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The Power Of Rules - Petty, Petty, Petty Rules
In 2004 a group of seven spoilt and often aggressive British teenagers were sent to a working ranch in Utah called "Turn-About Ranch" to undergo a regime of strict discipline and hard work. The vast majority of successful Brat Camps are in Utah, a state which takes morality seriously and has strict laws to enforce good behaviour. The parents of the teenagers were miserable and frightened by the behaviour of their offspring but hoped that their stay in Utah would turn their lives around. The kids were faced with strict rules like: Do not speak until you are spoken to Do not lie down during the day time. You may only sit or stand. You must stay awake all day long. Do not smoke or drink Do not wear jewellery and have only one colour for your hair Do not swear or have sex. Do not answer back The ranch is run by cowboys who believe that the best form of therapy is hard work. One of the cowboys said: "I am no psychologist or Phd. I don't hold a degree in nothing but cowboy. That's it." They teach the kids the ways of the Wild West and believe that a strict regime of chores, tough rules and harsh punishments can turn bad kids into good kids. Following the rules starts as the 7 brats arrive at the airport in the strict state of Utah. The kids are told to stay together or they will be handcuffed together. One of the welcome committee tells them not to laugh at the order to stay together: "I will give you respect if you give it to me. I can be your best friend or your worst enemy. If you can obey orders you will be fine." After a week or so, Josh, one of the magnificent seven, comments: "Some of the most petty, petty, petty rules I've heard of. It really is quite tedious." They are told to just follow the rules and not question them. Discipline begins with following the rules of others even if they seem petty but it continues with creating and following one's own rules. It is no accident that the Brat Camps stress following rules. Rules seem petty and inconvenient and designed to get up your nose but they can be the secret to a happy and joyful life. Without rules about speed limits, accidents are more likely. Without rules, most games would become meaningless. Without rules, we are at the mercy of whatever feeling or whim we happen to have. Without rules, life as we know it would not exist. We would be back in the jungle where the only rule is survival. Even our own rules seem petty when we don't feel like following them. However, our own rules can turn us into powerful people who are capable of controlling our lives. If we can follow our own rule of going for at least one walk a day even when we don't feel like it, we will be fitter and healthier. If we can follow our own rule of not having sugar with our tea or coffee we will be slimmer and more energetic and so on. The rules will seem petty but following them with only rare exceptions will mean fast progress and achievement in all parts of our lives. Like the brats, we need to accept the petty, petty, petty, rules that can transform our lives. Resource box John Watson is an award winning teacher and martial arts instructor. He has recently written two books about achieving your goals and dreams. They can both be found on his website http://www.motivationtoday.com along with a daily motivational message. The title of the first book is "36 Laws To Ignite Your Inner Power And Realize Your Dreams Now!" The book can be found at this URL http://www.motivationtoday.com/36_laws.php You are welcome to publish the article above in your ezine so long as you do not alter it and keep the resource box as it is.
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Coaching What are You Waiting for? Do it now! Whatever it is you have been putting off, do it. This is your life, it is not a dress rehearsal. What is it you have always wanted to do but, for some unknown reason, never quite get to? I am referring to those usually minor desires, not major goals like "get married" or "start a business." Read All the Books All of the books that we will ever need to make us as rich, as healthy, as happy, as powerful, as sophisticated and as successful as we want to be have already been written. How to Use the Power of Words to Your Benefit - Part II A friend of mine read the article, How to Use the Power of Words to Your Benefit, and dryly made the comment, "So what?" How Much Risk Is Too Much To Take? The ladder was braced against the railings going to the basement. I started climbing up. I had to get to the ceiling and this was my Rube Goldberg way of doing it without having to put up scaffolding. I made it up two or three rungs before coming to my senses. It would be so easy for the railing to break and for me to go tumbling down the stairs. Intelligence & Energy Life and evolution is the dynamics of energy in which there is gradual unfoldment of energy and intelligence. Intelligence opens packets of energy which further opens up the doors of higher perceptions. How To Deal With Denial Denial is a coping mechanism commonly used when something happens that we really don't want to see. Doing this is actually quite natural. After all, we want to keep our lives in order, and we resist taking in information that we feel would result in a loss for us. Self-care Isnt Being Selfish When was the last time you truly relaxed? Do you often find that another exhausting week ends and you glance at a book you bought six months ago and realise you simply haven't had the time to read it? If this sounds horribly familiar then it's likely that you are prioritising the demands in your business life and ultimately your personal life is missing out. 5 Ways to Fight Pessimism Some people are naturally pessimistic and are happy being so. They view themselves as pragmatic and as having a better sense of reality. Then there are those of us who feel weighed down by negativity and wish that we could be more optimistic. This is completely possible. It all lies in the way we perceive things... 1. Stress management When we conceal our anxieties, they only build. Each concern can snowball into a feeling of being overwhelmed. Each person has their own way of letting off steam. This varies from exercise, to listening to music, to reading a good book. More of us are beginning to realize how important proper stress management is to both our physical and mental health. 2. Constant reality checks It is sometimes necessary to debate the validity of your concerns to determine whether they are rational or not. This is called self-rationalization and one of the most recognized methods is the worst case scenario. This is when you consider the worst possible situation, then go on to consider whether it is likely to happen. For example, a loved one said they would call once they arrived by subway to a certain destination. They should have reached that destination 15 minutes ago. You may dream up scenarios of there being a train accident or some other frightful incident took place. But after a little thought, you find that it's more probable that they either have yet to reach their stop or they will simply call you when it is convenient for them. You never want to leap to conclusions and cause yourself unnecessary stress. 3. Support of friends and family Friends and family are usually more than willing to provide you with a much needed reality check. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have close friends and family members to confide in though. It is detrimental to find some type of support when you are feeling extremely confused or overwhelmed. This support may have to come from a trusted co-worker or a member of a support group. Sometimes all it takes is another person's point of view to put things into perspective. 4. Own your feelings Accept that you have complete control over your perceptions and internal responses. You may not have control over what happened on your commute to work that upset you. But you are able to decide whether you become relieved when the day is finally over, or frustrated, claiming you are always being dealt a bad hand. Staying the Course Are you willing to stay the course? Once you have decided on a course and set sail toward your destination, you will undoubtedly face moments along your journey, perhaps even long stretches, where it seems that you are not making progress toward your goal even though you are doing the things necessary to reach it. We've all heard the saying "it's darkest before the dawn" and it's often true that we are on the verge of great success when it is most difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Getting Out of the Zone! We've probably all heard the famous movie quip, "why don't you wait here while I slip into something a little more comfortable". It's a comment to make most of our ears (particularly male ones!) stand up on end with the anticipation that the film has actually taken a turn for the better. In real life however, slipping 'into' something more comfortable can often lead to outcomes that are anything other than desirable. Turn your Dreaming into Doing The first of January and September, as well as our birthdays seem to be the times in a year when we focus on the gulf between where we are and where we would like to be. By now, many of you have already given up your New Years Resolutions and settled back into the comfortable routine of last year. Before you get too snug, dust off your dreams and look at them again. Let's make this year a year to be proud of. Let's make this the year of personal reinvention, to do the things that we have always wanted to do, and to become the women we have always wanted to be; doers, not just dreamers. Know your Mission One passage states "If you want to defeat them, distract them." Another reads "divide and conquer." Motivation; 5 Steps to Get the Changes You Want Q: I just read your column in today's' Greensboro News and Record. For the last few years I've been struggling with change, and found your suggestions about "change tools" to be useful. I was wondering if you have a favorite "change tool", and if you would share it with us in a column? Commitment vs.Trying - Is Trying Lying? Today I heard the saying "Trying is lying!" Fear As you prepare to take your first steps, could there possibly be something holding you back? How You Developed Bad Habits That Rob You Of Motivation Bad habits rob you of your motivation. Top 5 Reasons Why Youre Not Living Your Dream 1. "I'm too old to make a change." Maybe you are over 30 and settled in your career. You don't even want to think about making a move somewhere else. Besides, at this point in your life, you are supposed to be doing what you want, right? Keeping Perspective: When Bad Things Happen That Are Not Life Threatening The very first thing to question is how important is this in the overall scheme of life? Compared to all of the things that have happened, are happening, and could happen in my life - how bad is this? Is it something that will impact the rest of my life? Is it temporary? Although the pain may not feel like it's temporary, it usually is. It's important to get a perspective. If your car has been stolen, that's a major nuisance that will cost you time and money to replace, but how does that compare to a diagnosis of cancer? If your marriage is ending, it can be extremely painful, but your life will continue no matter how bleak circumstances may seem. So wouldn't it be easier to find a way to transcend the pain and move on, let go, and take away the power from the negativity? Wouldn't it be more pleasant to look at the 'bright side'? and yes! There always is a flip side! It may not be one you believe in at the moment, it may not be where you want to focus, but there IS another perspective. Magic In The Leadership Zone! "Discipline is the soul of an army. It makes small numbers formidable, procures success to the weak - and esteem to all." - George Washington 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.
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