Hard Work is the Key to Success

Hard Work is the Key to Success

"One percent inspiration, 99 percent perspiration"—Edison's definition of genius has often been quoted to define success as well. Even before Edison, the rigors of success were described by painter Michelangelo thus: "If people knew how hard I had to work to gain my mastery, it wouldn't seem wonderful at all."
Achieving success is almost like finding God—the destination is the same, but the roads are as varied as the seekers. All you need to do is choose your path…

But what is success?
Success may be described as the realization of an aim and for the realization of any aim hard work is essential. Hard work helps us to develop our potential to the maximum and strive for excellence in any field.
Hard work makes us better prepared to face adverse situations. Hard work helps an athlete to persevere in a race and win it , it helps an average student to become extraordinary, it helps to transform destinies.

"Success is basically about how you can turn adverse situations in your favor."

So, focus your energies in a concentrated manner on your goal and then start perspiring for it. The choice of the goal and the effort taken in reaching it are complementary: if you want to achieve something for the love of it, and not because it is the done thing, no amount of hard work would tire you. As De Bono puts it: "Successful people do often enjoy their work that it does not seem like work." According to a recent survey, success earned through hard work was the foremost factor responsible for a contented life.

"Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm."
Behind every human effort lies a hope for success. So keen is his desire for success that he fails to see any value in failures. But one must remember that failures are the pillars of success. They provide us an opportunity to realize our shortcomings so that we can constantly strive to improve ourselves.

How to start the New Year off Right

1. 1
   Get your full eight hours. Just as a healthy diet and regular exercise are necessary and important for good health, so is sleep. Cutting back on snooze-time can lead to an out-of-control appetite (some studies show that people who sleep less are more likely to be overweight), a greater risk for coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes. So try and get the recommended eight hours of sleep needed for good health, safety, and optimum performance.
   
2. 2
   Rise and shine — and eat. Breakfast gets your body’s metabolism going again after a night of sleeping, and gives you the gradual and adequate energy you need to get through the morning. You don't have to eat snacks to supplement your energy needs and expenditure. It doesn’t have to be complicated too. Microwave instant oatmeal, topping it with skim milk or yogurt and berries; in minutes, you’ll enjoy filling fiber with a protein and vitamin boost. Hard-boiled eggs, whole-grain toast with almond butter or a fruit and yogurt smoothie are also quick, nutritious choices.
3. 3
   Wash your hands. From banishing cold and flu germs to preventing food borne illnesses, frequent hand-washing is one of the smartest preventive habits you can adopt. Wash your hands with warm water and soap before handling food, eating, or touching your face , and after using the bathroom or coming into contact with potentially contaminated objects such as doorknobs, toys and menus. Be sure to clean the entire surface of your palms and the tops of your hands, as well as under your nails. A thorough hand-washing should take about 20 seconds.
4. 4
   Know your family health history. Your family’s medical history can give you important information about your own health. Many diseases, such as heart disease, breast cancer, diabetes, and depression, can have a genetic component. The more you know about the health of your relatives, the better informed you’ll be about your own risk factors and how to manage them.
5. 5
   Eat mindfully. One of the significant differences between people who successfully manage their weight and people who constantly struggle is mindful eating. Turn off the TV or computer, sit down at a table with your food on a plate, and focus on eating. Savor the smell and enjoy the taste. Put your fork down between bites, and take time to really enjoy your meal. Chances are you will eat less and feel more satisfied.
6. 6
   Add variety to your diet. Wild salmon and sardines are just a couple of the fish that provide heart-healthy fats such as omega-3, which lower your risk of cardiovascular disease and help preserve your cognitive function. Aim for two servings a week; more than that may add too much mercury to your system. On occasion, indulge in a glass of red wine (or any alcoholic beverage) or a bite of dark chocolate that contains at least 75% cocoa-both contain antioxidants that can benefit your heart. In addition, both may relax blood vessels, which reduces clotting somewhat and makes it easier for blood to get to the heart. And finally, try to eat 5-7 servings a day of fruits and vegetables, and minimize your intake of carbohydrates.
7. 7
   Volunteer. In addition to helping others, volunteers themselves often benefit from “giving back” to the communities in which they live and work, and enjoy a rewarding sense of doing something good for someone else. As a volunteer, you gain valuable experience, learn new skills, make friends and meet others who share the same interests. At Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, volunteers also enjoy perks such as special events and wellness programs.
8. 8
   Maintain strong family and social networks. Research has shown that people who have family and friends they can turn to for support and companionship may be healthier and less likely to experience depression than those who spend most of their time alone. Looking for new friends? Join a club, take a class or volunteer.
9. 9
   Take a time out. At least once a day, close your eyes and focus on taking 10 deep, full breaths. Inhale through your nose, feel your diaphragm expand, and exhale through your mouth. Deep, focused breathing slows your heart rate, calms the body and, as a result, calms your mind and reduces stress. Mix in at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least five days a week as well. Choose something you enjoy and will stick to. Recent studies found that brisk walking is just as good for your heart as jogging, or try biking or swimming. You needn’t do it all at once; two 15-minute workouts or three 10-minutes blocks work equally well.
10. 10
    Drink more water to prevent constipation, dehydration and other related diseases. Whether you drink bottled, filtered or tap, water helps keep your cells hydrated, flushes out toxins, and prevents dehydration. Tea, juices and sports drinks count, too, but watch out for added sugar, artificial flavorings and caffeine, all of which can detract from the benefits.

2014: A Year of Love and Trust

A New Year of love and trust is essential to your well-being. Instead of the ephemeral resolutions of the season, trusting yourself and others enough to know that you are worthy of love is life-changing.  Three tools for daily use in the New Year invite you to do just that.
“I am because you are” is at the heart of the African wisdom tradition of Ubuntu. It says that a person is only a person in the context of others.  It is a way of life in which trusting in your magnificence is as essential to your life as it is for others to claim for themselves.
Across the country the most frequent questions asked of me have to do with how we love ourselves and others; how to be worthy of love and goodness. The questions reflect a widespread yearning for a more robust experience of life. In the spirit of “I am because you are” these three tools are a yearlong companion for actualizing a year of more fulsome love and trust.

Across the country the most frequent questions asked of me have to do with how we love ourselves and others; how to be worthy of love and goodness.

1. Love yourself with intention. Instead of assuming that the deeply ingrained messages of conditional love are the norm or that you are less worthy of love than others choose to trust in your unconditional worthiness of love.

Each day name a quality or quirk that marks who you are and name why it makes you lovable.
Decades ago a wise man insisted that I do this exercise in front of a mirror each day. At first I thought it was a trite suggestion. The act of looking into my own eyes and naming something lovable was the threshold to moving beyond the unexamined internalized messages about why I was not as worthy of love as others. Find a trusted person with whom to share what you begin to name and love.

2. Discover the goodness in others.  The journey to love and trust does not exist in a vacuum and is not about narcissism. When you love and trust your own magnificence your own foibles become part of a wide-angled lens of your life.  With fresh compassion and tenderness toward yourself and others “I am because you are” becomes an invitation to discover the goodness in others.

Like many, my life was once blinded by assumptions, biases and easy judgment about others.
I chose to practice suspending those arrogant thoughts in order to discover a commonality of goodness with others. It revealed a more life-giving way of being in which the goodness of those with whom I differ is as important to our mutual well-being as vibrant disagreements are.

3. Detach from toxic people. Loving and trusting in yourself and others is a filter for responding to the abusive, bullying or toxic behavior of some. It illuminates the reality that such behaviors have little consciousness about “I am because you are.”  Instead, their actions diminish or deny the magnificence found in others and themselves. It is not your responsibility to invest in changing their behavior by putting your own life on lockdown.

For your sake and theirs detach. Unlike the choice to be trapped in anger or resentment, loving detachment from another person happens when you entrust their well-being to the Universe, God or a Higher Power.
Decades after detaching from a toxic relationship the person and I reconnected. She had done the inner work of choosing to change her behavior and we were able to forge a life-giving relationship. Detachment honored the truth that “I am because you are” with the hope of new love and trust emerging in the future.
Loving intention, discovering goodness and healthy detachment are tools for everyday use. They invite a New Year and life of richly textured relationships.

You are more fully alive and magnificent when fear of others is replaced by the choices to love and trust.

5 Things to Know on Friday the 13th.

The ultimate holiday stocking stuffer: $400 million Mega Millions payout

Will Friday the 13th (the last of 2013) be lucky for Mega Millions hopefuls? After failing to hit a winner since Oct. 1, Friday's lottery drawing jackpot has swollen to $400 million, the second-largest in Mega Millions' history and the fifth-largest jackpot ever. Depending on ticket sales, lottery officials could hike the jackpot to $425 million or more Thursday. While the odds of winning are just 1 in 259 million, ticket sales are surging ahead of the 11 p.m. drawing for what could be the ultimate Christmas stocking stuffer, worth a lump sum, post-tax $144.9 million.

Geminid meteor shower will be the best light show of the year

Those willing to endure some cold and stay up past their bedtimes are about to be treated to the annual Geminid meteor shower. This year's shower begins to peak just after midnight Thursday (the early-morning hours of Friday) and lasts through dawn. The 48 hours of prime viewing will continue through the predawn hours of Saturday. Falling stars should be visible beginning mid-to-late evening and ending at dawn both nights.

Experts wonder what's next for Kim Jong Un after uncle's execution

The dramatic downfall of Kim Jong Un's uncle, Jang Song Thaek, who had been considered the second-most-powerful figure in North Korea, surprised even veteran observers of the country. While many analysts agree the move was part of a purge to consolidate Kim Jong Un's rule, they say the wider implications for this tightly sealed state remain as tough to fathom as ever. "No one can be sure what this young leader may do," said Tong Kim, a North Korea expert at Korea University in Seoul.

Bipartisan budget deal heads to the Senate

After winning broad bipartisan support in the House of Representatives and passing 332-94, the two-year budget framework must now be approved by the Senate. The deal eliminates the threat of a government shutdown through fiscal year 2015 and modestly reduces the deficit over the next decade, although it does not affect spending on entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare. A vote on the agreement is expected next week in the Senate, where Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., cautioned that Democrats will need at least five Republicans to support the package to ensure they can overcome a filibuster threat. So far, the only GOP senators who have publicly stated their position are opposed to the package.

John Kerry meets with Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu to push peace talks

Continuing a furious pace of shuttle diplomacy, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his latest push for Mideast peace Friday morning. It is Kerry's ninth trip of the year to the region amid a rare snowstorm that blanketed Jerusalem. Concerned that a final status agreement may not be possible by the May target the two sides accepted when they resumed talks in August, U.S. officials say Kerry is hoping for a framework accord that would contain the principles of a comprehensive pact, but not specific details.

**How to stay healthy this winter**

It may be cold outside but winter needn't be the unhealthiest time of year for you and your family.

Here are five ways to make sure that even when your body is telling you to hibernate you can keep healthy and fit, no matter what the weather's like:

1. Eliminate your sleep debt

"On average we sleep six-and-a-half hours a night, much less than the seven to nine hours recommended," says Jessica Alexander, spokesperson at the Sleep Council, which aims to raise awareness of the importance of a good night's sleep to health and wellbeing. But in winter, we naturally sleep more, due to the longer nights. "It’s perfectly natural to adopt hibernating habits when the weather turns cold," says Jessica. "Use the time to catch up."
Read more about how to get a good night's sleep.

2. Drink more milk

You are 80% more likely to get a cold in winter so making sure your immune system is in tip-top condition is important. Milk and dairy products such as cheese, yoghurt and fromage frais are great sources of protein and vitamins A and B12. They're also an important source of calcium, which helps keep our bones strong. Try to go for semi-skimmed or skimmed milk, rather than full fat, and low-fat yoghurts.
Read more about healthy eating.

3. Eat more fruit and veg

When it’s cold and dark outside it can be tempting to fill up on unhealthy comfort food, but it’s important to ensure that you still keep your diet healthy and include five portions of fruit and veg a day. If you find yourself craving a sugary treat, try a juicy clementine or satsuma instead, or sweet dried fruits such as dates or raisins.
Winter vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, swede and turnips can be roasted, mashed or made into soup for a comforting winter meal for the whole family. Explore varieties of fruit and veg that you may not normally eat.
Read more about how to get your 5 A DAY.

4. Try new activities for the whole family

Don’t use the cold winter months as an excuse to stay in and lounge around. Instead, get out with the whole family to try out a new activity, maybe ice-skating or taking a bracing winter walk on the beach. Regular exercise helps to control your weight, boost your immune system and is a good way to break the tension that can build if the family is constantly cooped up inside the house.
Read more about different types of exercise for your and your family.

5. Have a hearty breakfast

Winter is the perfect season for porridge. Eating a warm bowlful on a cold morning isn’t just a delicious way to start your day, it also helps you to boost your intake of starchy foods and fibre, which give you energy and help you to feel fuller for longer, stopping the temptation to snack mid-morning. Oats also contain lots of vital vitamins and minerals.
Make your porridge with semi-skimmed or skimmed milk or water, and don’t add sugar or salt. Add a few dried apricots, some raisins, a sliced banana or other fruit for extra flavour and to help you hit the five-a-day target.

How to be Persistent

      Method 1 of 3: Goal accomplishment

If you've ever joined a gym on January 2nd and attended religiously until January 4th, you know tIf y

If you've ever joined a gym on January 2nd and attended religiously until January 4th, you know that persistence, while challenging, is necessary to achieve your goals. Whether you are trying to establish a new habit, shed an old one, or accomplish a larger project, it is one thing to set a goal, but quite another matter to follow through. 

    Method 2 of 3: Persisting Beyond Failure

Failure is often used as an excuse or reason to not pursue a goal or to give up easily. Yet, failure is a source of impetus when viewed constructively and it is not something to be afraid of.

        Method 3 of 3:  Being persistent when refusing 

                   or requesting something

Persistence plays an important role in your personal interactions. Whenever you make a request or a refusal, the art of persistence can help you to assert your needs and to make it clear what you will or will not do for others, as well as not giving up on seeking to persuade someone when their agreement to your request really matters.

Why Living a Life of Gratitude can make you Happy

Many days, I try to humble myself and hold a 2-minute gratitude session. I simply sit or kneel, with no distractions, close my eyes, and think about what I’m grateful for and who I’m grateful for.

I don’t do it every day, but let me tell you, on the days I do it, it makes me very happy.

**Why should that be? Why should the simple act of thinking about who and what I’m grateful for make such a big difference in my life?**

Just a few reasons:

*Because it reminds you of the positive things in your life. It makes you happy about the people in your life, whether they’re loved ones or just a stranger you met who was kind to you in some ways.

*Because it turns bad things into good things. Having problems at work? Be grateful you have work. Be grateful you have challenges, and that life isn’t boring. Be grateful that you can learn from these challenges.

*Be thankful they make you a stronger person.

*Because it reminds you of what’s important. It’s hard to complain about the little things when you give thanks that your children are alive and healthy. It’s hard to get stressed out over paying bills when you are grateful there is a roof over your head.

*Because it reminds you to thank others. I’ll talk about this more below, but the simple act of saying “thank you” to someone can make a big difference in that person’s life. Calling them, emailing them, stopping by to say thank you … just taking that minute out of your life to tell them why you are grateful toward them is important to them. People like being appreciated for who they are and what they do. It costs you little, but makes someone else happy. And making someone else happy will make you happy.

What do I give thanks for, privately, in my little gratitude session? It varies every day. I thank all the readers of this site, for the encouragement you have given me, for the donations you’ve made that have made me that much closer to realizing my dreams, for the criticism you’ve given that has made this site better … for the time you’ve given me, just reading the articles when you have the chance.

I thank my loved ones, for all they do to me. I thank strangers who’ve shown me little acts of kindness. I thank God, for the life he’s given me. I thank people around the world for the things they’ve done to make the world better. I thank myself, for things that I’ve done (it’s important to recognize your own accomplishments).

How to Live a Life of Gratitude

The thing is, simple acts of gratitude don’t cost you much (especially once you get over the initial discomfort some people feel with thanking others). But they can make a huge difference.

If you’re interested in living a life of gratitude, here are my suggestions:

Morning gratitude session. Take 2-3 minutes each morning to give thanks, to whoever or whatever you’re grateful for. You don’t have to do anything, other than close your eyes and silently give thanks. This one act can make a huge difference.

Say thank you. When someone does something nice for you, however small, try to remember to say thank you. And really mean it.

Call to say thanks. Sometimes you might think about something nice that someone did for you. Perhaps you remember during your gratitude session. When you do, pick up the phone and call the person, just to say thanks. Let them know what they did that you’re grateful for, and why you appreciate it. Takes a minute or two. If it’s too early to call, make a note to call later. Even better is telling them in person, if you happen to see them or if they’re on your route. Almost as good is a thank-you email — keep it short and sweet.

Give thanks for “negative” things in your life. There’s always two ways to look at something. Many times we think of something as negative — it’s stressful, harmful, sad, unfortunate, difficult. But that same thing can be looked at in a more positive way. Giving thanks for those things is a great way to remind yourself that there is good in just about everything. Problems can be seen as opportunities to grow, to be creative.

Learn a gratitude prayer. There are many prayers, religious or not, that can remind you to be grateful. Find one you like, and print it out or make it your desktop wallpaper. Here’s a religious one, and here’s a collection from a multitude of religions. You can find many others on the Internet, or write your own. If you’re not religious, make one that doesn’t include the concept of God.