By Dianna Podmoroff.
From the “Thought for the Day” series, a regular feature at the Mind Tools Career Excellence Club.“
As long as you’re going to think anyway – you might as well think BIG!” - Donald Trump.
Instinctively, we think small thoughts. As children, our thoughts and actions have little effect beyond our immediate world. As we grow up, it's easy to retain small expectations, or only to increase our expectations little-by-little. But what of the people who build skyscrapers, run economies, or write books that change the way the world thinks? They're not thinking small!
Our thoughts drive the scale of our success. When you think big, your mind will follow – and help pave the way to achieving more of what you want in life. Napoleon Hill, pioneer of success thinking, said, “We are the Masters of our Fate, the Captains of our Souls, because we have the power to control our thoughts.”
If you think about it, everything you have, or have ever achieved, started out as a want or a dream. These things you have now, you wanted, and you probably want to achieve much more… The truth is, if you really, really want it, it’s much more likely you’ll achieve it.
This isn’t to say that you literally can “think” yourself to success. There is a lot of work that has to go into it too. But unless you actively think about what you want from life, and really desire it, you’ll wind up achieving a whole lot less than your full potential.
TIP: Think BIG and desire BIG. It isn’t hokey mental gymnastics. Rather it’s the stage setter for achieving what you really, really want from life.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Meeting David Marshall In 1994 (Interview by Dharmendra Yadav)
I created a link to Dharmendra Yadav's blog post THINK HAPPINESS: Meeting David Marshall In 1994 to acknowledge with admiration the man responsible for the abolition of Singapore's jury system and his views about law, the pursuit of human justice, and the emptiness of a life made up solely of acquisition.
Monday, April 16, 2007
True Ambition
Ambitiously Pursuing Your Own Self-Direction by Jim Rohn
(Excerpted from The Power of Ambition series)
What is the origin of true ambition? There exists really only one place to find true ambition and that is within you – in every thought, in every movement, in every motivation. Your ambition is an expression of who you truly are, your own self-expression.
Self-expression. Isn't self-expression really self-direction? How you think, how you move, how you motivate yourself. Ambition is a result of self-direction and self-direction is one of the six key principles necessary for building ambition.
Positive self-direction says, "I know who I am and I know where I want to go. I'm accumulating knowledge and experiences and feelings and philosophies that will help prepare me for opportunities that I know will show up without notice or any help on my part." Because you know where you want to go, you have already been working on the parts of your personality that will make you better. Working on your attitude, working on your health, working on your time management skills. Putting it all down on paper. And you constantly see yourself in the place you want to be, going in the direction you want to go.
Direction determines destination.
So here is a question you must ask yourself, "Are all the disciplines that I'm currently engaged in taking me where I want to go?" What an important question to ask yourself at the beginning of the month, the beginning of the week, the beginning of the day. Because here is what you don't ever want to do - kid yourself. Kid your neighbor, kid me and kid the marketplace, but don't kid yourself - fingers crossed - hoping you will arrive at a good destination when you're not even headed that way.
You have to ask yourself often, AM I? Am I doing the disciplines that are taking me in the direction I want to go? Don't neglect to ask these important questions, questions that help determine your direction, the set of your sail, your destination.
Is this the direction I want for my life?
Is this someone else's direction?
Is this a goal I have been ingrained with since my childhood?
Is this goal my parent's, my spouse's, my boss', my children's or is it MINE?
Ask yourself these questions and then debate them. After you have answered these questions within yourself, then take it one step further and ask, "What am I doing that is working or not working?" Debate it all. Work with your mind to figure out the best possible direction for you - your self-direction.
And then ambitiously pursue your own self-direction. Let the power of your own ambition take you where you want to go, to do what you want to do, to create the life you want to live!
To Your Success,
Jim Rohn
(Excerpted from The Power of Ambition series)
What is the origin of true ambition? There exists really only one place to find true ambition and that is within you – in every thought, in every movement, in every motivation. Your ambition is an expression of who you truly are, your own self-expression.
Self-expression. Isn't self-expression really self-direction? How you think, how you move, how you motivate yourself. Ambition is a result of self-direction and self-direction is one of the six key principles necessary for building ambition.
Positive self-direction says, "I know who I am and I know where I want to go. I'm accumulating knowledge and experiences and feelings and philosophies that will help prepare me for opportunities that I know will show up without notice or any help on my part." Because you know where you want to go, you have already been working on the parts of your personality that will make you better. Working on your attitude, working on your health, working on your time management skills. Putting it all down on paper. And you constantly see yourself in the place you want to be, going in the direction you want to go.
Direction determines destination.
So here is a question you must ask yourself, "Are all the disciplines that I'm currently engaged in taking me where I want to go?" What an important question to ask yourself at the beginning of the month, the beginning of the week, the beginning of the day. Because here is what you don't ever want to do - kid yourself. Kid your neighbor, kid me and kid the marketplace, but don't kid yourself - fingers crossed - hoping you will arrive at a good destination when you're not even headed that way.
You have to ask yourself often, AM I? Am I doing the disciplines that are taking me in the direction I want to go? Don't neglect to ask these important questions, questions that help determine your direction, the set of your sail, your destination.
Is this the direction I want for my life?
Is this someone else's direction?
Is this a goal I have been ingrained with since my childhood?
Is this goal my parent's, my spouse's, my boss', my children's or is it MINE?
Ask yourself these questions and then debate them. After you have answered these questions within yourself, then take it one step further and ask, "What am I doing that is working or not working?" Debate it all. Work with your mind to figure out the best possible direction for you - your self-direction.
And then ambitiously pursue your own self-direction. Let the power of your own ambition take you where you want to go, to do what you want to do, to create the life you want to live!
To Your Success,
Jim Rohn
How To Listen With Empathy
From Denis Waitley's Weekly Ezine:
In the communication process, knowledge is not always wisdom; sensitivity is not always accuracy and sympathy is not always understanding. All customer service and the ability to gain trust and repeat business is based on empathy. Empathy is "feeling with" and never assuming anything until you have "walked a mile in the other person's moccasins." Since it is impossible to know the road another has walked, the best alternative is to ask questions with interest and respect, and listen for the hidden agendas and desires.
In the communication process, knowledge is not always wisdom; sensitivity is not always accuracy and sympathy is not always understanding. All customer service and the ability to gain trust and repeat business is based on empathy. Empathy is "feeling with" and never assuming anything until you have "walked a mile in the other person's moccasins." Since it is impossible to know the road another has walked, the best alternative is to ask questions with interest and respect, and listen for the hidden agendas and desires.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
No Life Without Death
Extract from this week's church bulletin:
It is Jesus himself who reminds us that unless a seed falls to the ground and dies, it remains a single seed. "But if it dies, it produces many seeds." (Jn 12:24) And the Apostle Paul, when reflecting on the resurrection of the body says, "What you sow does not come to life unless it dies." (1 Cor. 15:36) This is a fundamental principle of life. There is no life without death. Even in the process of human reproduction, many cells die in order that the one cell might live and be strong and vigorous.
And so we come to this high point of the Christian year, when we remember and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. But it does us well to remember that the Christian faith is not all about triumphalism and victory. There was a long night of the soul for Jesus as he prepared for, planned and went through with the process of painful death. Jesus showed in the hours leading up to the cross that he was willing to do what had to be done, but troubled in spirit as to what it would mean.
There was a desire for the cup to be taken from him.
There were signs of stress as he chewed the disciples up for not staying with him while he prayed.
There was some anger as he rifled through the Temple and threw out the money changers, and those who were opposing God's rule.
There was disappointment as two of his friends let him down big time, one in betrayal and the other in denial.
These were not easy days.
There was suffering in the heart and mind of Jesus as he owned the fact that he was a seed about to be buried in the cold dark earth, and there he would stay until the light of God's power would touch him and bring him back to life.
We find it difficult to stay with death for too long. When we are confronted by the power of suffering or sorrow, tragedy, sickness and death, there is impatience, sometimes within us, but most times in those around us, that wants us to get over it, to get on with life, and to put the reality of sadness behind us.
But the events of the Easter weekend teach us well that it is not necessarily a good thing to brush over the process of death and the presence of suffering. Like the seed, we need time to grow in the experience of the circumstances that surround us.
It is Jesus himself who reminds us that unless a seed falls to the ground and dies, it remains a single seed. "But if it dies, it produces many seeds." (Jn 12:24) And the Apostle Paul, when reflecting on the resurrection of the body says, "What you sow does not come to life unless it dies." (1 Cor. 15:36) This is a fundamental principle of life. There is no life without death. Even in the process of human reproduction, many cells die in order that the one cell might live and be strong and vigorous.
And so we come to this high point of the Christian year, when we remember and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. But it does us well to remember that the Christian faith is not all about triumphalism and victory. There was a long night of the soul for Jesus as he prepared for, planned and went through with the process of painful death. Jesus showed in the hours leading up to the cross that he was willing to do what had to be done, but troubled in spirit as to what it would mean.
There was a desire for the cup to be taken from him.
There were signs of stress as he chewed the disciples up for not staying with him while he prayed.
There was some anger as he rifled through the Temple and threw out the money changers, and those who were opposing God's rule.
There was disappointment as two of his friends let him down big time, one in betrayal and the other in denial.
These were not easy days.
There was suffering in the heart and mind of Jesus as he owned the fact that he was a seed about to be buried in the cold dark earth, and there he would stay until the light of God's power would touch him and bring him back to life.
We find it difficult to stay with death for too long. When we are confronted by the power of suffering or sorrow, tragedy, sickness and death, there is impatience, sometimes within us, but most times in those around us, that wants us to get over it, to get on with life, and to put the reality of sadness behind us.
But the events of the Easter weekend teach us well that it is not necessarily a good thing to brush over the process of death and the presence of suffering. Like the seed, we need time to grow in the experience of the circumstances that surround us.
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Reflections on the Stations of the Cross
GOOD FRIDAY ECUMENICAL STATIONS OF THE CROSS WALK
The First Station - Jesus is condemned (Mark 15:1-5)
Reflection
In his silence, Jesus challenges the power of the powerful.
What positions of power do I hold - in my family, in my work, in my circle of friends?
Do I use them to support or oppress?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Jesus, in a world that seeks power and control, help me to remember your silence. Help me to realise that true power always enhances life, never destroys it. May I be ever mindful that all power comes from you and must be used in your service.
The Second Station - Jesus Accepts His Cross (John 19:17)
Reflection
In his acceptance of his cross, Jesus challenges us to be mindful of the burdens we lay on others.
What unnecessary burdens do I lay on others?
Do I delight in adding to another's difficulties in life?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Gentle Jesus, you accepted your cross lovingly. Help me to always be aware that my actions can result in creating burdens for others I know and even those I don't know. May I always choose my actions, consciously trying to reduce the suffering of others.
The Third Station - Jesus falls the first time
Reflection
In his fall, Jesus challenges our apathy.
When have I been unmoved by the fall of another?
How often have I seen another's failure as a result of an inadequacy on their part and deserving of disgrace?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Jesus, you fell in front of everyone. Help me to notice those who fall around me because of weariness, pain, weakness or sorrow. May I never ignore the suffering of others but, with your image before me, be compelled to offer assistance to those in need.
The Fourth Station - Jesus meets his mother
Reflection
In his ability to look into the face of his helpless mother, Jesus challenges our sense of always needing to be in control.
The world wants us to believe that we can have everything and do anything. How do we balance that with a healthy sense that we are not always in charge?
How do we accept those awful moments in our lives not simply as failures but as part of the fullness of life?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Jesus, you teach us that there are always moments in our lives that bring pain and failure and sometimes there is nothing we can do to change them. Help us, like Mary, to accept those times with faith and trust and love. May we never let those moments defeat us but strengthen us for the next moment on our journey.
The Fifth Station - Simon helps carry the cross (Mark 15:21)
Reflection
In the willingness to continue alone, despite his weakness, Jesus challenges our lack of involvement, our fear of upsetting the status quo.
How can I look at the suffering that exists around me without responding?
What do I need to push me toward service?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Patient Jesus, you wait for us to come to realisations in our own time. Help me to have the wisdom to know that just because something continues to happen in front of me doesn't make it right. May I never lack the courage to do what I know is right, even if it involves a risk.
The Sixth Station - Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
Reflection
In his response to Veronica's act of kindness and courage, Jesus challenges us to do likewise.
We find no evidence of Veronica in the scripture.
Perhaps we created her because we refuse to believe that no one would step forward in the midst of this great tragedy to assist Jesus. Perhaps Veronica is my best self-prompted love, courage, no thought of danger or cost.
Is that when the imprint of Christ's own self is most clear in me?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Loving Jesus, you shared the image of your very self with Veronica. Help me to always believe in my own goodness and act on it. May my life always reflect the light of God's life within me.
The Seventh Station - Jesus falls a second time
Reflection
In the second fall, Jesus challenges our refusal to recognize the suffering of our brothers and sisters.
It might be possible to see and ignore one fall but not two.
Could it be that the fall of another adds to my stature or status?
Is it my gain, or my unwillingness to lose what I have that allows me to ignore it?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Suffering Jesus, you fall yet another time. Help me never to allow the suffering of others to continue so that my life can remain undisturbed. May I always be ready to lift up my sisters and brothers even at a cost to myself.
The Eighth Station - Jesus speaks to the women (Luke 23:27-31)
Reflection
In his ability to focus not on himself but on those around him, Jesus challenges us to the realisation that our lives are all interconnected.
Do I think that the lives of others have no connection to mine - as if I could just observe them, perhaps even weep, yet walk away unchanged?
When one of my brothers or sisters suffers or is oppressed, I too suffer and I too am oppressed.
Have I cried for others so that I would not have to work for them?
When will I realise that justice will come only when those who are not oppressed are equally as outraged as those who are?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Compassionate Jesus, in the midst of your own suffering you turned your face toward others. Help me to understand that my salvation is bound up with everyone else's. May I always work for peace and justice for others knowing that at the same time I am working for my own.
The Tenth Station - Jesus is stripped of his garments (John 19:23-24)
Reflection
In his nakedness, Jesus challenges us to treat each person with dignity.
How often do I strip others of their dignity?
How often do I ignore those who diminish the dignity of others through words or actions?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Loving Jesus, your life is a witness to the beauty and dignity of all human life.
Help me to respect that dignity in all persons, in all stages of life, in all races and creeds. May I work each day to appreciate and accept the uniqueness and goodness of all people and to guarantee that right when it is threatened.
The Eleventh Station - Jesus is nailed to the cross
Reflection
In his willingness to endure the agony of death, Jesus challenges us to stand by those who are dying.
How do I journey with those who are dying or dealing with life threatening illness?
How do I view my own mortality?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Suffering Jesus, though you were God, you willingness endured suffering and death. Help me to follow your example and never shrink from those things in my life that cause me pain. May I truly believe that the result of death and dying is always greater life.
The Twelfth Station - Jesus dies on the cross (John 19:28-30)
Reflection
In his death, Jesus challenges our fear and promises us new life.
What is my response in the face of death?
Not just my own but others - members of my family, people in war-torn places around the world, the death of the very earth itself.
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Abandoned Jesus, in your hour of death, even your closest friends fled. Help me to never shrink from the fear of death but to offer it as the final act of life. Help me to accept the death of others when I must, and yet fight against death when it comes as a result of injustice, war, hatred or neglect. May I come to know the life that is stronger than death.
The Thirteenth Station - Jesus is laid in the arms of his mother (Matthew 27:55-56, Mark 15:40-41, John 19:25-30)
Reflection
In his death, Jesus challenges us to accept the little deaths that enter our lives daily.
How do I react when sorrow and death enter my life, when suffering is "laid in my arms"?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Jesus, your suffering had come to an end, yet for those around you it became deeper than ever. Suffering never seems fair or deserved yet it comes to each of us without distinction. Help me to realise that though every loss is painful, that pain becomes an opening for new growth. May I never be conquered by death but embrace it as Mary did and in that embrace find the true fullness of life.
The Fourteenth Station - Jesus is laid in the tomb (Matthew 27:57-61, Mark 15:42-47, Luke 23:50-56, John 19:38-42)
Reflection
In his burial Jesus challenges us to remain open to the mystery of life.
How often do I bury my hopes and dreams?
Do I lack faith in those around me or in myself, unable to see the potential?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Jesus, those who have loved you most still did not understand the promise of your life. Help me to have faith enough in myself and others to enable me to continue to believe in the richness of life despite fear and failure. Help me to trust that your life and your love are always available to me even when they seem hard to find. May I live every day filled with your life that is stronger than death until we are one together forever.
The First Station - Jesus is condemned (Mark 15:1-5)
Reflection
In his silence, Jesus challenges the power of the powerful.
What positions of power do I hold - in my family, in my work, in my circle of friends?
Do I use them to support or oppress?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Jesus, in a world that seeks power and control, help me to remember your silence. Help me to realise that true power always enhances life, never destroys it. May I be ever mindful that all power comes from you and must be used in your service.
The Second Station - Jesus Accepts His Cross (John 19:17)
Reflection
In his acceptance of his cross, Jesus challenges us to be mindful of the burdens we lay on others.
What unnecessary burdens do I lay on others?
Do I delight in adding to another's difficulties in life?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Gentle Jesus, you accepted your cross lovingly. Help me to always be aware that my actions can result in creating burdens for others I know and even those I don't know. May I always choose my actions, consciously trying to reduce the suffering of others.
The Third Station - Jesus falls the first time
Reflection
In his fall, Jesus challenges our apathy.
When have I been unmoved by the fall of another?
How often have I seen another's failure as a result of an inadequacy on their part and deserving of disgrace?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Jesus, you fell in front of everyone. Help me to notice those who fall around me because of weariness, pain, weakness or sorrow. May I never ignore the suffering of others but, with your image before me, be compelled to offer assistance to those in need.
The Fourth Station - Jesus meets his mother
Reflection
In his ability to look into the face of his helpless mother, Jesus challenges our sense of always needing to be in control.
The world wants us to believe that we can have everything and do anything. How do we balance that with a healthy sense that we are not always in charge?
How do we accept those awful moments in our lives not simply as failures but as part of the fullness of life?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Jesus, you teach us that there are always moments in our lives that bring pain and failure and sometimes there is nothing we can do to change them. Help us, like Mary, to accept those times with faith and trust and love. May we never let those moments defeat us but strengthen us for the next moment on our journey.
The Fifth Station - Simon helps carry the cross (Mark 15:21)
Reflection
In the willingness to continue alone, despite his weakness, Jesus challenges our lack of involvement, our fear of upsetting the status quo.
How can I look at the suffering that exists around me without responding?
What do I need to push me toward service?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Patient Jesus, you wait for us to come to realisations in our own time. Help me to have the wisdom to know that just because something continues to happen in front of me doesn't make it right. May I never lack the courage to do what I know is right, even if it involves a risk.
The Sixth Station - Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
Reflection
In his response to Veronica's act of kindness and courage, Jesus challenges us to do likewise.
We find no evidence of Veronica in the scripture.
Perhaps we created her because we refuse to believe that no one would step forward in the midst of this great tragedy to assist Jesus. Perhaps Veronica is my best self-prompted love, courage, no thought of danger or cost.
Is that when the imprint of Christ's own self is most clear in me?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Loving Jesus, you shared the image of your very self with Veronica. Help me to always believe in my own goodness and act on it. May my life always reflect the light of God's life within me.
The Seventh Station - Jesus falls a second time
Reflection
In the second fall, Jesus challenges our refusal to recognize the suffering of our brothers and sisters.
It might be possible to see and ignore one fall but not two.
Could it be that the fall of another adds to my stature or status?
Is it my gain, or my unwillingness to lose what I have that allows me to ignore it?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Suffering Jesus, you fall yet another time. Help me never to allow the suffering of others to continue so that my life can remain undisturbed. May I always be ready to lift up my sisters and brothers even at a cost to myself.
The Eighth Station - Jesus speaks to the women (Luke 23:27-31)
Reflection
In his ability to focus not on himself but on those around him, Jesus challenges us to the realisation that our lives are all interconnected.
Do I think that the lives of others have no connection to mine - as if I could just observe them, perhaps even weep, yet walk away unchanged?
When one of my brothers or sisters suffers or is oppressed, I too suffer and I too am oppressed.
Have I cried for others so that I would not have to work for them?
When will I realise that justice will come only when those who are not oppressed are equally as outraged as those who are?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Compassionate Jesus, in the midst of your own suffering you turned your face toward others. Help me to understand that my salvation is bound up with everyone else's. May I always work for peace and justice for others knowing that at the same time I am working for my own.
The Tenth Station - Jesus is stripped of his garments (John 19:23-24)
Reflection
In his nakedness, Jesus challenges us to treat each person with dignity.
How often do I strip others of their dignity?
How often do I ignore those who diminish the dignity of others through words or actions?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Loving Jesus, your life is a witness to the beauty and dignity of all human life.
Help me to respect that dignity in all persons, in all stages of life, in all races and creeds. May I work each day to appreciate and accept the uniqueness and goodness of all people and to guarantee that right when it is threatened.
The Eleventh Station - Jesus is nailed to the cross
Reflection
In his willingness to endure the agony of death, Jesus challenges us to stand by those who are dying.
How do I journey with those who are dying or dealing with life threatening illness?
How do I view my own mortality?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Suffering Jesus, though you were God, you willingness endured suffering and death. Help me to follow your example and never shrink from those things in my life that cause me pain. May I truly believe that the result of death and dying is always greater life.
The Twelfth Station - Jesus dies on the cross (John 19:28-30)
Reflection
In his death, Jesus challenges our fear and promises us new life.
What is my response in the face of death?
Not just my own but others - members of my family, people in war-torn places around the world, the death of the very earth itself.
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Abandoned Jesus, in your hour of death, even your closest friends fled. Help me to never shrink from the fear of death but to offer it as the final act of life. Help me to accept the death of others when I must, and yet fight against death when it comes as a result of injustice, war, hatred or neglect. May I come to know the life that is stronger than death.
The Thirteenth Station - Jesus is laid in the arms of his mother (Matthew 27:55-56, Mark 15:40-41, John 19:25-30)
Reflection
In his death, Jesus challenges us to accept the little deaths that enter our lives daily.
How do I react when sorrow and death enter my life, when suffering is "laid in my arms"?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Jesus, your suffering had come to an end, yet for those around you it became deeper than ever. Suffering never seems fair or deserved yet it comes to each of us without distinction. Help me to realise that though every loss is painful, that pain becomes an opening for new growth. May I never be conquered by death but embrace it as Mary did and in that embrace find the true fullness of life.
The Fourteenth Station - Jesus is laid in the tomb (Matthew 27:57-61, Mark 15:42-47, Luke 23:50-56, John 19:38-42)
Reflection
In his burial Jesus challenges us to remain open to the mystery of life.
How often do I bury my hopes and dreams?
Do I lack faith in those around me or in myself, unable to see the potential?
How does Jesus challenge me today?
Prayer
Jesus, those who have loved you most still did not understand the promise of your life. Help me to have faith enough in myself and others to enable me to continue to believe in the richness of life despite fear and failure. Help me to trust that your life and your love are always available to me even when they seem hard to find. May I live every day filled with your life that is stronger than death until we are one together forever.
Worshipping God With Feeling
We were privileged to join with brothers and sisters from Saint Thomas' Anglican Church in Werribee on Friday morning for the Good Friday Ecumenical Stations of the Cross Walk. It's our first time participating in such an event, and we were heartened to learn that the event, which has gone on for 6 years now, is jointly organized by the Anglican, Catholic, Lutheran and Uniting Churches of Werribee. What a wonderful way to celebrate our unity in Christ!
STAC has 5 services to cater to different worship preferences: the 8 am traditional Anglican service, the 9.30 am contemporary service, the Wed 9 am Holy Communion Service (which is the most traditional and is conducted in olde English, with its Thee's and Thy's), the 1st Wed Healing and Teaching Service, and the 3rd Wed Cafe Church (a very casual service with meal and service conducted around tables in a sit-and-listen style).
On its worship brochure are these words: Worshipping God With Feeling.
This is what parish priest Father Max Bowers says in the brochure -
Thankfully we are all different and have different interests. If this were not so it would be a very boring and sterile world to live in.
Worship also falls into same understanding. We believe it is the responsbility of the parish to provide a diverse number of worship styles. As a result, we now cater for the interests of most current and future parishioners.
Whilst we may each choose a different worship style, we are still very much a part of the parish as a whole. This is evident in the various home groups or social occasions that bring people together from all the worshipping styles.
As a result of this diversity, in the course of a month we are able to offer five distinct and different worship services to choose from.
We are pleased to be able to encouage you to experience what we have to offer and then decide which service best meets your spiritual needs.
With every blessing,
Father Max Bowers
Parish Priest
Reflection
I am often guilty of worshipping God (when I worship Him at all) in a clinical way, as though God were concerned with the style I use or my choice of words or their presentation. God is so much more than all these! And I need to remember that. He knows my distractions and the preoccupations of my heart. He understands when I struggle to find the words. He is compassionate towards my private fears and inhibitions and will never mock me for them.
What He wants is all of me, and that includes every ugly thought and motive and deed - not just the parts I choose to display. There is nothing I have said and done and thought that He does not already know about. Let me then worship Him freely in spirit and in truth - with the help of His spirit, in full confession of the truth: that I am but a sinner. There but for the grace of God go I.
STAC has 5 services to cater to different worship preferences: the 8 am traditional Anglican service, the 9.30 am contemporary service, the Wed 9 am Holy Communion Service (which is the most traditional and is conducted in olde English, with its Thee's and Thy's), the 1st Wed Healing and Teaching Service, and the 3rd Wed Cafe Church (a very casual service with meal and service conducted around tables in a sit-and-listen style).
On its worship brochure are these words: Worshipping God With Feeling.
This is what parish priest Father Max Bowers says in the brochure -
Thankfully we are all different and have different interests. If this were not so it would be a very boring and sterile world to live in.
Worship also falls into same understanding. We believe it is the responsbility of the parish to provide a diverse number of worship styles. As a result, we now cater for the interests of most current and future parishioners.
Whilst we may each choose a different worship style, we are still very much a part of the parish as a whole. This is evident in the various home groups or social occasions that bring people together from all the worshipping styles.
As a result of this diversity, in the course of a month we are able to offer five distinct and different worship services to choose from.
We are pleased to be able to encouage you to experience what we have to offer and then decide which service best meets your spiritual needs.
With every blessing,
Father Max Bowers
Parish Priest
Reflection
I am often guilty of worshipping God (when I worship Him at all) in a clinical way, as though God were concerned with the style I use or my choice of words or their presentation. God is so much more than all these! And I need to remember that. He knows my distractions and the preoccupations of my heart. He understands when I struggle to find the words. He is compassionate towards my private fears and inhibitions and will never mock me for them.
What He wants is all of me, and that includes every ugly thought and motive and deed - not just the parts I choose to display. There is nothing I have said and done and thought that He does not already know about. Let me then worship Him freely in spirit and in truth - with the help of His spirit, in full confession of the truth: that I am but a sinner. There but for the grace of God go I.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
A Master in the Art of Living
A Master in the art of living
Draws no sharp distinction
Between her work and her play,
Her labor & her leisure,
Her mind and her body,
Her education and her recreation.
She hardly knows which is which.
She simply pursues her vision
of excellence through whatever
She is doing and leaves
others to determine
Whether she is working or playing.
To herself, she always seems
To be doing both
Draws no sharp distinction
Between her work and her play,
Her labor & her leisure,
Her mind and her body,
Her education and her recreation.
She hardly knows which is which.
She simply pursues her vision
of excellence through whatever
She is doing and leaves
others to determine
Whether she is working or playing.
To herself, she always seems
To be doing both
Anon
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Finding Your Career Passion
by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
Note: This article is adapted from Dr. Hansen’s forthcoming book, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Choosing a College Major
Serena: This is one of the most exhaustive checklists I've seen. When you've done yours, why not email me and we can talk more about what you discovered? :-)
Passion may seem an odd word choice when paired with career, but rest assured that one of the most important elements of personal happiness is being passionate about your career and your job. You do not want to be one of those people who live for the weekends and dread Sunday evenings. Life is too short to not love the work you do.
Will you love your work and your career as much as your passion for other things and people? Why not? It is completely possible to not only find the career that is a perfect match for your skills and interests, but one that also inspires you and fuels your desire to perform better, work harder.
Do you think you’re too old, too entrenched in your current career? Or maybe too young and filled with too many ideas (or doubts) about what you want to do with your life? Or maybe a recent college grad who now realizes you chose the wrong major and career path?
Regardless of where you are in life -- where you are in your career -- there is always time to discover -- or rediscover -- what you’re truly passionate about and turn that interest and passion into a new career.
Finding a career that you have a passion for is all about obtaining fulfillment. Some of these jobs may also not be the highest-paying jobs in the world, but career passion is not about the money, it’s about how the job makes you feel inside. Loving your job and career will go a long way to loving your life -- so, take the time to find your career passion. The ideal scenario is one where you find a career that combines what you love to do with you’re great at doing.
One of the best tools for clarifying your underlying interests, passions, and possible career paths is to sit down and reflect on a series of questions about how you have lived your life thus far. These questions are designed to really make you think and reflect on who you are as a person and what you want to become.
So, find a place where you can sit down for a while, grab a pen and some paper, and start the process. You don’t have to respond to all these questions in one sitting… and it might be best, once you have answered all the questions, to take a break before you try to determine what your answers mean for your future. The only real rule for this exercise is to be honest with yourself.
About your favorite activities.
What do you love to do in your free time? Try to brainstorm 5-8 activities. Don’t count activities you have to do or are doing to make yourself look better to college admissions folks. Identify the activities that you truly enjoy. Once you’re done writing them down, look for a theme.
About the skills that come naturally to you.
What are the skills that come to you without thought and effort? Are you a math whiz who can easily add and subtract large numbers in your head? Can you hear a foreign language and immediately be able to replicate the inflections? What are some of the things you are a "natural" at? Brainstorm 3-5 of these skills.
About your favorite classes and subjects.
Looking back through your school years, what were the classes -- or specific subjects -- that you enjoyed the most -- that inspired you to learn more? These do not need to be the classes in which you received the highest grades; rather, these are the classes that you actively attended because you loved the course material. Make a list of your favorite classes and subjects and look for some themes.
About your dream jobs and careers.
If you could do any job in your life, what would you choose? You may have done this exercise in elementary school, but it’s time to do it again; however, you can keep the same ones you chose then and any others that interest you now. The key is to ignore any roadblocks and simply choose dream careers. So, for example, even if you always wanted to be a fighter pilot but are not eligible because of health reasons, still put it on your list. Write down at least five careers that you think you would enjoy.
About discovering the types of things that energize you.
What types of things energize you? Think about people, places, and activities. For example, if you are a diehard competitor who rises to the occasion no matter how tired you are, then competition should be on your list. If visiting the zoo is still something that gets you excited, put it on your list. Try to develop 3-5 examples.
About examining your lifelong interests.
Examine the past 5 or 10 years for activities, subjects, or causes that you have been deeply involved with at a personal level. What are some of your long-term interests? For example, if you have always loved bicycling, have a poster of Lance Armstrong (or one of his wristbands), ride your bike as often as you can -- and for as long as you can remember, put biking on your list. Record your list of interests -- and then look for themes and connections.
About areas where you are already perceived as an expert.
What are a couple of areas where your friends and family see you as an expert -- or at least as someone who is knowledgeable about the issue? Are you the person in your family whom everyone finds when they are having a problem with their computers? Are you an expert on all things related to baseball? Write down as many examples as you can think of where you are an expert.
About removing outside influences and pressures about what others think should be your career.
Sometimes we think we want a career in a certain career field simply because we have been told so many times that we’re perfect for it (even if we hate the thought of ever doing it). So... try and separate true interests from ones where you have been influenced by others -- or ones you are pursuing because you feel you should to please someone else. Write them down your true interests (if you have not done so already earlier).
About the values you most cherish.
What are the values you hold dear and that help guide how you live your life? Make a list of them. This one may be the toughest for you to tackle, but think about the core values and principles with which you live your life. Typically, these are most influenced by your upbringing -- your family’s values and your religious beliefs. This question is critical because you will never be happy or satisfied in a career that does not offer the same values that you possess.
About the subject areas you most enjoy reading about.
When you are in a bookstore or the library, what are the subjects of the types of books and magazines that you are drawn to? What Websites do you visit the most and devote the most time to? These subjects can be related to your classes and schoolwork but should not be ones that you are required to read; rather, these are subjects you enjoy reading for your own pleasure and knowledge. Develop a list of your favorite subjects.
About discovering the best types of work environment for your personality.
What type of work environment fits you best -- the fast-paced, always changing, or the slow-paced, predictable? If you’re a student, this question might be a little premature for you to answer, but you could also think about the various classroom or teaching styles you have experienced in the past and see if you prefer one style over all others.
About reviewing your volunteering and community service experiences.
What types of volunteering have you done or wish you have done? Again, as you make this list, think about experiences you would participate in even if you were not using them for college applications. What types of community service appeals to you? Look for a theme in terms of the types of organizations, types of people, or types of service you perform.
About examining the majors and prospective career paths taken by your friends.
Make a list of the careers that your closest friends work in (or plan to work in). See anything that really grabs your interest? Write them down. Please note that this examination is not about copying what your friends are doing, but rather, because friendships are formed around common interests and bonds, examining their plans may provide some insight into your interests.
About understanding your deeply rooted beliefs -- your life's calling.
Have your friends and family told you repeatedly that you would be excellent in a particular job or career? Do you have a deeply held desire for a particular career? Do you think about your calling in life? It sounds corny -- or maybe even sacrilegious -- but some people are born for certain careers. For me, it about being a teacher, about empowering people and making a difference in their lives. What’s yours? Write them down.
About the types of things you currently do to help people.
When your friends or family ask you for help, what are the types of things they ask you to help with? What are the types of things you wish people would ask you to do? If you’re still struggling with this one, use this prompt: People I know often ask me for help with… Make a list.
About the goals in life you want to achieve.
What are some of the big goals you want (or still want) to achieve in life? Do you want to save lives? Makes lots of money? Be a movie star? Live in a big house? Save the Earth? Become president? Think big here -- and think about the top couple of goals that mean the most to you right now. (Note, of all your answers, these will probably change the most as you move through life.) What types of careers might help you accomplish these goals? Write down answers for both goals and careers.
Finally, it’s about putting together all your self-discovery results. Gather your assessments, preliminary research, and answers to the questions and see if you can find a couple of obvious themes running through them. Don't rush this process... contemplate. Make a final list of potential jobs and career paths.
Final Thoughts
Everyone deserves the opportunity to live a life of fulfillment and passion. Whether you are a student struggling to find a major or someone later in life looking for a new career and a fresh start, you can (or should) always find time to discover the right career for you -- the career that will fulfill your career passions and lead to a life of happiness and fulfillment. Look deeply inside yourself and remove all obstacles (real and perceived), and you will be on your way in your journey for finding your career passion, achieving career success, and living your life.
Questions about some of the terminology used in this article? Get more information (definitions and links) on key college, career, and job-search terms by going to our Job-Seeker's Glossary of Job-Hunting Terms.
Dr. Randall Hansen is Founder of Quintessential Careers, as well as publisher of its electronic newsletter, QuintZine. He writes a biweekly career advice column under the name, The Career Doctor. He is also a tenured, professor of marketing in the School of Business Administration at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida. He can be reached at randall@quintcareers.com. Read more about Dr. Hansen.
Note: This article is adapted from Dr. Hansen’s forthcoming book, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Choosing a College Major
Serena: This is one of the most exhaustive checklists I've seen. When you've done yours, why not email me and we can talk more about what you discovered? :-)
Passion may seem an odd word choice when paired with career, but rest assured that one of the most important elements of personal happiness is being passionate about your career and your job. You do not want to be one of those people who live for the weekends and dread Sunday evenings. Life is too short to not love the work you do.
Will you love your work and your career as much as your passion for other things and people? Why not? It is completely possible to not only find the career that is a perfect match for your skills and interests, but one that also inspires you and fuels your desire to perform better, work harder.
Do you think you’re too old, too entrenched in your current career? Or maybe too young and filled with too many ideas (or doubts) about what you want to do with your life? Or maybe a recent college grad who now realizes you chose the wrong major and career path?
Regardless of where you are in life -- where you are in your career -- there is always time to discover -- or rediscover -- what you’re truly passionate about and turn that interest and passion into a new career.
Finding a career that you have a passion for is all about obtaining fulfillment. Some of these jobs may also not be the highest-paying jobs in the world, but career passion is not about the money, it’s about how the job makes you feel inside. Loving your job and career will go a long way to loving your life -- so, take the time to find your career passion. The ideal scenario is one where you find a career that combines what you love to do with you’re great at doing.
One of the best tools for clarifying your underlying interests, passions, and possible career paths is to sit down and reflect on a series of questions about how you have lived your life thus far. These questions are designed to really make you think and reflect on who you are as a person and what you want to become.
So, find a place where you can sit down for a while, grab a pen and some paper, and start the process. You don’t have to respond to all these questions in one sitting… and it might be best, once you have answered all the questions, to take a break before you try to determine what your answers mean for your future. The only real rule for this exercise is to be honest with yourself.
About your favorite activities.
What do you love to do in your free time? Try to brainstorm 5-8 activities. Don’t count activities you have to do or are doing to make yourself look better to college admissions folks. Identify the activities that you truly enjoy. Once you’re done writing them down, look for a theme.
About the skills that come naturally to you.
What are the skills that come to you without thought and effort? Are you a math whiz who can easily add and subtract large numbers in your head? Can you hear a foreign language and immediately be able to replicate the inflections? What are some of the things you are a "natural" at? Brainstorm 3-5 of these skills.
About your favorite classes and subjects.
Looking back through your school years, what were the classes -- or specific subjects -- that you enjoyed the most -- that inspired you to learn more? These do not need to be the classes in which you received the highest grades; rather, these are the classes that you actively attended because you loved the course material. Make a list of your favorite classes and subjects and look for some themes.
About your dream jobs and careers.
If you could do any job in your life, what would you choose? You may have done this exercise in elementary school, but it’s time to do it again; however, you can keep the same ones you chose then and any others that interest you now. The key is to ignore any roadblocks and simply choose dream careers. So, for example, even if you always wanted to be a fighter pilot but are not eligible because of health reasons, still put it on your list. Write down at least five careers that you think you would enjoy.
About discovering the types of things that energize you.
What types of things energize you? Think about people, places, and activities. For example, if you are a diehard competitor who rises to the occasion no matter how tired you are, then competition should be on your list. If visiting the zoo is still something that gets you excited, put it on your list. Try to develop 3-5 examples.
About examining your lifelong interests.
Examine the past 5 or 10 years for activities, subjects, or causes that you have been deeply involved with at a personal level. What are some of your long-term interests? For example, if you have always loved bicycling, have a poster of Lance Armstrong (or one of his wristbands), ride your bike as often as you can -- and for as long as you can remember, put biking on your list. Record your list of interests -- and then look for themes and connections.
About areas where you are already perceived as an expert.
What are a couple of areas where your friends and family see you as an expert -- or at least as someone who is knowledgeable about the issue? Are you the person in your family whom everyone finds when they are having a problem with their computers? Are you an expert on all things related to baseball? Write down as many examples as you can think of where you are an expert.
About removing outside influences and pressures about what others think should be your career.
Sometimes we think we want a career in a certain career field simply because we have been told so many times that we’re perfect for it (even if we hate the thought of ever doing it). So... try and separate true interests from ones where you have been influenced by others -- or ones you are pursuing because you feel you should to please someone else. Write them down your true interests (if you have not done so already earlier).
About the values you most cherish.
What are the values you hold dear and that help guide how you live your life? Make a list of them. This one may be the toughest for you to tackle, but think about the core values and principles with which you live your life. Typically, these are most influenced by your upbringing -- your family’s values and your religious beliefs. This question is critical because you will never be happy or satisfied in a career that does not offer the same values that you possess.
About the subject areas you most enjoy reading about.
When you are in a bookstore or the library, what are the subjects of the types of books and magazines that you are drawn to? What Websites do you visit the most and devote the most time to? These subjects can be related to your classes and schoolwork but should not be ones that you are required to read; rather, these are subjects you enjoy reading for your own pleasure and knowledge. Develop a list of your favorite subjects.
About discovering the best types of work environment for your personality.
What type of work environment fits you best -- the fast-paced, always changing, or the slow-paced, predictable? If you’re a student, this question might be a little premature for you to answer, but you could also think about the various classroom or teaching styles you have experienced in the past and see if you prefer one style over all others.
About reviewing your volunteering and community service experiences.
What types of volunteering have you done or wish you have done? Again, as you make this list, think about experiences you would participate in even if you were not using them for college applications. What types of community service appeals to you? Look for a theme in terms of the types of organizations, types of people, or types of service you perform.
About examining the majors and prospective career paths taken by your friends.
Make a list of the careers that your closest friends work in (or plan to work in). See anything that really grabs your interest? Write them down. Please note that this examination is not about copying what your friends are doing, but rather, because friendships are formed around common interests and bonds, examining their plans may provide some insight into your interests.
About understanding your deeply rooted beliefs -- your life's calling.
Have your friends and family told you repeatedly that you would be excellent in a particular job or career? Do you have a deeply held desire for a particular career? Do you think about your calling in life? It sounds corny -- or maybe even sacrilegious -- but some people are born for certain careers. For me, it about being a teacher, about empowering people and making a difference in their lives. What’s yours? Write them down.
About the types of things you currently do to help people.
When your friends or family ask you for help, what are the types of things they ask you to help with? What are the types of things you wish people would ask you to do? If you’re still struggling with this one, use this prompt: People I know often ask me for help with… Make a list.
About the goals in life you want to achieve.
What are some of the big goals you want (or still want) to achieve in life? Do you want to save lives? Makes lots of money? Be a movie star? Live in a big house? Save the Earth? Become president? Think big here -- and think about the top couple of goals that mean the most to you right now. (Note, of all your answers, these will probably change the most as you move through life.) What types of careers might help you accomplish these goals? Write down answers for both goals and careers.
Finally, it’s about putting together all your self-discovery results. Gather your assessments, preliminary research, and answers to the questions and see if you can find a couple of obvious themes running through them. Don't rush this process... contemplate. Make a final list of potential jobs and career paths.
Final Thoughts
Everyone deserves the opportunity to live a life of fulfillment and passion. Whether you are a student struggling to find a major or someone later in life looking for a new career and a fresh start, you can (or should) always find time to discover the right career for you -- the career that will fulfill your career passions and lead to a life of happiness and fulfillment. Look deeply inside yourself and remove all obstacles (real and perceived), and you will be on your way in your journey for finding your career passion, achieving career success, and living your life.
Questions about some of the terminology used in this article? Get more information (definitions and links) on key college, career, and job-search terms by going to our Job-Seeker's Glossary of Job-Hunting Terms.
Dr. Randall Hansen is Founder of Quintessential Careers, as well as publisher of its electronic newsletter, QuintZine. He writes a biweekly career advice column under the name, The Career Doctor. He is also a tenured, professor of marketing in the School of Business Administration at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida. He can be reached at randall@quintcareers.com. Read more about Dr. Hansen.
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