First, What not to Do

It is easy to get caught up in the exhilarating atmosphere of a super-charged seminar, listening to a self-styled motivation guru speak all sorts of high-sounding phrases that are designed to get you all jazzed up to buy his book or tape that will free you from your mundane job and make you a billionaire overnight. 

Yeah, right.

Unfortunately, the only one getting rich is the guy putting onthe seminar.  He knows the exact buzz word to say, the appropriate button to push. 

After you shell out all that legal tender (that should have gone to paying your rent), you breathlessly tear into the coveted DVD, CD, and can’t-be-without books only to be deeply disappointed again. All those one-liner platitudes you have already heard so many times before with nothing to back them up; all that monotonous hoo-rah-rah on how to find your dream but no map on how to get there.  And there you are once again, broke, with all the same questions and no answers.  So you throw the books, DVDs, and CDs onto the growing pile of other media of similar claim where it lays gathering dust.  And you wait for the Next-Big-Thing that promises to lift you out of the life of quiet desperation (to paraphrase Thoreau) you are stuck in and into the life you crave.

It ain’t gonna happen.

At least, not that way.  There are too many claims out there that promise magic bullets (for the right price) that will change your life; but no chant, no pep talk, no incantation will do it.  Only you can  change your life by first knowing who you are, and secondly possessing the desire to find that which motivates you – your purpose in life.

Socrates urged others to “know thyself.”  Any journey to self-fulfillment must begin with self-knowledge.  You do not need to spend money to discover who you are – the libraries are filled with masterpieces of self-discovery and reflection.  Just go to the self-help section and choose from a treasure trove of minds that have been there and done that.  When I was twenty, I read a book by Dale Carnegie called How To Win Friends And Influence People.  It was one of the best books I ever read on self-improvement.  Simply written in an affable style, it instructs the reader to look inside himself to discover ways to change the negative to the positive in everyday situations.  The book changed my life and set me on a journey of self-discovery on who and what I am. 

Without going into deep, theological discussions of philosophy (that is material for another book), let it suffice to say that the first pivotal step to finding one’s purpose in life, one’s destiny, is self-discovery.  Know thyself. Too many live life on the surface without ever delving into the depths of what lies beneath. 

But there is a vast ocean of creativity there – your imagination.

What is the imagination?  Is it visualizing oneself as Indiana Jones going after the Holy Grail?  Not exactly (although fantasies do have their place).  Pipe dreams are a great form of relaxation for the mind and body; but this is not what I am speaking of here.  Let’s see what Mr. Webster has to say on the subject:

Imagination:

1. the act or power of forming a mental image of something not present to the senses or never before wholly perceived in reality




2. a:  creative ability b: ability to confront and deal with a problem:  RESOURCEFULNESS:  imagination and get us out of here>  c:  the thinking or active mind:  INTEREST:  imagination> 




3. a:  a creation of the mind; especially a: an idealized or poetic creation b:  fanciful or empty assumption [Source:  www.merriam-webster.com ] [Emphasis added by the author]. 

 

The imagination is a powerful, God-given gift granted to everyone.  We all possess this power.  Study the italicized words in bold in the definition above:  “act or power of forming a mental image,” “creative ability,” “the thinking or active mind,” “a creation of the mind.”   Do you see the pattern?  If you imagine something strong enough and long enough – and believe what you see – it will come to pass.  Did you get that?  It will come to pass.  But it will take vastly more than simply indulging in pipe dreams.  Only by knowing yourself can you hope to find your true niche in life. 

Of course, nothing happens overnight.  Any desire takes work and discipline.  There will be obstacles and roadblocks along the way.  And sometimes life throws you a real curve ball.  You cannot escape harsh realities like sudden setbacks, accidents, or even tragedies.  That’s life. It happens.  Life is a proving ground of growing and lessons learned.   I was on my way to fulfilling my dream of becoming a full-time professional writer when I was hit with diversities that seemed to suddenly come at me from nowhere.  My world fell apart just at the moment I was about to grasp that gold ring when the love of my life dumped me, the magazine that was to publish my first big celebrity interview folded before its debut, and I found myself pregnant, all at the same time.  Talk about your basic curve ball!  At that time, I did not have the discipline, the stick-to-it ability it takes to keep slugging even when life comes at you real hard.  I let the diversities beat me – for awhile.  We all need time to heal when setbacks come.  Time to  retreat within ourselves, to reflect and build the dream back up again.  But never, never give up on yourself.  Life is for living, and the good times will be there, too.  Most assuredly.

Now put that cash back in the bank where it will earn some interest and look within to a force that will truly change the landscape of your existence, your own mind.  It, and it alone, can bring your dreams to fruition.

To Sum It All Up:

• Do not buy into the hype of self-proclaimed gurus of motivation who promise overnight riches but only give you empty platitudes. This is a con game designed solely to get your money.

• Know thyself first.  Become aware of your inner world by reading the great classics on self-improvement such as “How To Win Friends And Influence People.” They are free for the asking at libraries and may even be found in their entirety on the Internet.

• Be patient; nothing happens overnight.  The greatekstovi achievements take time and discipline.