The Definition of Success

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Excerpted from Born To Win by Zig Ziglar

Here's a short list of the characteristics of what the author believes success isn't and what success is: 

What Success Is:

1. Success is knowing that you did a great job when you close the door to your office at the end of each workday and head for home.

2. Success is having a home and people to love who love you in return.

3. Success is having the financial security to meet your obligations each month and the knowledge that you have provided that security for your family in the event of your demise.

4. Success is having the kind of faith that lets you know where to turn when there seems to be no place to turn.

5. Success is having an interest or hobby that gives you joy and peace.

6. Success is knowing who you are, and Whose you are.

7. Success is taking good care of you and waking up healthy each day.

8. Success is slipping under the covers at the end of the day and realizing with gratitude that, “It just doesn’t get much better than this!”

You see from this list that success is defined by more than one sentence. Success involves the whole person, and if you skimp on one area, you will limit your success. Now, let’s take a look at what success isn’t:

What Success Isn’t:

1. Success isn’t missing dinner with the family several times a week because of working excessively.

2. Success isn’t rushing home from work and hiding out with the TV thinking, “After the day I’ve had, I need my space!”

3. Success isn’t about how to make more money when you already have more money than you can spend.

4. Success isn’t about going to church and ignoring everything you hear.

5. Success isn’t all work and no play.

6. Success isn’t about being so busy that you live on unhealthy fast food, served to you through little windows.

7. Success isn’t spending mental energy worrying about late projects, being home on time, your health, missing your child’s school play, being able to pay your bills, or finding joy in your life.

8. Success isn’t texting while you drive to catch up on your overloaded schedule.  

staying connected..

Photo Credit: thehandwritten.com

I was trying to restore an ebook I just bought in Amazon. I checked the Cloud Drive (storage application where deleted items can be retrieved) but still couldn't find the file. So I tried the online chat customer service for help.  After providing the information, these words caught my attention. 

Salome: I've restored and re-sent the ebook that you've purchased.
Are you connected to your wifi? 

I was then reminded by one of His Promises from 1 Peter 5:10, "And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast."

God restores and strengthens. He sent Jesus to us. But the question is, are we connected with Him?

The Value of Failing

Excerpt from Better Than Good by Zig Ziglar

Failure is one of life’s greatest teachers as long as we are not crushed by it—as long as we learn from it. I like to divide the world into two camps: learners and nonlearners. When the learners do something that is not wise, and failure is the result, they don’t do it again. They learn the lesson. And when they do something that works, they take note and try to repeat it. In other word, they don’t treat life like a tunnel—a tube that never gets narrower. They treat life like they’re heading into a funnel. As they exclude choices and actions that don’t work, they are continually narrowing the range of options: they’re throwing out the stupid and keeping the stupendous. Eventually they hit their stride as peak performers because they don’t do stuff that doesn’t work.

            The real question in life is not whether you are a success of a failure but whether you are a learner or a nonlearner.

            Here are some of the best lessons to learn from failure:

• Failure teaches us to depend on God.
• Failure teaches us humility.
• Failure teaches us that we can’t always get what we want.
• Failure teaches us to make a correction in our course of action.
• Failure teaches us character.
• Failure teaches us perseverance.
• Failure teaches us that we can survive.

            Failure is a willing teacher; as master tutor. Anyone willing to sit at the feet of failure and soak up everything there is to learn will graduate quickly to the school of peak performance.

Eric Hoffer; who wrote widely on the subject of self-esteem, said, “In times of change the learners inherit the earth while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.” And speaker Steve Brown has said that anything worth doing is worth doing poorly—until you can learn to do it well.

Battlefield of the Mind

Photo Credit: www.joycemeyer.org

Positive thinking produces positive attitudes. 

Once your attitude changes, your life changes. It's not easy, but it is simple. - Joyce Meyer

"I wish I had read this before.", that's all I can say after reading this book. =)
You may check the overview here.

Here are my favorite quotes:

-Praise helps us keep our minds on God.

-We may be weak, but God is strong, and He is willing to be our strength.

-Always believe the best. When we do that, it makes our own lives happier and more peaceful.

-Focus on God's grace and give thanks for all good things in life.

-Our thoughts - our focus - is what determines where we end up.

-Only Jesus, the Perfect One, is good  enough.

-The plan for our lives is perfect, because it comes from the Perfect Planner.

-Getting what we want immediately may not be best for us. Sometimes waiting is the best thing because it helps develop the character of God in us.

-Our blessings from God are not a result of our goodness. They are the result of God's goodness.

-We grow by taking steps of faith.

-The more you think about good things, the better your life will seem.

-To be open-minded means we're willing to hear all sides of an issue - like jurors should be at a trial. But -eventually we have to sort through the evidence or circumstances in life and say, "This is what I'm going to do."

-Whenever Jesus is with us, the storms of life cease and peace fills our hearts.

-When we believe and do not doubt, we can accomplish miracles.

-He wants you to have the best and only the best, but it has to come in the right way.

-Love is an action verb. If you love others, you do things for them.

-When we love God's way, we have no place for suspicion of others.

-I learned long ago that it takes so little to do so much good. Often it's only a word of encouragement, a hug, or just saying the words, "I care."

-Too often, we look at our imperfections and ask, "How could God possibly love me?" God looks at each of us through eyes of pure love and asks, "How could I not love you? You are mine."

-So the next time fear knocks on your door, send faith to answer.

-Positive thinking produces positive attitudes. Once your attitude changes, your life changes. It's not easy, but it is simple.
-The wait is always worth it.

-Strive to live with truth in your inner being. You - you and God - are the only ones who knows what's in your heart. Live in honesty and truth.

The Abundance Formula

Photo Credit: SVP

Your wealth isn't your money. Your wealth is who you are. - Bo Sanchez

I received this gift from Bo Sanchez' Truly Rich Club last Christmas . This book contains simple yet powerful steps to abundance. I'm applying these steps for years now and it's been blessing me and the people around me as well. 

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May this book bless you too. Prosper! =)

Sharing some of my fave quotes:  

-Love is the most important thing in the world; and love demands that you be the best that you can be. 

-By becoming all that you can be through the journey of earning more money, you grow more. And at the end of that journey, you can give more, not just your money, but yourself. 

-Your wealth isn't your money. Your wealth is who you are. 

-Be remarkable. Be phenomenal. 

-A good business is not about money. It's about serving others. Business is about mission. Business is about blessing people. Business is about love. 

-When you serve others with all your heart, life will find a way to repay you. 

-At the end of the day, we remain humble before Him. Always ask the Owner how He wants you to use His wealth. And you will be at peace. 

-Generosity will detach you from materialism. 

-Support God's work of sharing His love to the world. 

-Always be specific, not vague. 

-Learn to enjoy simple things. 

-Be defined by your relationship with God. 

-At the end of the day, it's people who will make you happy. 

-Spend your money on what truly matters. 

-Prayer will keep you detached. Centered. At peace. Your attachment will be to the Giver, not to His gifts.