Your assignment today is to set a really exciting goal. It should be something that will take up your thoughts for awhile and require some imagination and creativity. It can be a totally frivolous goal, but choose something that will make you proud when you’ve achieved it.
Maybe you are short on cash, and your brother’s birthday is coming up in a few weeks. Set a goal to create a unique gift using your own skills and imagination. This few weeks of creativity will liberate your thoughts and will probably lead to ideas in other areas of your life. You might end up so proud of the result that you can’t wait for your brother to open his present.
Happiness does not happen randomly. It is the result of a series of actions. You have the power to make conditions right for happiness. You can choose happiness today by setting a goal that will command your thoughts, liberate your energy, and inspire your hopes.
DAY
25
“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”
— Albert Schweitzer
So many of us have this idea reversed. Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness actually has to come first. If you are engaged in what you are doing and you enjoy it, you will be successful.
Kate loved her job, but she always adopted a stern expression at work. She felt as though people took her more seriously if she was somber.
Finally, a wise co-worker asked, “Kate, do you like your job?”
“Why, yes,” she replied, a bit startled.
“Then, if you’re happy, let your face know it.”
Happiness is the key to success, and it is also contagious. If you love what you’re doing and you let yourself experience the joy of taking part in that action, you will be glowing with inspiration. Other people pick up on that. They will be drawn to you, because they want what you have.
Your assignment is to find something you love to do. Don’t just pick something you sort of enjoy. Find something you love to do. It doesn’t have to be the same thing you do for a living. The thing you love to do might be a volunteer activity or a hobby. Try out some new ideas if you don’t have a clue about what that thing is. Join a club or audit a class at your local community college. Experiment to find out what brings you joy and then take part in it. Success will be soon to follow.
DAY
26
“Face the worst. Believe the best. Do the most. Leave the rest.”
— Bishop Mel Wheatley
Whenever you feel stuck in life, it can be very difficult to find a way out of the darkness. This quote gives you a flashlight to navigate through the shadows. If you stick with these simple directions, you will emerge into the light before you know it.
Face the worst. What is going on in your life that you are avoiding? You will have to face it sooner or later, so you might as well get it over with and stop worrying about the ramifications. Face your problems head on and deal with them.
Believe the best. It is a waste of time to worry about bad things that might happen. If you’re going to let your mind wander, why not imagine a positive outcome? Believe the best will come to you. You deserve the best. Believe it will happen. If it doesn’t, you’re no worse off. You can deal with a less-than-ideal situation if and when it occurs.
Do the most. Do whatever you can to ensure you will end up with the best possible results. Have you done everything you can in a given situation, or are you hiding and hoping for the best? You need to do the footwork if you want to reap the benefits.
Leave the rest. There are aspects of life that are completely out of your control. Leave them alone. You are powerless over them. You can leave them to your god, to the universe, to chance, whatever works for you. Just let them be. Conserve your efforts for things you can change.
Your assignment today is to use this roadmap the next time you hit a roadblock. Take stock of your situation by examining each of these four principles.
DAY
27
“A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.”
— Francis Bacon
Joe was a lucky guy. It seemed like opportunity followed him everywhere. His projects at work always came out on top, he was in great shape, he had tons of connections, and he smiled all the time. It was nauseating! Some people just have all the luck.
In truth, Joe’s circumstances had very little to do with luck. He created opportunities rather than waiting for them to show up. Joe looked at everything he experienced as a way to grow and improve and learn something new. He observed others, and he tried new things. Soon, he saw opportunity budding all around him.
Joe had a friend who went to the gym regularly during lunch, so he decided to give it a try. He found the midday exercise to be exhilarating. It gave him a jolt of energy for the rest of the day and cleared his mind of the issues he had faced that morning. As a result of trying something new, Joe found a way to increase his concentration at work and also get in shape. He observed a colleague, tried something that person found to be helpful, and created an opportunity to get in shape and become more productive at work.
Joe didn’t wait for his doctor to tell him it was time to get rid of a few pounds. He didn’t wait for his friend to invite him to the gym. He noticed what was going on around him, and he created his own opportunity.
Your assignment today is to write down three ways in which you can create opportunity in your life. You have one week to follow through and make at least one of those opportunities a reality.
DAY
28
“Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, Old Time is still a-flying; And this same flower that smiles today Tomorrow will be dying . . .”
— Robert Herrick
You have very few second chances in this life. Are you willing pass by a good opportunity? The flowers of chance are opening all around you. Do you see them?
Pick those lovely flowers of opportunity while they are blooming, because you may never get another chance. Gather precious moments with your children. Take a walk under the stars tonight, because they are too stunning to ignore. Give a project at work everything you’ve got, because you may not have a chance to go back and fix it later. Play in the snow, because it’s in your front yard right now. Listen to the music of the waves when you sit on the beach, because you may never hear such a beautiful melody again. Stand up and volunteer for that committee that is a little outside of your comfort zone, because now may be your only opportunity to do it.
Experience as much as you can in this wonderful world, because your stay here is finite and often far too short. You don’t know if you will get a second chance, so snatch up opportunities when you see them.
Grab on to life with both hands. Experience it. Don’t just go through the motions; don’t just get by. Be an active participant. You will find success in your experience. Your assignment today is to actively participate in your day as if it was your last day on earth. Make the most of everything you do. Enjoy every little moment.