personal success

Motivation In’s & Out’s.

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You’re a binary.

A binary usually refers to a system comprised of two parts. Like computer code is comprised of just two numbers 1 and 0. I’m borrowing on this idea a lot lately because, as a metaphor, it helps to illustrate this dynamic of what it is to be human and how success and failure defines us.

This whole duality in motivation thing  is discussed rather succinctly in a wonderful TED talk by author Daniel Pink.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrkrvAUbU9Y[/youtube]

In my work with H.E.R.O. when I say that a human being is a binary I’m referring to the fact that these two parts of you, which reside in one body, are often in conflict. In religion the body is seen a egoistic and the soul as realistic. This idea goes back to the ancient Chinese who referred to this duality in humans as the “Yin” and the “Yang” many centuries ago.

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Failure: Like the lemon tree.

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Lemon tree very pretty and the lemon flower is sweet
But the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat.

Lemon Tree – Lyrics by Peter, Paul, and Mary (Popular folk-singing group of the 1960’s)

Lemon tree with fruit

If you lived, like I did in the era of the 60’s, you would quickly recognize these lyrics as belonging to the popular folk-singing group Peter, Paul, and Mary.

I came across this song on YouTube recently and I thought how relevant it is – in a reverse sort of way – to failure.

We all know only too well that unlike the lemon tree failure is not so pretty.

In fact it really sucks.

It hurts our heads and ruins our day and yet… and yet, I’ve come to understand that its “fruit” is so masterfully designed as a portal to higher learning that it’s now become, and in reality has always been, essential if any of us are to reach any success in our lives at all.

Mickey Rooney, the acclaimed actor whose career spans over 75 years, said: “You always pass failure on the way to success”.

I feel like I’ve passed a lot of failure in my life. So perhaps I, like a lot of folks, have a love/hate relationship with failure. I’ve come to know it well. Thirty years of trying and falling short in my efforts to bring my radical theories about human motivation and empowerment to you and have left me with no choice but to press on every day and learn to do it better.

It’s a matter of mindset.

Hasn’t your life been like this? Hasn’t it been like this for almost everyone you know?

Take a close look at it. You’ve had successes. But every one of them has undoubtedly been preceded by a failure. Some big some small but a foundation of failure is what lies beneath all achievement.

Like the roots of a fruit tree.

More power to you all.

H.O.P.E.

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F.D.R. in 1933

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

President elect Franklin D. Roosevelt said that 76 years and two months ago.

He was eloquent in his attempt to deliver on the promise that the American people could pull out of the depths of the economic troubles that they then faced.

It’s weird.

I read the text of that speech and I felt like any minute now I could be hearing it being said for real by President Obama as it poured  out of the clock radio beside my bed while I sipped this morning’s coffee.

It’s that relevant.

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NEWS: Is Head In The Sand The Best Position To Take?

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The Negative News“Don’t watch the news!”
I’ve heard this advice before.  It was from mega-successful network marketer Mark Yarnell who authored several good books on that industry. He was saying things like ” Nothing ever happens anyway…”

Years ago I tried his advice myself and I did realize a lot more efficient use of my time. Of course I did get rid of my TV altogether so that had a lot to do with it.  The reception in my area was crappy anyway and what with building a new dairy business I was always quite busy with little time to sit in front of a boob tube.

But all that was before 9/11. Today the news seems to be a lot more full of all the gritty stuff folks just love. It gives them stuff to talk about but, in reality, you’d better avoid in order to preserve your positive mindset. I understand that.

But is that the best or the only option? Is all negativity something that we should be trained to avoid at all costs?

I think not.

Not because I like negative news – I don’t – but I realize that sensational news sells and that’s why there’s plenty of it.  Anything that get’s the emotions going sells.  We all know that. Purchases happen because the buying response is triggered by the emotions and then is immediately backed by logic. That’s marketing 101.

I don’t really care for it myself because it sounds manipulative but… that’s how things are.

We’re human.  We must live fully in the world good or bad. It’s not what we see or hear so much as what motivates us to act. If we are making choices based on how it looks we’re probably not going forward as we should.
My advice is to use the gut feel method to “see” if a decision is a good thing or not. It may not always work out to our satisfaction just then but perhaps later on we’ll see that it was for the best.

As for the news? It’s just information composed of letters and numerals which make up sounds and pictures. It’s ok to feel a well reported story emotionally but then engage your ability to detach quickly so that it remains “outside” of you.

(If you have trouble doing that then see this)

You are not the world.

You just live here.