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Browse every published article connected to Richard (Dick) Wa, with exact attribution and full-archive search.
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Browse every published article connected to Richard (Dick) Wa, or search within this exact expert archive.
Fear of failure is the single most powerful reason so many people fail to find happiness. They try something once, maybe twice, and then give up. For them, it’s a two times and you are out approached to life. Yet, failure is a natural aspect of life. Failures are something everyone has to deal with. They are not options. Failures are our teachers - - we are supposed to learn from them, not repeat them.
Brian Tracy, Canadian-bo American trainer and author, said, “Our mind is the most valuable possession we have. The quality of our lives is, and will be, a reflection of how well we develop, train, and utilize this precious gift.”
Books Atkinson, 1894-1984, American jou alist, said, “This nation was built by people who took risks - - pioneers who were not afraid of the wilde ess, business men who were not afraid of failure, scientists who were not afraid of the truth, thinkers who were not afraid of progress, and dreamers who were not afraid of action.” What happened to us? Did an illusion of security lead us to a wilde ess of half-truths, lies, and stupid decisions? Did we allow unworthy politicians to take control? What became of truth, honesty, and the American dream?
What is the ultimate goal that we can achieve? Is it money and things? Or is it items that money cannot buy? Like happiness, peace of mind, and truly feeling at peace with who we have become? The first half of my life I chased money. Even when I said money wasn’t the most important thing my actions proved otherwise. At the peak of one of my material climbs I lived in a seven-bedroom house on an acre of land with a horse corral. That huge lavish house was not a home.
What is Platform Presence? It can be felt but not seen. Some speakers have it, others don’t. How did they get it? There are three major aspects involved with Platform Presence. The most important one is absence of fear. From the instant someone with Platform Presence stands and begins moving toward the platform they are completely at peace, both with themselves and their surroundings. That powerful peaceful presence cannot be faked. It is either there or it isn’t. In either case, the audience feels it.
Most of us enter adulthood with dreams of achieving financial freedom, a house in the country, a career we love, yearly vacations in Hawaii, a cabin on the beach, owning our own firm and perfect health. People achieving these things (high achievers) are crystal clear dreamers, yet very few dreamers become high achievers.
Nothing is everything. Nothing is that absolute. The next time someone tells you that nothing is impossible ask them to dribble a football. However, your attitude does play major roles in everything you do, what you become, and how happy you are. We see everything through the filters in our mind and attitude in one of the biggest filters.
Sir Lawrence Olivier, British actor and director, said, “I have to act to live.” Sir Lawrence Olivier had gotten so good at professional acting that he loved what he did. That type of “love” occurs when someone becomes one with what they are doing. No one has the ability to become that good at everything, but everyone has the talent to become extremely good at something.
One difficult aspect of life is mastering our emotions. The concept of remaining calm in spite of what happens is easy … to agree with. Doing it is a much different thing. What happens when we allow ourselves to panic? We instantly lose sight of the obvious, forget everything we have learned, and we become a liability to ourselves and others. Panic is the most common cause of death among new people to scuba diving.
Pop cans have been sharing one of life’s most powerful lessons for years: No Deposit, No Return. Yet, millions of people sit on the sidelines wishing that something good will fall from the sky.
Bad things happen. The passing of a parent, the death of a pet, rejection from someone important, the loss of something you truly enjoy, and the list is endless. There is no “pain free” way to live. We build attachments. Attachments come to an end. Yet, as Buddha said, “Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.” Most painful events are followed by shock, anger, denial, and blame. These emotions are normal. What causes suffering is getting stuck in anger, denial or blame. Some people make careers out of anger and blame.
We can control what we say and how we say it. But we cannot control what is heard. People hear through emotional biases and desires. Some people hear what we say and they agree. Other people hear our words, yet miss our meaning. And still others get upset by something they heard, but we did not say. When presenting more effective ways to do something there will always be someone in the room who has been doing it wrong. Not everyone is prepared to admit their mistakes. Not everyone cares. In fact, some people want to be offended. That is what they expected.
Dr. David Hawkins, psychiatrist, physician, and spiritual teacher, said, "Make a gift of your life and lift all mankind by being kind, considerate, forgiving, and compassionate at all times,in all places, and under all conditions, with everyone as well as yourself. This is the greatest gift anyone can give." At all times, in all places, under all conditions? What a tall order. Isn’t that beyond reasonable reach?
William James, American psychologist, said, “There is but one cause of human failure. And that is man’s lack of faith in his true Self.” Maxwell Maltz, Canadian-bo American plastic surgeon and author of Psycho-Cybe etics, said, “Self-image sets the boundaries of individual accomplishment.” Your self-image contains your personal private views of who you believe you are, what you believe you can do, and what you believe your future contains. Here are three deadly errors easily made:
Everyone creates a mental house. It is a collection of mental images of where we are, who we live with, what we have done, where we are going, what’s holding us back and where we would rather be. George Be ard Shaw, Irish-bo British dramatist said, “The successful people in this world are those who get up and look for the circumstances they want. And, if they can’t find them, they make them.” Every major invention, every meaningful breakthrough, and every life enhancing organization was first just an idea - - just a thought - - in some person’s mind.
What is luck? The most accurate definitio I know is: “Luck is that moment in time when preparation meets opportunity.” When we are prepared, things go our way. When we are not, things fall apart. The key to having more luck is being better prepared.
Most people, when selling comes to mind, think in terms of individuals who spin yarns, stretch reality, and try to take advantage of others. These near-sighted self-centered individuals are not actually sales people; they are misguided parasites killing the very relationships that could have brought them security. True security, whether we are in sales or not, results from serving the needs of others in an honorable win-win manner. Any agreement reached must be worthy for all involved and when it is not, “no deal” is the final answer.
Mary Kay Ash, 1918-2001, American businesswoman, founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, said, “Most people live and die with their music still unplayed. They never dare to try.” Trying demands a decision and it is human nature to stand in the middle, waiting for a sign. No decision is still a decision. The freedom to choose includes the freedom to put off and the freedom to fail. Fear of failure often places human beings in prisons of indecision.
Many people worry about living on the edge, yet they are already there. Every decision, every thought, and every action is taking them into the unknown. Who knows what will happen next?
A splash is something that rocks our thinking. It can be the death of a friend, the loss of a pet, or an accident on the highway. It is a wake-up call, hopefully causing us to reconsider what we are doing and where we’re going. Far more subtle and far more dangerous are the little ripples of thought. The “I can’t,” when we truly could. The “I shouldn’t,” when we really should. And the “it can’t work,” when it truly would. As Earl Nightingale so clearly said, “We become what we think about.”