WISDOM KEYS FOR ACHIEVING 'MAXIMUM YOU'

It occurs to me that ALL of us occasionally need new information and inspiration to motivate and mobilize our next steps.  Recently, I read some very important notes on personal achievement, authored by Professor Daniel J. Yovich.  I thought it might be beneficial to share them with you…so here goes:

The starting point to personal achievement and self-actualization begins with definitive purpose, coupled with a burning desire for its achievement.  Equally important is accurate thinking and timely planning.

General background knowledge is important.  The person who has a broad knowledge of many fields and an abundance of accumulative experience can come up with new and significant creative ideas easier and more rapidly than the individual with specialized knowledge in only one field.

Collect and file notes, clippings, and ideas that seem interesting, provocative and original.  Ask yourself “how might I be able to use or improve on this or that?”

Engage freely in hobbies, games and crossword puzzles!  Read at least one book every month.

Travel!  There is a big learning experience out there, and it doesn’t have to be expensive or international.

Continually ask “Why?”  “How come?” and “Who says so?”...and then ask it again and again!  So-called dumb questions are often penetrating questions in disguise.

Avoid rigid, set patterns of doing things.  That’s a little dull!  Go on a retreat, or simply choose to meet new people.

Be open and receptive to your hunches as well as to others’ ideas.  Ideas are fleeting and quite often, fragile.  Listen positively to them and above all, jot them down in your idea book or journal.

Stop...look...and pause!  In other words, pay attention, to yourself, others and the things around you.  This is how we learn.

Adopt a “let’s try it attitude!”  All of history’s big ideas and breakthroughs were originally risks.

Polish you self-image until it says YOU are important!  No matter what we are thinking or feeling (positively or negatively) it comes across loud and clear.

Choose to be bold, courageous and curious!  Weak people seldom accomplish things of significance!

Sift fact from opinions and assumptions.  This is vital!

The world seems to tolerate mediocrity!  Choose to be a winner!  An innovator!  An explorer!  There is room at the top for everyone.

Laugh freely and often!  Consider this: “Life is a bubble...so why worry and trouble?”  Serious, serious people are often ‘bores’ in disguise.

Think BIG!  It takes the same amount of energy and effort to think “BIG” as it does to think “small.”

It doesn’t matter where you are from or what schooling you possess, but rather it is “what you do” and “how you do it” that really counts!

If someone says “it can't be done,” ask him or her...“What have YOU done of significance that qualifies you to say it can’t be done?”

And keep in mind Isaiah 43:18-19, “Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not, see, I am doing something new!”

Our thanks to Professor Yovich for sharing such cogent and relevant thoughts! 

In closing, one of the late great COGIC bishops, a native of Houston, Texas, often spoke these sage words about the attitudes and actions of so many people: “They want to be BIG so bad…but LITTLE is eating them up!”  WOW!  Friends, why not allow the Holy Spirit to elevate our thinking and our doing?  In the process, we must be sure to carefully examine and evaluate our motives.  In the words of Solomon, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:23)  Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed!