Daily Motivation

• Ladychipper 23,071 Posts

  Mon, Jul 15 2019 12:29 PM

  Monday, July 15, 2019

  Make the rewards real

  When someone expects to be rewarded for no effort, there is no effort, and thus no real reward. Not only does a participation trophy fail to confer self-esteem, it actively hinders true self-esteem.

  The value of the reward is created by the earning of that reward. Absent the effort to earn it, the reward, whatever form it takes, is little more than a meaningless token.

  Receiving praise you have not earned makes you cynical, about yourself, about those offering that praise, about the world in general. Repeatedly receiving material goods you have not earned makes you dependent, and soon enough, resentful.

  Real achievement has value precisely because it is so difficult, because the odds against it are so high. The fact that you can put forth sustained effort and create value, is an amazing state of affairs, deserving of your constant gratitude and utilization.

  Seeking to cheat the process ends up seriously cheating and depriving yourself. Life gets unbearably grim when you prevent yourself from making a difference, yet fortunately that never has to happen.

  Always, in every moment, are opportunities to contribute your effort, to earn the fulfillment of a life well lived. Do the good work, respect others enough to expect the same of them, and make the rewards real.

   

  — Ralph Marston

• Ladychipper 23,071 Posts

  Tue, Jul 16 2019 7:54 AM

  Tuesday, July 16, 2019

  Change for the better

  Don’t let what happened a moment ago diminish what you can do now. Don’t allow a disappointing morning to ruin a perfectly good afternoon.

  If momentum is carrying you in the direction you wish to proceed, feed it, nurture it, keep it strong. Yet as soon as momentum begins to work against you, let it go.

  Your knowledge, experience, and expertise can be highly useful. But don’t become so smug in what you already know that you’re blinded to other possibilities.

  Hold on to what works well, expand it and build on it. Be also ready and willing to change for the better.

  This month holds opportunities that didn’t exist last month. Today is your chance to make a clean break from yesterday’s painful mistakes.

  In any given moment, the direction of your life is up to you. Stay alert to the changes around you and within you, so you’re always able to choose the best way forward.

   

  — Ralph Marston

• Ladychipper 23,071 Posts

  Wed, Jul 17 2019 5:30 AM

  Wednesday, July 17, 2019

  Get positive

  A positive attitude catapults you into your most effective state. Even if there is no other reason to be positive, that’s more than enough reason.

  Plenty of things happen that can understandably put you in a negative mood. Your most powerful strategy is to get yourself out of that bad mood.

  Whatever may have put you in a bad mood, certainly don’t invest yourself in supporting and excusing and justifying it. Instead, put your energy into changing your perspective to a positive one.

  You know from experience there are certain specific things you can think, do, and say that will quickly and genuinely improve the way you feel. You can’t immediately change the circumstances, or whatever just happened, yet you absolutely can change yourself and your response.

  Acknowledge that you have every right to feel negative, and then make the powerful choice to be positive instead. There’s never been a case where your negativity improved a situation, so do what it takes to get positive.

  When life has been disappointing, frustrating, painful and unfair, respond in a way that will bring out your best. Get positive, and get yourself quickly to a better place.

   

  — Ralph Marston

• Ladychipper 23,071 Posts

  Thu, Jul 18 2019 7:32 AM

  Thursday, July 18, 2019

  Keep working

  You have to keep working at life. And that’s a very good thing, because the more work you put into life, the more fulfilling it becomes.

  Even if you could get everything perfect in your world, it wouldn’t stay that way. And that’s a very good thing, because you’d soon be bored with all that never-ending perfection.

  You’re at your best when you’re making things better. Life is best when you’re able to continue investing yourself in it.

  Learn to be thankful that your paint job weathers and peels, that the weeds grow back in your garden. Things like that are life’s way of giving you something to do, of providing you with a way to make a difference.

  Every difficulty you encounter helps you avoid being useless. Every challenge you confront gives purpose and strength to your experience.

  Each day is your opportunity to make real progress in an imperfect world where things often go wrong. Keep working at life, and keep all of life moving forward.

   

  — Ralph Marston

• Ladychipper 23,071 Posts

  Fri, Jul 19 2019 12:16 PM

  Friday, July 19, 2019

  Certainty of doing

  Trying is not doing. Only doing is doing.

  Trying is a vague, loosely defined concept that doesn’t lead anywhere in particular. Doing is a precise set of actions leading toward a specific objective.

  If you’re trying and not having any luck, there are two problems. You see yourself as merely trying, and you consider yourself under the influence of blind, random luck.

  Give up your dependence on luck and depend instead on your own actions. Give up the idea that you’re trying, and replace it with the certainty of getting specific work done.

  Trying gives you an excuse to fail, to quit. Give yourself instead the commitment to succeed, to prevail, to get the work done.

  Climb out of the hazy, ineffective bewilderment of trying. Jump right into the clear, focused, exhilarating experience of doing all the great things you can do.

   

  — Ralph Marston

• Ladychipper 23,071 Posts

  Sat, Jul 20 2019 12:41 PM

  Saturday, July 20, 2019

  Fix the problem

  If your car has a problem, you usually don’t junk the entire car. Instead, you fix the specific problem.

  Just because something is wrong in your life, or many things are wrong, doesn’t mean everything is wrong. What you must do is, one by one, fix the problems.

  In this age of binary logic and disposable gadgets, it’s easy to assume that anything not functioning perfectly should be abandoned. But when it comes to people, relationships, organizations, customs and traditions, that’s rarely a good strategy.

  It’s crazy to throw out one hundred percent of the value when only five percent is broken. Though it takes more effort to fix the problem, doing so preserves benefits that may have taken years, or even centuries, to create.

  Just because someone says or does a few foolish things, isn’t necessarily a reason to forever cast that person out of your life or your group. Just because one rule had an unintended consequence, doesn’t mean all the rules have to be tossed out.

  Respect the work and thought that’s already been done, the value that’s already been created. See if you can fix the problem instead of discarding all that surrounds it.

   

  — Ralph Marston

• Ladychipper 23,071 Posts

  Mon, Jul 22 2019 8:18 AM

  Monday, July 22, 2019

  Yours today

  This is life, here, now, today. This is opportunity, possibility, fertile ground for achievement and enrichment.

  Seize the potential, live the moment, feel the promise of now and make good on that promise. Act with courage, curiosity, love, wonder, and gratitude for it all.

  Let life’s creative energy flow gracefully through you, uninhibited by doubt or hesitation. Marvel at the beauty, the interconnected coherence of all that is, and make it more so.

  Raise up your highest expectations ever higher, and then do the good work they demand. Remind yourself that even the difficult times bring new value, and step boldly ahead of your fears.

  Give love to all you love. Give time, work, attention, and lavish focus to what is truly meaningful.

  Life is yours today, and later is much too late. For all you dream, for all you hope, for all you envision, for all you care about, live it now.

   

  — Ralph Marston

• Ladychipper 23,071 Posts

  Tue, Jul 23 2019 8:20 AM

  Tuesday, July 23, 2019

  Choose truth

  Sometimes the truth hurts. Those are the times when it helps you the most.

  You can hide from certain truths for a long time, yet they will eventually catch up to you. Along with their clarity will come regret for staying in denial so long.

  Seek to be told what is actually true rather than what you want to hear. The sooner you know and acknowledge a truth, the more power you have to successfully deal with it.

  You’re not doing anyone a favor by hiding the truth. With respect, compassion, and understanding, speak the truth.

  Truth has the power to create value where that value never existed before. Although truth is not the easiest choice, it is the most beneficial and positively transformative choice.

  Have the courage to live with truth on your side. At every juncture, choose truth.

   

  — Ralph Marston

• Ladychipper 23,071 Posts

  Wed, Jul 24 2019 10:59 AM

  Wednesday, July 24, 2019

  Having fun

  Are you having fun yet? Or are you tormenting yourself by assuming you have to take everything so seriously?

  A bit of genuine fun would make you feel better. And it’s also likely to make you more effective and engaged with whatever you’re doing.

  The way to make anything a dreary chore is to think of it as a dreary chore. The way to make anything fun is to decide you’re going to have fun with it.

  Young children develop mental and physical skills at an astoundingly rapid pace. They do it mostly by playing, by having fun.

  Having fun allows you to be you, unburdened by worry, unencumbered by overthinking, free to wonder and learn and create. Fun provides a positive perspective, and that can shine a light on your best possibilities.

  Choose more often to have fun. Enjoy what you’re doing to the point of delight, and you’ll do it a whole lot better.

   

  — Ralph Marston

• Ladychipper 23,071 Posts

  Thu, Jul 25 2019 8:33 AM

  Thursday, July 25, 2019

  Every day an opportunity

  Even in the worst situation, you can bring your A game. Even when every other person is careless, apathetic, incompetent, rude, and demanding, you don’t have to be any of those things.

  In a world that is far from perfect, you can live every day with excellence. In situations that are unfair and unjust, you can move confidently forward with the utmost integrity.

  You can accept this moment just the way it is, with all its flaws and frustrations. Then, independent of the circumstances, you can choose your own most positive and empowering perspective.

  You can be informed and enlightened by what’s happening around you, without letting it get you down. Indeed, the more difficult other people become, the more inspired you can be to offer respect, reason, competence and courtesy.

  Remind yourself that every day is an opportunity, regardless of the weather, the economy, political wrangling and social pressures. Every day is your opportunity to make honest, honorable progress.

  Fix your awareness on worthy goals, and don’t let the noise of the moment dissuade you. This is when you can give your best to life.

   

  — Ralph Marston