love it!

How often do you call upon inspiration?  Do you work in a creative space?  Do you dream up great advertising campaigns that need clever hooks and linger lines? Or do you design cars for a living, in one of those prestigious car companies?  Or do you write great dramatic symphonies that require masterful composition – no?  Neither do I.  I’m a relatively normal mom, a writer, a secretary, a Manager of my Universe … so when then would I need inspiration?  I snort dismayed and ask you, when do I not need inspiration exerted upon my soul?

I believe it was Einstein who said “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.”  If Einstein doesn’t mind me a little bit of poetic lee-way, I would go so far as to say inspiration too, doesn’t imagination spark from inspiration?

There isn’t a day that goes by in the red-taped corporate world that doesn’t require inspiration and I don’t mean of the creative accounting kind.  From planning a seminar, to presenting to the Board, to a collaborative think tank around a new concept.  Like I said, I know I need inspiration to plan tonight’s dinner for 2 fussy little eaters.  I mean how many different ways can I serve up chicken strips and salad?

Nope every minute of every single day, we need Inspiranté, inspiration to keep the soul thirsting for new ideas, better ways of doing things and clever solutions to budget-tight challenges.

So who & what inspires you?  Personally I find beauty and relationships inspire me.  Improving relationships;  being a better mother, person, writer, daughter, human being and friend.  A breath taking snow-capped mountain inspires me strangely enough to cook and write (not necessarily in that order).  Sunsets inspire romance and great love.  Sunrises inspire new beginnings and a health trip to the gym (has anyone else noticed that?)

Inspiration, Inspiranté … if we put those spectacles on, we can see it all around us, all the time … spurring us on to be better, to strive higher, to reach new heights of personal success.

So we could all do with a spot of Inspiration, every second of every minute of every day …

Live Inspirationally …

Love you all madly …     
Warm regards …              
Collette in Cape Town

http://zenith-thinking.blogspot.com

A Helping Hand

For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to help others. I’ve always tried to ensure that they have all they need, aren’t alone, aren’t sad or lonely. That they have someone they can lean on, depend on, turn to in times of crisis. As a youngster it wasn’t always easy because I simply wasn’t equipped to deal with adult problems but I would try, none-the-less, to do what small service I could to make up for my lack of life experience.

I still remember the old man that lived a short distance from our home, Mr Brophy. His wife passed away and our family went over to his house to give their condolences. To my 8 year old mind he was so sad and I couldn’t bear it. So, I went home and made him fudge ... I thought it would cheer him up ... with his wife no longer there to spoil him. Off I went back to the house to give him the fudge I had so painstaking made for him so imagine my horror when he began to cry! Somehow, I thought, I had made it worse. I didn’t realise, or understand, at the time that he was just overwhelmed by the kind gesture of an 8 year old.

And so it is in life. Now I am much older and have learnt many a lesson along my path through life. And I now understand the reason for his tears. But it goes a long way to proving the point I want to make. Too often people will look the other way, they’ll put you down or they’ll write you off as not worth the time. And that’s too sad for words.

Imagine if Nick Vujicic’s parents has done that to him? The world would be a much poorer place if we didn’t have people like him in it. Born with no arms and no legs, he is one of the most inspirational people around today. He has achieved so much in his lifetime thus far. And he continues to give back to society. He travels the world giving his motivational talks. Taking his message all around the world ... and his message is simple ... you are perfect as you are ... you ARE worth it!

If you’ve never heard of him, have a look at this YouTube clip of his, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjbX6mDnMwM. If he doesn’t inspire you in this lifetime, nothing else will.

Be a helping hand if you can. Be kind to others. But, more importantly, be kind to yourself ... you ARE worth it.

Yours in inspiration,

Dorothy

Learn, Love ... Inspire

No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent. ~ John Donne So true!

Recently I came across a YouTube video clip on my Facebook page of Jonathan and Charlotte ... two British teenagers who took their courage in their hands and entered “Britain’s got Talent”. If you haven’t seen the audition clip you have to watch it (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsNlcr4frs4).

This is a case in point, Jonathan is an overweight 17 year old who has little to no self-confidence and self-worth but his 16 year old friend Charlotte believes in him wholeheartedly. And because of that support and belief he ventured out of his shell far enough to audition for the show. Without her love and support, Jonathan would never have done it on his own. It took just one person to believe, for him to take that all important step.

My mom has always told me, “You’re never to old to learn, my girl. Learn all you can while you can.” And that is what I bring to you here ... watch the clip, observe this dynamic in action all around you and learn from it because it is love and inspiration at it’s best!

Let that knowledge you’ve learnt allow you to love yourself, love others and love your life ... warts and all. Life isn’t always easy, I admit, but to me life is always worth it. I am truly blessed to have a terrific husband, an incredible son and wonderful family and friends, who inspire me daily to be a better person. And for that I am truly thankful. Remember when you can be truly thankful for everything that happens in your life ... good, bad or indifferent ... that is when the magic happens. That’s when all manner of opportunities will open up on your path through life.

So, what have you learnt?

Yours in inspiration,

Dorothy