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Don’t Quit Inspirational Thoughts motivation

That Final 1% …

The difference between failure and success sometimes boils down to the impact of a mere 1% – that final 1%.

Sometimes you can SEE that the end of the journey is near; other times you have to TRUST that the end is close, and keep pushing forward.

That is because this typically represents the point where mental and/or physical fatigue has set in; where past failures along the way have led you to doubt whether you have what it takes to complete what you started; or where your early enthusiasm has been replaced by questioning the wisdom of having started in the first place. But…

Having already done the hard work; having already made tremendous sacrifices; or having already gone 99% of the distance, you could very well miss out – IF YOU STOP NOW.

O. N. Rowe

The difference between success and failure might well boil down to that final 1%, where you struggle the most to go on, and where you feel like you have done everything you can do. It is at that point where your success might very well be closer than you think – perhaps just 1% of incremental effort away.

Give yourself the best chance to finish what you started – the best chance to succeed: Rest if you must, and seek help if you must, but keep on pushing towards your goal. Don’t Quit! Not now.

O. N. Rowe
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Inspirational Thoughts

Increase Impact to Optimize Outcome

Sometimes we need help and encouragement from others to keep us motivated, but ultimately the outcome requires our deliberate efforts

Often times success vs. failure; or having a ‘good’ vs. ‘bad’ day; or even the kind of outcome we have at the end of an activity, is determined by a combination of our expectations of success/reward, our approach and/or our attitude.

When we choose to get up, show up for the task at hand, and give it our best shot, we are increasing our IMPACT, whether this be on our personal pursuits, our family, our work Team or the Organization as a whole. With an increase in our impact we are increasing our chances of success.

However, when we simply sit back, go through the motions, and just let things happen, we are setting ourselves for failure by giving up control over the outcomes, and often times the result is quite underwhelming and disappointing!

Each day is an opportunity for us to INCREASE our impact, and that is the surest way to REDUCE the undesirable impact of external factors on the outcomes we desire.

O. N. Rowe

So don’t just wait for things to happen TO you. MAKE things happen FOR you, the way YOU want them to. That is the surest way to secure a positive outcome.

Like stocks, there will be ups and downs; however, our consistent, deliberate efforts each day and over time will yield positive results
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Inspirational Thoughts

Life’s ‘Normal’ Moments

Looking out at the lush, green foliage around me, and taking in the beautiful scenery, serene thoughts flooded my mind. I observed numerous geese enjoying moments ranging from peacefully resting atop the serene water in the pond, then gliding majestically across the pond with little or no effort, and eventually frolicking playfully in the water.

Red-winged Blackbirds singing sweetly in the trees, occasionally flitting from one place to another, getting up from their perch to fly around, or to enjoy a different kind of experience and perspective perched atop one of the slender reeds embanking the pond.

As I looked on in wonder at the beauty of Nature and the birds enjoying what for them would be ‘Normal’ things I couldn’t help but think: “They’ve got it right!’

O. N. Rowe

I thought about how often we tend to treat ‘normal’ as something bad. We believe, incorrectly, that unless we are on an emotional high, or out somewhere having fun, or doing something we actually enjoy doing, then we must be having a bad day or at best a ‘so-so’ day and at worst.

We pine after things that are NOT happening at the moment, forgetting to make the most of whatever our current situation might allow. We mistakenly believe that real happiness and contentment comes from something – whatever that ‘something’ happens to be at this particular moment- that we do not have.

Who said we cannot enjoy the normal things of life, like having some quiet peace around us. Or having an opportunity to recharge, or taking time to pay some attention to our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being? It is in the normal, or even mundane, times, that we have the opportunity to benefit from the things that matter.

Yes working is important; having fun is important; being actively engaged in physical or recreational activities is important to our overall wellbeing. However, it is the beautiful tapestry of the whole, consisting the ‘normal,’ the ‘mundane’ and the ‘boring’, that provides us with an optimal experience in this journey through life.

O. N. Rowe

So pursue your dreams; seek after the things you believe can build you into the best version of yourself. But in the process bear in mind that the ‘normal’ things play their vital roles. YES – Embrace the normal!

As you make your way through life, don’t forget to occasionally stop and smell the roses along the way
Categories
encouragement honesty inspiration Inspirational Thoughts motivation openness

Where Authenticity Meets Vulnerability

The word ‘Authenticity’ and the phrase ‘Be Your Authentic Self’ have become extremely popularized in recent times in a world which is supercharged by intolerance. Intolerance is a significant impediment to Authenticity.

In our day to day existence, we are faced with the dilemma of either being honest about who we are and possibly risk ostracism and isolation, or being forced to pretend to be ‘someone else’ or ‘something else’ to gain acceptance, or to avoid discrimination. This dilemma arises in response to perceived, and often times real, societal norms and expectations that dictate how we should look, behave, or even dream!

The dissonance that results from this disconnect has had untold negative impacts on the affected individuals for generations. The different coping mechanisms adopted by individuals in response sometimes compound the situation, often leading to tragic outcomes.

When we shape our expectations of others solely on the basis of their background, we sometimes inadvertently treat them based on the expectations that our stereotypes dictate. This discourages authenticity.

O. N. Rowe

When we are intolerant of others based on how they are different than we consider ourselves to be, this discourages authenticity. When we deny others the freedom and opportunity they deserve to express their individuality and all that this entails, this inhibits authenticity.

In fact, I believe when we take the stance that our personal characteristics, circumstances, backgrounds or experiences make us in any way superior to others, we are being arrogant, self-righteous, narrow-minded and disrespectful.

Everyone, regardless of differences, have a right to be their authentic self without fear of repercussions. However, as a starting point, we all need to be honest about who we really are, vis a vis who we portray ourselves to be. We need to be willing to be vulnerable!

O. N. Rowe

Authenticity in its real sense removes the clutter from our psyche and provides the clarity of purpose that unleashes the power within us to accomplish our dreams, regardless of how ‘different’ they happen to be.

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encouragement inspiration Inspirational Thoughts motivation

Past Experiences Vs. Future Expectations

Don’t let past experiences derail your future. A change of fortunes might be just around the corner.

There’s a saying that goes ‘Once bitten, twice shy.’ The essence of it is that if you have a particular bad experience once, you will be inclined to expect a similarly bad experience next time around.

To some extent that makes a lot of sense. After all, who would want to risk having a repeat of a bad experience, especially one that had a huge impact on them?

Unfortunately, bad experiences are part of life and come via many sources, some expected, and others devastatingly unexpected. Some result from our own actions or non-actions; other times through other persons’.

In response to what might appear to be frequent disappointments we rationalize and comfort ourselves by saying we ‘…expect the worse and hope for the best’ in our quest to avoid further disappointment. This can be a dangerous approach to take!

This is because our reality tends to be aligned with our expectations because our expectations influence our actions. Simply put, we put out greater positive effort where positive returns are expected. Bottom line: effort often determines success.

In spite of past disappointments, we can set ourselves up for success in the future by taking our disappointments in stride, learning from them, and continuing to pursue, and expect, the very best outcomes in the future.

O. N. Rowe

Bottom line: Don’t let your past experiences shape your expectations for the future.

Expect BETTER to rise with the dawn of each new day.
Categories
encouragement inspiration Inspirational Thoughts motivation

Giving Your Best

There’s always a struggle against complacency and arrogance; success demands our full focus and the right attitude

Not everything you set out to do in life will go your way; and that’s ok. The important thing is that some will! Sometimes you can never tell which will turn out to be a success – even the ones you are most certain about can fail, and the ones you least expect to, can succeed.

The reality is that there are some situations where you possess all the right skills and resources to succeed at, but you fail because one critical ingredient is missing: the right attitude.

Yes, sometimes we become overconfident and arrogant – believing we ‘cannot’ fail because of how ‘good’ or ‘talented’ we are. This can lead to a sense of entitlement that sees us under-prepared, or become overhyped, or even to underestimate the full scope of what is required to succeed thereby under-exerting our effort.

O. N. Rowe

Sometimes we even underestimate the desire of someone else to win in instances where there are competitors.

Where these acts of self-sabotage take place (and that is exactly what they are), failure is almost assured. The fault for such unexpected outcome then lies squarely at our feet even if we seek to transfer the blame on someone else, or on something else.

Therefore always be humble and be prepared to work hard; to run through the tape; to keep your shoulders to the wheel. If, after all that, failure is the outcome, then you can feel satisfied that you gave it your best shot.

And that ALWAYS means that you are better off than you would have been, had you not given your best.

Only you can say whether you have REALLY given your best.
Categories
inspiration Inspirational Thoughts

Life = Choices

Life sometimes provides us with lots of choices: sometimes between good and bad; good and better; or between bad and worse.

Choices are abundant in almost all facets of our lives. We are mostly free to make important choices like careers, jobs, religion, or life partners, and less consequential choices relating to matters such as which outfit to wear when, what colour nail polish or lipstick to buy, what to eat for breakfast/lunch/dinner, etc.

Many of the choices we face daily are universally recognized, and personally demanded and enforced. Some are repetitive and routine, and are applied without much thought.

CHOICES IN OUR ACTIONS AND WORDS: A very important choice we make each day has to do with our actions and our words. Actions have consequences whether positive or negative. Some actions produce immediate rewards or consequences, others produce delayed rewards or consequences. In some cases our actions might provide direct benefit to others, but they are mostly beneficial to ourselves.

However, when it comes to our words, a little goes a long way. As difficult as it might be to do so, it is very important that we choose our words wisely…especially when we are upset.

Being angry tends to suppress any inhibition or concern we might otherwise have had, about the impact of what we say to others. In fact, in our anger, we tend to choose our words strategically, i.e, to have the biggest impact. We aim for their weakest spot, which we sometimes know very well, to attack.

We usually get over whatever made us upset eventually, and perhaps before long it fades from our memory. However, our words and the impact they would have had on the intended target will rest with them for a long time to come, and may well shape their future.

CONCLUDING THOUGHT:

We should always keep in mind that for every situation we encounter we have a choice in how we respond. Yes – that part is entirely up to us. If we demand the right to having a choice about rejecting something that does not favour us, we also should, conversely, accept responsibility for any outcome that emanates from a choice we made.

If, in our interactions with others, we allow someone to aggravate us to the point where we react in an inappropriate or even embarrassing manner, again that is on us. To attempt to sidestep responsibility and say, or even suggest, that someone else ‘made me do it’ is nothing short of an attempt to deflect responsibility. Beyond that though, it suggests an admission that we are not in control of ourselves but instead, are controlled by others.

Choices, after all, have their consequences.