Sam Dennis's Blog – July 2009 Archive (7)

Think of the time and energy a little forgiveness could buy you.



Being frustrated, annoyed or angry uses up your precious time, energy, thoughts and actions. Certainly there are situations worth getting angry about, but do you truly wish to give over even a little bit of yourself to the petty little things which really don't matter?



When someone does something to annoy you, consider how much of your valuable time you could save by forgiving that person, in your own mind,… Continue

Innovations come from people who have problems. Creativity springs from people who are dissatisfied. The biggest breakthroughs come from those people who face the most formidable challenges.



Great accomplishments are not made by those who say "I'll start on this when I have the time and the money." Greatness comes from those who find a way to express it, regardless of how limited their resources may be.



What is holding you back? Is it really your lack of resources, as you… Continue

Everything you do has consequences. Whether that is a blessing or a curse depends, quite simply, on what you do. You're not some feather that is randomly tossed about by the wind. You have direct control over your own fate, based on the actions you take.



If your actions had no consequences, you would have no power or influence. Those consequences do indeed impose the heavy burden of responsibility. Yet that is far better than the burden of utter helplessness.



The… Continue

If at first the task seems overwhelming, remember that you'll learn as you go along. Don't let a lack of knowledge stop you from setting ambitious goals. Much of what you'll need to know, you'll learn in the doing.



Have you ever considered learning a new language? Does the prospect seem overwhelming? Well, you've done it before, and the first time you did it you were just a child. Not only did you learn a particular language, you learned the concept of language,… Continue

You already know the importance of discipline, integrity, perseverance, patience and positive focus. You've experienced their benefits, and you've experienced the pain of their absence.



Yet your attention is often overwhelmed by the moment, and you too often abandon the sensibility that you already have. So make a conscious effort to remember. The good things are already yours to the extent that you recall and appreciate their goodness.



Success in life flows from the… Continue

There are universal laws which cannot be violated without negative consequences. There is order in the world which we ignore at our own peril. Some people see this situation as punishing and restrictive. Yet in truth it is liberating and enabling.



What if there were no laws? What if there was no order? How would we make sense of the world? How would we live? How would we possibly hope to find fulfillment if we did not know that our thoughts and actions would have sure and reliable… Continue

You cannot prevent every setback. However, you can make it a priority to recover quickly from them and get back on track. In every effort there will be interruptions, disappointments, even some disasters.



Your recovery time depends largely on what you decide to make it. The time and energy you put into anger and self pity will serve mainly to prolong the time it takes to get going again.



Accept that the setbacks will come and when they do, decide to move quickly past them.… Continue