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| Motivation Information |
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Did You Have A Tough Childhood?
Many claim intense childhood trauma "damages" a person in their adult years. But is this necessarily true? We all have obstacles and hardships -- some of us more so than others. But although you had a tough childhood, this does NOT mean you'll have problems or failures over your entire lifetime. Actually -- just the opposite is true! Intense difficulties, hardships and major obstacles are actually often *major* contributors to one's success. It's true that difficult childhoods do leave some people wounded and disadvantaged. But for others ... a tough childhood actually drove them to outrageous achievement and success! The difference is one's resourcefulness and determination. Adversity and Greatness Their goal was to identify the early experiences that contributed to the remarkable achievements of these successful people. All of their "research subjects" are widely known for their personal accomplishments. Their names are easily recognizable: Franklin D. Roosevelt, Helen Keller, Winston Churchill, Albert Schweitzer, Gandhi, Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, etc. What they discovered was fascinating! Three-quarters of these successful people (525 of the 700) came from deeply troubled childhoods. They had endured extreme poverty, broken homes ... and even parental abuse. Over one-fourth (199 of the 700) had to deal with very serious physical handicaps such as deafness, blindness or crippled limbs. And over 80% of those who became successful writers and playwrights had watched their own parents struggle with intense psychological dramas. The Goertzel's concluded that the drive to "compensate" for their disadvantages actually drove these people straight into the arms of outrageous personal achievement. The Triumph of a "Homely" Woman As a young girl she was painfully aware of being very homely. And her childhood writings reveal she never had a sense of "belonging" anywhere, or to anyone. According to Victor Wilson of the Newhouse News Service, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was "a rather humorless introvert (and) an unbelievably shy young woman, unable to overcome her personal insecurity ... and with a deep conviction of her own inadequacies." But as she matured, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt refused to remain "disadvantaged." She took hold of her own bootstraps and began to pull herself up into a higher, more powerful consciousness. After marrying, she ended up courageously nursing her husband through crippling polio. Then when he (Franklin Roosevelt) was elected to the U.S. Presidency in the depth of the Great Depression, Mrs. Roosevelt quickly transformed the position of First Lady. As First Lady, she became an outspoken supporter for the downtrodden of all races, religions and countries -- at the same time managing the White House, and raising six children. (Do YOU consider yourself "too busy" to reach out and claim your full potential?) After her husband's death, she spent the remainder of her life as a highly-respected American spokesperson to the United Nations. At her death this shy, disadvantaged, homely and withdrawn young woman had became one of the most loved and revered women of her entire generation. WHY did this happen? Eleanor Roosevelt made a PERSONAL CHOICE to lift herself beyond her perceived "limitations." As Victor Wilson said, "From some inner wellspring, Mrs. Roosevelt summoned a tough, unyielding courage, tempered by remarkable self-control and self-discipline." The "Adversity Principle" Scientific evidence has proven that "well-being" is NOT always an advantage for either plants or animal. Where there is no challenge, obstacle or hardship ... growth and development is often limited. Biologists refer to this as the "adversity principle." Consider Lou Gehrig: Lou was such a clumsy kid that the boys in his neighborhood wouldn't let him play on their baseball team. But he tapped into his source of inner courage and determination. Lou Gehrig is today listed in the baseball "Hall of Fame" as one of the greatest ball players of all time. Then there was Woodrow Wilson, who could not read until he was ten years old. Wilson went on in his life to become the twenty-eighth President of the United States. Plus ... Thomas Edison was stone-cold deaf, Booker T. Washington was born in slavery, and Lord Byron was crippled by a "club foot." The famous writer Robert Louis Stevenson had tuberculosis. Alexander Pope had an unsightly hunchback, and Julius Caesar was an epileptic. Yet each of these individuals became famous historic figures in spite of (or perhaps *because of*) their handicaps. Helen Keller, who could not hear or see, transformed an entire nation when she graduated with honors from college. She is still a source of inspiration for millions. Then there's Ludwig van Beethoven. Beethoven began to lose his hearing in his 20s, and was completely deaf by 50. Yet he created some of the world's most beautiful music. He was once overheard shouting at the top of his voice, "I will take life by the throat!" A Call to Action Your ATTITUDE toward any perceived personal "handicap" determines its impact on your life. This IS your life! Why not make it all it can be? Recall this the next time you are tempted to focus on any personal weaknesses or past pain to rationalize failure. To become all we can be, we MUST stop making excuses. Use any personal adversity or perceived limitations to do what Beethoven did: Let lose with a life-affirming roar and "grab life by the throat." Grab Life By the Throat! The author, Dr Jill Ammon-Wexler, is a doctor of psychology, pioneer brain/mind researcher, and former advisor to the Pentagon, a Presidential Commission, and numerous top executives and executive teams. The author of several books and hundreds of articles, she is also the co-founder of quantum-self.com, and the Creative Director of the Self Discovery Community. She can be reached at: drjill@quantum-self.com Come visit the exciting Self Discovery Community. Discover the most interesting, unusual, stimulating and creative methods of self discovery on the web today! Free sizzling weekly ezine, and the web's first Brain Gym ezone. http://www.quantum-self.com
Motivation - Google News |
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Business Management The Power I had a friend ask me a question not to long ago that really led me to do some thinking. "How do you manage to stay so positive all the time?" You never seem to have "bad" days she said. Daily Motivation--Be Kind to Yourself for a Change "How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these." --George Washington Carver How To Become More Patient "Lord give me patience and hurry!" Teaching kids -- UGH!! (...and what I learned from it) I have a confession to make: I don't like working with little kids. Danger In The Comfort Zone I don't know who said it or where I heard it, but I'm sure it was brought to my attention by a sales trainer somewhere, at some time during my journey through the maze of countless sales trainings and seminars that I have attended over the years, but it does make perfect sense. Are You A Procrastinator? What is the dictionary definition of a procrastinator? It is one who delays, defers action, puts off until another day. At some point in our lives all of us have probably procrastinated over something we needed to do. This is human nature. Ahead of the Curve to be on Top I once heard a statement that no matter how good you think you are, there is always someone else who is better. This appears to be a pessimistic view even to a point of degrading one's self-worth. However, this saying provides a starting point to understanding one's gifts or setbacks, one's strengths or weaknesses in comparison to potential counterparts. Two Ways to Feel Fear In a memorable Depression-era radio speech on the radio, President Franklin Roosevelt declared, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." He was dead right. And for the next few minutes we're going to look at why he was right, and what FEAR really is, and how it can be turned into something strong and productive for you with just a few simple tactics you can learn in less than 10 minutes. Life Is About Taking "Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new." Brian Tracy Are You an Achiever or are You an EXCUSIOLOGIST? It would be a fairly safe bet that if you are reading this article then you are on the lookout for something more in your life than what you already have. Are You a Right-Fighter? Are You a "Right-Fighter"? Fear of Failure The fear of failure is more deadly than failure itself. The fear of failure paints so many imaginary scenarios which petrifies you and renders you immobile. Most folks have buried their dreams because of the fear of failure, which graduates into the fear of stepping out. Are Your Dreams A Day Late And A Dollar Short? One of the greatest challenges facing our ever intensive quest for the impossible dream is to make it across the finish line even if it's only by the skin of our teeth. Many outstanding accomplishments have been started just to see our vision die one foot short of the goal line. Sound familiar? Don't get your knickers in a twist; here's an idea. Qualia and Quanta Ah, those New Year's resolutions. Moving Past Your Comfort Zone We all gravitate toward what we feel most comfortable doing. We avoid going to certain places or doing certain things, because we're afraid of failing or of looking foolish or any number of other (often unfounded) fears. So instead of taking on a new challenge, we stick with the tried and true. It's called staying in your comfort zone and it is one of the biggest roadblocks to leading a truly fulfilling life. The Time To Start Working On Your Dream is Now - Not Later Most of us are hesitant to start anything because we are afraid we might make a mistake or fail. Go ahead make mistakes! Don't wait for more experience or to be good enough to start. You don't have to be good to start, but you have to start to be good. Make Motivation Stick Motivation is the elusive elixir. Not only does it help people do good work, and do it faster, but it also helps them feel good about it while they're doing it. Yet motivation always seems temporary, fleeting. We call a meeting, bring in a motivational speaker, and fire up the team. Yet, we know it won't last. If Not Now, When? How many times have you made excuses for putting off something you really needed or wanted to do? Probably too many times to count. It is all too easy to get in the habit of putting the desires of your heart on hold. You may have been taught to put the needs of others first or that it is selfish to think of your own desires. Lights, Camera, Take Action Have you ever had a great business idea? Mid-Year Success Check: Are You Halfway There? In a couple weeks, we'll be heading into the second half of 2005. How are you doing on those New Year's resolutions?
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