“The only things that stand between a person and what they want in life are the will to try it and the faith to believe it’s possible.”

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“The only things that stand between a person and what they want in life are the will to try it and the faith to believe it’s possible.”

– Rich DeVos, co-founder of Amway

Many years ago, I read a book by Wayne Dyer entitled Manifest Your Destiny. In it, Dyer suggests that each person represents a miracle manifested by God – and that since we were created by God, we too have the capacity to create and intentionally manifest our lives.

DeVos is recommending that we exercise our faith muscle and believe that greater things in our lives are possible, and that we mobilize our will to take the necessary action to realize these possibilities.

Exercise:

Consider picking up a copy of Dyer’s book (http://www.amazon.com/Manifest-Your-Destiny-Principles-Everything/dp/0060928921). I also enjoyed a second book by Dyer, The Power of Intention, which you may also wish to read (http://www.amazon.com/Power-Intention-Dr-Wayne-Dyer/dp/1401902162).

Print out this quote and post it in a prominent place in your world as a reminder to believe that great things are possible and to take the courageous action toward these possibilities each day.

“Laughter is an instant vacation.”

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“Laughter is an instant vacation.”

– Milton Berle

Milton Berle

In the book Anatomy of an Illness, Norman Cousins goes to considerable length to overcome his debilitating condition, with the help of funny movies, other forms of humor, and high dose Vitamin C.

There is considerable evidence that the lighthearted experience of laughter has positive effects on our immune system. It protects our nervous system by reducing stress, and it may actually enhance our life span.

Milton Burle, often referred to as “Mr. Television” or “Uncle Miltie” was born in 1908 and lived to the age of 93; he had a career of bringing “s—t-eating grins” and belly laughs to generations.

In our rapidly-moving and often stress-filled lives, we often find ourselves longing for an escape to our favorite vacation spot.  Unfortunately, our ability to make these journeys may only occur a few times a year. Let’s all take Burle’s suggestion, and take far more mini-vacations to brighten our days.

Exercise:

Google Milton Burle and check out some of his video clips on YouTube.

Explore the works of other comedians – such as Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, Robin Williams, Billy Crystal and Bob Hope – or check out some jokes / funny story books and websites and share a few chuckles on a daily basis.

“Courage does not always roar. Sometimes, courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.”

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“Courage does not always roar. Sometimes, courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.”

– Mary Anne Radmacher, writer and artist

I love to go to the movies. One of my favorite types are adventure movies – you know, the kind when the hero or heroine summons the courage to overcome seemingly overwhelming odds to reach their goal, get the girl, or achieve some other form of victory. We all love a good story.

Radmacher’s quote touches home for me in that most of us live much quieter, less adventurous lives, where we summon the courage daily to do our best to contribute and serve others at home and at work.

Exercise:

Consider how often, at the end of your day, you feel the satisfaction of knowing that you did what you could with what you had, where you were – knowing and hoping that you could do it again tomorrow.

Capture your thoughts and feelings in a journal or with others.

“It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.”

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“It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.”

– Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States

In my coaching work with clients, I have a favorite simple technique to help them solve problems. I refer to this as a “pivot point exercise.” It involves three simple steps:

1.       Identify the current reality of a situation – what’s working and not working.
2.       Describe your vision for the future that you and others desire.
3.       Decide what new and different actions you and others can take that move you from the current reality toward your committed vision.

Exercise:

Capture this three-step pivot process on a few post-it notes and place them strategically in your home and in your place of work.

Add the word “repeat” as the fourth step to build your own self-coaching muscle to move your world forward.

“At least three times a day, take a moment and ask yourself what is really important. Have the wisdom and the courage to build your life around your answer.”

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“At least three times a day, take a moment and ask yourself what is really important. Have the wisdom and the courage to build your life around your answer.”

– Lee Jampolsky, author of inspirational psychology books

In the field of coaching, perhaps the most critical quality we can have is full and objective awareness of our current reality, our future vision, and our plans to bridge that gap.

I support Jampolsky’s idea of checking in morning, noon and night with what’s most important. It’s these priorities, when lived with wisdom and courage, which have us live our best life.

Exercise:

Take three 8×11 pieces of paper and with the largest font possible, write out the phrase “What is really important?”

Place these reminders in those places you are mostly likely to find yourself in the morning, at noon, and at night.

Feel free to get creative with your smartphone, alarm clock or other digital reminder device, to keep this thought at the forefront of your days.

“Happiness is a state of consciousness which proceeds from the achievement of one’s values.”

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“Happiness is a state of consciousness which proceeds from the achievement of one’s values.”

– Ayn Rand, novelist and political philosopher

The pursuit of happiness is a topic of great interest to most of us. Many people spend considerable time chasing it through the accumulation of material possessions, climbing the corporate ladder, or seeking recognition from others.

Rand may be suggesting that we take off our running shoes and simply look within ourselves for the values that we hold most dear. Once we are clear about these core values, we can then set about our days to live our values with integrity and passion.

Exercise:

Complete the life vision exercise from Quote #32 at the following link:www.thequotablecoach.com/purpose/a-man-should-conceive-of-a-legitimate-purpose

Share this vision, based on your values, with those close to you. Display it at your place of business and in your home as a reminder of your fundamental source of happiness.

“Nothing contributes so much to tranquilize the mind as a steady purpose – a point on which the soul may fix its intellectual eye.”

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“Nothing contributes so much to tranquilize the mind as a steady purpose – a point on which the soul may fix its intellectual eye.”

– Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, 19th century English novelist

Over the course of the past year, I’ve written a number of The Quotable Coach entries that relate to the heart and head regarding decision making. Shelley’s quote appears to go even deeper, into the level of soul – our own very being as humans.

I believe she is suggesting that having a steady purpose will provide deeper meaning to our lives and at the same time quiet the loud and often disjointed chatter that frequently occupies our minds.

Exercise:

Block out five minutes each morning when you awake and five minutes each evening before bed to sit in silence with a quiet mind. Focus on or reflect upon your intended purpose for the day.

Take a couple of minutes to capture your thoughts in a purpose log or journal.

Consider discussing these observations or insights with your friends, family or colleagues over a meal.

“The universe will fill your cup if you carry a big cup, a little cup, or a thimble.”

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“The universe will fill your cup if you carry a big cup, a little cup, or a thimble.”

– Sonia Choquette, spiritual teacher and author

How full is your life? If it is so full that things are spilling out, perhaps this is because your life vessel is too small, and because some of the wrong things are trying to enter.

This quote points to the importance of the size of our life’s vessel, so that it can hold the abundance which the universe can provide. It suggests we have the ability to shift the size from one of limitation to one of greater proportions.

An additional consideration I’d like to suggest is to place a filter over the opening, and let only those people and experiences best suited to your specific life journey enter.

Exercise:

What actions will you take now and in the future both to expand the capacity of your life container and to accept only the highest quality ingredients for a full and happy life?

In other words, let’s go for both: quantity and quality.

“Don’t tell me the sky’s the limit when there are footprints on the moon.”

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“Don’t tell me the sky’s the limit when there are footprints on the moon.”

– Paul Brandt, country music singer

A colleague of mine, Sandy, was once asked a question – what was her favorite place to go in the entire world?

Her answer was, “The space between my ears.”

Sandy is a highly creative and imaginative person who realized the only limits that truly exist are those our own thoughts place on us.

Exercise:

Spend three to five minutes writing down some of your limiting beliefs about yourself and life in general.

Investigate where others have gone beyond these limits in their own lives, as a way of demonstrating new possibilities that can exist for you in your life.

“You’ll never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb inside his skin and walk around in it.”

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“You’ll never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb inside his skin and walk around in it.”

– Harper Lee, author of To Kill a Mockingbird

One of the pioneers and leaders in the field of personal development, Stephen Covey, passed away not long ago. He was perhaps best known for his classic book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Habit 5 states, “Seek to understand and then to be understood.”

In our fast-paced world, most of us do an abridged version of this if we do it at all. Lee’s quote suggests that we go far deeper and climb under the skin of another to fully understand their perspective and point of view.

Exercise:

When you meet someone you don’t know, or even someone you think you know well, try the following three relationship techniques:

1.       Ask lots of genuine open-ended questions to show your sincere interest.
2.       Layer, by taking a piece of their answer, to go deeper and demonstrate that you are truly listening.
3.       Be silent when they are speaking, so they can fully express their ideas and opinions.

Feel free to send me an email (barry@dempcoaching.com) to let me know how these techniques work for you.