Those that know me well enough know I love a holiday and spend my fair share of time in airports. And, being an avid bibliophile, or to some, book hoarder, I love browsing the airport bookshops. But, my past few trips have left me disappointed, so I started playing a 'what if' game to myself.
What if, I could write a book that inspires men to become better versions of themselves? What if, I could write a book that teaches as much as it delights? What if, I could become a best-selling author at the ripe old age of 51? What if, an old bricklayer could do a better job than most internet 'gurus' in encouraging others to dare to dream. (As you can see, I can keep myself amused for hours!:)) So, one warm January morning in the Maldives, where else is there to be in January! I set about composing the outline of The Code of the Conqueror. This quickly formed into Book 1 - The Journey. From there, I stumbled along, gained some positive feedback and hit the inevitable plateaus. Then, I finally finished and the editing started! And, then the re-writing started!! But, I got there in the end. I have so much admiration for those who write 400-500 page novels. So now what? Now the 'what if's' kick in, there's plenty of marketing to do, and much to learn. But, I'm happy to have got this far and have a book I can take on holiday, one that contains nuggets of wisdom for every day life and, little known historical facts of the Mongolian Empire. Though I do have one burning question, 'what if' you click the link below and preview Code of the Conqueror - The Journey on Amazon, and found you love it as much as me? ' Everything has been thought of before. But the difficulty is to think of it again.' ~ Goethe I'm a firm believer everyone returns to their own truth … eventually. We all have the ability to live in a world of self-denial, to carry on as much as every other day, in our predictable lives. Maybe your fine with the same old thing day in day out, and making it safely to death will suit you fine, so you say!
Having just completed the first book in the Code of the Conqueror series - titled The Journey I have delved far deeper in my own psyche and though uncomfortable as it was, I have slowly came to the realisation I am returning to the man I once was. And, though I can dress my fictional characters in a variety of pleasant and unpleasant characteristics, there are tell-tale signs to my perspective and philosophy of life. For years I tried my best to live my life dictated by others whims, in the hope of keeping the peace. And, being an agreeable type of guy, too agreeable in fact, time started to erode my dreams and desires. So what, you might question, that's what life does to us all. No. It's not what life has to do. The essence of life is to live it to the best of your ability and be the best person you can be for you, period. You have to be kind to yourself before you can be kind to others. You have to have the gumption to stand naked in front of the mirror and not despise yourself. As imperfect as you maybe today, you have to have the courage to move forward and set small goals. We all have it within us to be better people tomorrow than we were today. The problem is, we are our worst critics and not our best friends. So, change you must:). And, the good news is, everything has been said and done a million times before, but as Goethe said many moons ago, the difficulty is to think of it again! Don't overcomplicate your life, there are enough marketers out there trying to dictate what you should be doing and buying as it is. Listen to yourself, history leaves clues. And, the history of one man is the history of all. Return to your own truth, whilst you still have time. Journey of a Conqueror ~ Poem Never return, never return. Never return to the haunts of your youth. Keep to the path, remain stern, Even memory distorts the truth. Never return, never return, Never succumb to their tireless glare. Keep to the track, always learn, They will never meet you there. Never return, never return, Claim your destiny. Cross the bridges, let them burn, Now let your faith see. Never return, never return, Never become your glorious past. Keep to your path, never adjourn, Treat every day as your last. Never return, never return, Now tame your heart’s desires. Lest they burn, Extinguish the damned fires. Never return. Never fall into the lion’s lair. Keep firm, remain stern, Your life beckons, if you dare. By Mark Weeks Inspired by the works of Felix Dennis 1947 – 2014 English publisher, poet, spoken-word performer and philanthropist. Journey of a Conqueror is an excerpt from Mark's new fictional self-help book, available on Amazon very soon.
After months of toiling away, indecision and sometimes doubting my creativity, I've reached the point where I can stick my head above the parapet and reveal my latest book. It's fair to say I lost my mojo for a long, long time; with personal issues at the forefront. But, I persevered and believed I could create something which can inspire others to keep moving forward in their journey through this sometimes chaotic and troubled world. After all, the history of one man, is the history of all! I hope you enjoy this sneek preview. And, your feedback will be much appreciated Mark Weeks:) Code of the Conqueror Collection Book One: The Journey A 21st Century Crusade for Self-Mastery First Published In Great Britain 2018 by Azuni Book World Ltd © Copyright © Mark Weeks All rights reserved 2018 Author’s Note: The Journey introduces you to the hapless Alex and the ideology behind Code of the Conqueror, my complete guide to personal transformation. With inspiring ancient maxims, proverbs and aphorisms, this book provides wisdom and practical advice for everyday life. It conveys the human condition through the eyes of desire and tackles the unending complexity of change, happiness, suffering and loss. This book also offers direction on learning how to cope with anger, fear and love. Encompassing a work of fiction, it combines both Eastern & Western self-leadership philosophies - including the teachings of Genghis Khans chief adviser, Yelu Chucai. ~ Preface ~ There comes a time in life when you must confront your inner voices or be forever at their mercy. That time is now. Whether you shall turn out to be the conqueror of your own life, or relinquish your power to another, the following pages must surely show. I already know they will amplify your inner world for better or for worse. You must confront your own personal truths. Sure, they can be delayed or ignored for a while, but eventually all will be revealed to you. You can't run away from your inner being forever. Wherever you go, you will still be there. Allow me, Alex, to explain how I have become an authority on confronting those dreaded inner voices. In the nine months leading to the publication of this book, an extraordinary series of events took place in my life, which finally shook me out of my self-imposed lethargy. It began while I was trekking the Great Wall of China, alongside a unit of Royal Marines, during which, I had a chance encounter. The adventures that followed transformed my life and, revealed my inner truths in all their naked glory. Being a stubborn son of a bitch, I fought against the inevitable but eventually, I began to take stock of my life and have somehow turned myself around. Believe me, it feels good. Many of us reach critical points in our lives when our mental strength is tested to its limit, leaving us with little hope and a life spiralling out of control. Be it through toxic relationships, dead end jobs or the grief of losing a loved one. Sometimes, dare I say, we can't even tell what sent us on a downward spiral in the first place. Yet life conspires to keep us shut in, confines us, buries us alive, and seems to place a barrier between us and others. Could it simply be our imagination's macabre sense of humour? Do we simply accept that life will always be this way? What can free us from such captivity? Before my chance encounter on the Great Wall, one of the wonders of the world, I didn't know any of the answers and, to be truthful, I still don't have them all figured out, but I'm making continual progress to live a better life and, in the process to help others do the same. Before my personal transformation, I alienated so many good friends and loved ones, out of anger, lust, selfishness and pure greed. I felt there had to be a turning point, but damned if I could find it. Oscar Wilde noted, 'Each man kills the thing he loves,' and I feel this is pitifully true. Before my trek to China, I had been struggling to establish myself as a self-help copy writer, I knew deep down I could help others overcome their fears and free themselves mentally. But there I was the most tortured soul of all. Maybe it's the mere possibility of getting what we have desired for years that fills the human spirit with guilt and dread, the feeling that says, 'Why should you succeed, when others work harder, yet have less to show for their efforts.’ But I had this and a head full of other excuses to explain my lack of success. My fits of depression, frustration and anger finally led to the failure of my marriage. I hadn’t spoken to my father for three years too, but he died of cancer, before I had the opportunity to make amends. It was too late; we always were both stubborn. I refused help from anyone and simply shut myself away in my solitary home office. I turned to my work with a vengeance, accepted copywriting jobs by the dozen and drove myself hard. Surviving on pastries, cigarettes and espressos during the day, with a heady mix of brandy most nights; convinced it helped with my creativity. But at fifty-three when was enough, enough? My ex-wife’s accusatory words would return to goad me, ‘When are you going to get a ‘proper job’?’ My overly aggressive approach to life and endurance to work though never waned. But I had begun piling on the pounds and my cute laughter lines from the past were in hysterics. My doctor warned of impending heart problems if I didn't cut out smoking, drinking and sedentary lifestyle. It wasn’t a wake-up call, in fact, I didn’t care one way or another. Around this time an old friend finally persuaded me to join him on a charity walk. He sold it to me by saying we will do it in memory of those we had lost of cancer. With my weight ballooning and my social skills down the toilet, my friend didn’t take long to shame me into it, and I agreed to at least make the attempt. After all, what did I have to lose, but a few kilos of blubber? As I said, the decision became the turning point of my life. Through the empowering lessons that follow, I was finally able to accept that everything in my life was fuelled by one thing only - my desires. The same is true for you, and everyone you encounter for that matter. It's an inner conflict that will never be won. But to achieve a fulfilled life these internal desires must be tamed and understood. This is the starting point of the Code of the Conqueror. Without these essential lessons you will forever falter in your quest to find and master your true self. I've heard it said before that no amount of reasoning is going to help a person see the way he does not want to see. But whatever challenges you face you must see things from a different perspective, and then take decisive action. There is no other way if you truly want a better life. Let's move on, I have much to share with you - Can you imagine getting up at dawn and seeing the sun rise whilst the rest of the world sleeps? This is how I have felt every day since my adventure, and it all began with Zhi, the most annoying man I’ve ever met. Part One Chapter I 'I was like a sleeping man when you came to me. I was sitting in sadness aforetime and you roused me.' ~ Genghis Khan 1. A soft warm breeze encircled the crumbling watchtower carrying the feint scent of pine mixed with the fragrant smoke of the morning camp fires. As I looked out from the tower I felt calmer than I had in months. To my right lay Beijing and a little further the Yellow Sea. And, to the left the ever-mesmerising snake like wall climbing towards the faded horizon, embedded within lush forests and verdant valleys; a few still holding the morning mist in their grasp, so easily the scene of camouflaged forces ready to lay siege to this fantasy land. As I allowed the stillness of the morning to soak into me I can vividly recall the first words the old man had spoken. I was trying in vain to read in peace and become aware of him watching over me. At the time I had no idea how his thoughts would impact on my existence. 'Words are a thing of beauty,' he said. 'Each is like a magical powder that, when combined with other words, create powerful potions, transforming even the most stubborn minds with imaginations that know no bounds. Yet, so many people choose to ignore such wisdom, continuing to live their lives in the grey twilight which knows neither victory, or defeat.' As intrusive as the stranger was, he had unknowingly stirred my imagination and also my greatest passion - the power of words. I didn’t wish to be rude and simply smiled, making brief eye contact before I returned to my book, searching for my last sentence. The old man eased himself down onto the rock beside me and without taking the slightest hint from my body language continued talking in broken English. 'Your body and mind must advance as one unit my friend,' he stated. 'What?' I asked rather more abruptly than intended. 'You too tense, you not focused.' 'That may have something to do with you jabbering on and irritating the hell out of me. Why don't you get lost and annoy someone else? Camp breaks in fifteen and we won't stop for two hours, give me a friggin rest.' Without saying another word, he lifted himself up with the aid of his cane and slowly walked away. Feeling irritated I continued reading, grateful for what I saw as some well-deserved quiet time. Maybe it's true, the teachers of our lives only become so when the pupil is ready to listen. And, at that moment in time I was far from ready. But now, ten days after our first encounter and in a sombre, more reflective mood, I undid the buckle on my worn brown satchel. Took out my notebook containing the old man’s words of wisdom, and read randomly where the page fell open. ''Some people may snatch a secret from the depths of their hearts and souls that will drive them to find their true selves. But most will continue to wonder… wish… and dream. And then one day will awaken with a shock to find themselves standing in the same spot where they had dreamed as young men and women. Only now, they have lost sight of their dreams and will wonder why life has come to be.'' I’d scribbled notes frantically over the previous week, in an attempt to absorb the teachings of the old man. Yes, I had been given a second opportunity, and heaven knows why he chose me, but this time I grasped it with both hands. **** Copyright © Mark Weeks All rights reserved 2018
Mark Weeks has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work. This months guest blog is by the amazing Janice Kobelsky. Hope you enjoy the post and take up your own 30 Day Challenge. :)
Better life. Better leadership. A better world. Enjoy today's thoughts & take-aways. What you do daily is a powerful indicator of your primary values. And where you focus -- over time -- drives your lifetime performance and feeling of achievement. Reality, though, is that too often we just don't stop to think about where our time and attention are going. So this issue of the Leader's Digest is a practice of renewal. It's a chance to refresh and reconnect with what truly matters, to you. Fresh focus, to initiate new beginnings. To help you make April count! Your Meaningful Vision, Fulfilled. “Make something happen that wasn’t going to happen anyway.” -Unknown Do it for yourself. And... or... do it with those who look to you for guidance or influence. It's good leadership. 2 Easy Steps First, I'm sharing a quick but pretty profound practice, to help you get clear (or clearer) on priority. It’ll help you (re-)focus on what’s important. It's repeatable, too. Then, since April has 30 days, it’s a perfect time to complete a 30-day challenge, don’t you think? It’s not ‘my’ challenge or agenda. It’s choosing YOURS. It’s a wonderful way to make every day count this month – AND to “make something happen that wasn’t going to happen anyway.” So, get started. Have fun. Make it great. It’s a wonderful way to energize possibilities and be a contribution. ______ Here it is: a 2-step framework, a simple practice, to make the most of your time and life. 1. Focus on what’s important Performance does not reside in end results; it happens in ensuring that every act is a result in itself. It starts with being mindful of where you're putting your attention and focus. Begin by considering seven dimensions of life. Think of them as inner drivers that we each experience (consciously or unconsciously). All the time. 7 Dimensions of Life· . Spirit/Joy: this means inner enthusiasm. Your attitude and vibe. Your sense of connectedness to something greater than you. Irrespective and independent of religion or belief systems, spirit is that animating force we all have; who we are ‘at source’. It is your intangible wellbeing. · Talent Development: refers to our human desire to grow, to learn, to try new things. Whether formal or informal, talent development is about immersing in change and evolution. · Career/Vocation: is about your ‘work’ – whether paid or unpaid, formal or hobby. It's your contribution in the world. This is a dimension that is often splintered into what we do for money vs. what we do as an expression. Those who are able to reconcile the two often say, “When you do what you love, you never work another day in your life.” · Finances & Wealth: is about financial wellbeing. It's the attention paid to how much wealth you have and how well you're managing it. · Family: does not necessarily mean blood relatives. Instead this refers to your inner circle – your family, your ‘tribe’, those who are your family of choice. · Community/Circles of Influence: refers to your connections and friendships. It includes your extended reach or community. This could be in-person and/or virtual. · Health & Wellbeing: is your tangible wellbeing: your physical health, wellness and beauty. While we may put different labels to them (or we may wish to split some into subparts), the 7 dimensions pertain to us all. The following illustration shows that all 7 are in play – always; all the time. It is a circle. The Tyger |
Once you begin there is no retreating; to know your mind, body & spirit as one complete unit is not accomplished overnight. And remember, whatever your goals are you have set yourself on a different path to the majority, they may baulk or make fun of your dedication, but inside they are envious of your true spirit, keep going. Don't let their meaningless words deter you, what you are pursuing in life is a noble cause, and few will ever dare attempt or understand the burning desires that fuel you as you progress. Do not let anyone tell you any different. Your competition is yourself, not other people. You must constantly improve yourself. And always strive to improve yourself mentally, physically and intellectually. You can do it with a little discipline, simply try. |
Do not merely read these words. Make them a general philosophy of your life, a way of living and success will be yours because you will be harnessing the power of your mind, body & spirit to its fullest potential. Then nothing can stop you.
Post by Mark Weeks
Creator of URConqueror & Conqueror 21st Century Nutrition.
Creator of URConqueror & Conqueror 21st Century Nutrition.
Categories
'If you can stay the course then you'll discover something that offers great comfort
to those who understand the role that thought plays
in shaping their reality.'
~ Joe Barnes, Author of Escape the System.
to those who understand the role that thought plays
in shaping their reality.'
~ Joe Barnes, Author of Escape the System.
In front of you is a boulder; large, grey and solid.
You hate this boulder. Every day you must push it. Every day your muscles strain and you reach the point of exhaustion just to get it to roll a few feet. Sometimes, you’re too tired. You look at the boulder, with its hard, grey exterior, and you just can’t bring yourself to push anymore. So, you rest by the side of the road. You want to quit.
Sometimes, though, you attack it with vigorous intensity. You feel strong, and as you heave with your muscles and gain leverage with your body, it responds. It moves slowly at first, but then the momentum builds. Soon, you reach a point where it feels like it’s moving itself. These are the best days. Everything clicks. There are no snags in the road, no hills to push the boulder up. Instead, the boulder just rolls and rolls and you have little do to maintain its momentum.
Most days, though, it won’t move. You lodge your back up against it, spread your feet wide apart, bend your knees and push with everything you’ve got. But nothing happens. You drive and drive and drive but it just won’t budge.
So you rest, telling yourself that you’ll move it the next day. But the next day is the same, as is the day after that. That damn boulder just won’t move.
Eventually, after a week pushing, it gives a few feet. This seems like a result. You’ve managed to move what appears to be an immovable object. But, then you look back and think. You remember all the blood, sweat and tears, all the exhaustion and effort and you’ve only managed to push the boulder a few feet. So much effort for so little return.
You hate this boulder. Every day you must push it. Every day your muscles strain and you reach the point of exhaustion just to get it to roll a few feet. Sometimes, you’re too tired. You look at the boulder, with its hard, grey exterior, and you just can’t bring yourself to push anymore. So, you rest by the side of the road. You want to quit.
Sometimes, though, you attack it with vigorous intensity. You feel strong, and as you heave with your muscles and gain leverage with your body, it responds. It moves slowly at first, but then the momentum builds. Soon, you reach a point where it feels like it’s moving itself. These are the best days. Everything clicks. There are no snags in the road, no hills to push the boulder up. Instead, the boulder just rolls and rolls and you have little do to maintain its momentum.
Most days, though, it won’t move. You lodge your back up against it, spread your feet wide apart, bend your knees and push with everything you’ve got. But nothing happens. You drive and drive and drive but it just won’t budge.
So you rest, telling yourself that you’ll move it the next day. But the next day is the same, as is the day after that. That damn boulder just won’t move.
Eventually, after a week pushing, it gives a few feet. This seems like a result. You’ve managed to move what appears to be an immovable object. But, then you look back and think. You remember all the blood, sweat and tears, all the exhaustion and effort and you’ve only managed to push the boulder a few feet. So much effort for so little return.
But what can you do? You know if you stop you’ll never get where you want to go. That boulder is your salvation. That boulder is your ticket to a better life. So, reluctantly, you push again. You heave and it still hurts but this time there is comfort in the knowledge that this suffering has meaning. Then, one day, while resting and drinking by a river, you catch a glimpse of yourself in the reflection. What you see surprises you. That boulder has made you strong. The muscles bulge from your frame. You’re no longer that scrawny kid who started out on a journey with dreams of moving mountains. |
Buoyed by the site of your strength, you attack the boulder with even greater intensity. And it moves. Sure, it’s slow but it’s moving. So you keep pushing and pushing. It’s still painful, you still put in way more effort than you receive in results, but you KNOW you have the power to move that boulder.
And this is life for you. That boulder will always be there. Your job will always be to move it.
But, as the years pass, you begin to love the pain. You love that aching feeling in your muscles and the cascading sweat. You love it because you know what it means – GROWTH!
So, you keep going and going. Eventually, you cover miles, nations and continents. You learn the truth that nothing can stop you...
SO LONG AS YOU KEEP ON PUSHING!
And this is life for you. That boulder will always be there. Your job will always be to move it.
But, as the years pass, you begin to love the pain. You love that aching feeling in your muscles and the cascading sweat. You love it because you know what it means – GROWTH!
So, you keep going and going. Eventually, you cover miles, nations and continents. You learn the truth that nothing can stop you...
SO LONG AS YOU KEEP ON PUSHING!
Post by Joe Barnes - Author, Keynote Speaker & Life Coach.
Keep in touch with Joe on Facebook & Twitter.
Join Joe's newsletter at www.screwthesystemnow.com to create the life you were born to live.
Join Joe's newsletter at www.screwthesystemnow.com to create the life you were born to live.
Grab a copy of Escape the System today - it is the ultimate guide to a life of freedom and greatness.
To tread the narrow pathway on your crusade for a more rewarding existence will prove to be a lonely journey. Once begun there is no retreating only repositioning, no hesitation only deep thinking. Life will never be the same again for you.
Very few will understand your quest for mastery over the skills and desires you must fulfil. But there are others in front of you who have walked in the same footsteps, they are there, and you must search, persist, discipline your mind and resolve to find them, they are your tribe. You will never find them looking behind you.
As sad as it may seem life changes, people change and for you to achieve a greater level of happiness and security you too must change.
Now your journey has begun you must never ever, ever return to where you once belonged, keep moving forward and conquer your life, there are no more rehearsals, this is it, keep the faith and put one foot in front of the other.
Very few will understand your quest for mastery over the skills and desires you must fulfil. But there are others in front of you who have walked in the same footsteps, they are there, and you must search, persist, discipline your mind and resolve to find them, they are your tribe. You will never find them looking behind you.
As sad as it may seem life changes, people change and for you to achieve a greater level of happiness and security you too must change.
Now your journey has begun you must never ever, ever return to where you once belonged, keep moving forward and conquer your life, there are no more rehearsals, this is it, keep the faith and put one foot in front of the other.
Conflict of the Conqueror
Never return. Never return.
Never return to the haunts of your youth.
Keep to the path, remain stern,
Even memory distorts the truth.
Never return. Never return.
Never succumb to their tireless glare.
Keep to the track, always learn,
They will never meet you there.
Never return. Never return.
Your destiny has been blessed to me.
Cross the bridges, let them burn,
Now let your faith see.
Never return. Never return.
Never become your glorious past.
Keep to your path, never adjourn,
Treat every day as your last.
Never return. Never return.
Surrender to your desire.
Should you not learn,
Never extinguish the internal fire.
Never return. Never return.
Never fall into the lion’s lair.
Keep firm, remain stern,
Your life beckons, if you dare.
By Mark Weeks
Never return. Never return.
Never return to the haunts of your youth.
Keep to the path, remain stern,
Even memory distorts the truth.
Never return. Never return.
Never succumb to their tireless glare.
Keep to the track, always learn,
They will never meet you there.
Never return. Never return.
Your destiny has been blessed to me.
Cross the bridges, let them burn,
Now let your faith see.
Never return. Never return.
Never become your glorious past.
Keep to your path, never adjourn,
Treat every day as your last.
Never return. Never return.
Surrender to your desire.
Should you not learn,
Never extinguish the internal fire.
Never return. Never return.
Never fall into the lion’s lair.
Keep firm, remain stern,
Your life beckons, if you dare.
By Mark Weeks
By Mark Weeks
This is just a little peek at something I'm working on, hope you like it.
Please let me know one way or the other :)
This is just a little peek at something I'm working on, hope you like it.
Please let me know one way or the other :)
Way of the Conqueror.
‘It has never been done before,’ says Fear scornfully.
‘And?’ Questions the Conqueror.
‘So it will never be done in the future.’
‘Maybe.’
‘You are far too brash,’ chimes in humility, ‘there are names for those such as yourself.’
‘Maybe,’ replies the Conqueror calmly.
‘The place for those with your upbringing must always remain the same, otherwise…’
‘I lived my life long before you all entered it!’
‘You was young and reckless back then. You didn’t know what you was doing,’ Reason abruptly added.
‘Maybe,’ laughed the Conqueror, ‘but I have never lost my child’s heart.’
Sniggering to themselves, Fear, Humility and Reason turn to Father Time, who raises a mirror in line with the Conqueror’s face.
‘Look!’ Shouts Fear. ‘So you think you are still young? Your time has come and gone, you didn’t make the most of your life. You are closer to death than birth you fool.’
Fate suddenly appears and points to the dark looming clouds on the horizon, ‘Now there’s a storm coming, you cannot withstand it. You know in your heart how your story ends.’
‘Yes I do,’ whispers the Conqueror, ‘I am the storm.’
And so the journey begins…
© Copyright 2017 Azuni Book World Ltd. All rights reserved.
‘It has never been done before,’ says Fear scornfully.
‘And?’ Questions the Conqueror.
‘So it will never be done in the future.’
‘Maybe.’
‘You are far too brash,’ chimes in humility, ‘there are names for those such as yourself.’
‘Maybe,’ replies the Conqueror calmly.
‘The place for those with your upbringing must always remain the same, otherwise…’
‘I lived my life long before you all entered it!’
‘You was young and reckless back then. You didn’t know what you was doing,’ Reason abruptly added.
‘Maybe,’ laughed the Conqueror, ‘but I have never lost my child’s heart.’
Sniggering to themselves, Fear, Humility and Reason turn to Father Time, who raises a mirror in line with the Conqueror’s face.
‘Look!’ Shouts Fear. ‘So you think you are still young? Your time has come and gone, you didn’t make the most of your life. You are closer to death than birth you fool.’
Fate suddenly appears and points to the dark looming clouds on the horizon, ‘Now there’s a storm coming, you cannot withstand it. You know in your heart how your story ends.’
‘Yes I do,’ whispers the Conqueror, ‘I am the storm.’
And so the journey begins…
© Copyright 2017 Azuni Book World Ltd. All rights reserved.
I have just reread this piece by the great Earl Nightingale and thought you might like it. Enjoy :)
Post by Mark Weeks
Transcribed from The Strangest Secret audio program by Earl Nightingale
Some years ago, the late Nobel prize-winning Dr. Albert Schweitzer was asked by a reporter, “Doctor, what’s wrong with men today?” The great doctor was silent a moment, and then he said, “Men simply don’t think!”
It’s about this that I want to talk with you. We live today in a golden age. This is an era that humanity has looked forward to, dreamed of, and worked toward for thousands of years. We live in the richest era that ever existed on the face of the earth … a land of abundant opportunity for everyone.
However, if you take 100 individuals who start even at the age of 25, do you have any idea what will happen to those men and women by the time they’re 65? These 100 people believe they’re going to be successful. They are eager toward life, there is a certain sparkle in their eye, an erectness to their carriage, and life seems like a pretty interesting adventure to them.
But by the time they’re 65, only one will be rich, four will be financially independent, five will still be working, and 54 will be broke and depending on others for life’s necessities.
Only five out of 100 make the grade! Why do so many fail? What has happened to the sparkle that was there when they were 25? What has become of the dreams, the hopes, the plans … and why is there such a large disparity between what these people intended to do and what they actually accomplished?
THE DEFINITION OF SUCCESS
First, we have to define success and here is the best definition I’ve ever been able to find: “Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal.”
A success is the school teacher who is teaching because that’s what he or she wants to do. A success is the entrepreneur who start his own company because that was his dream and that’s what he wanted to do. A success is the salesperson who wants to become the best salesperson in his or her company and sets forth on the pursuit of that goal.
A success is anyone who is realizing a worthy predetermined ideal, because that’s what he or she decided to do … deliberately.
But only one out of 20 does that! The rest are “failures.”
Rollo May, the distinguished psychiatrist, wrote a wonderful book called Man’s Search for Himself, and in this book he says: “The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice … it is conformity.” And there you have the reason for so many failures. Conformity and people acting like everyone else, without knowing why or where they are going.
We learn to read by the time we’re seven. We learn to make a living by the time we’re 30. Often by that time we’re not only making a living, we’re supporting a family. And yet by the time we’re 65, we haven’t learned how to become financially independent in the richest land that has ever been known. Why? We conform! Most of us are acting like the wrong percentage group and the 95 who don’t succeed.
GOALS
Have you ever wondered why so many people work so hard and honestly without ever achieving anything in particular, and why others don’t seem to work hard, yet seem to get everything? They seem to have the “magic touch.” You’ve heard people say, “Everything he touches turns to gold.” Have you ever noticed that a person who becomes successful tends to continue to become more successful? And, on the other hand, have you noticed how someone who’s a failure tends to continue to fail?
The difference is goals. People with goals succeed because they know where they’re going. It’s that simple. Failures, on the other hand, believe that their lives are shaped by circumstances … by things that happen to them … by exterior forces.
Think of a ship with the complete voyage mapped out and planned. The captain and crew know exactly where the ship is going and how long it will take and it has a definite goal. And 9,999 times out of 10,000, it will get there.
Now let’s take another ship and just like the first and only let’s not put a crew on it, or a captain at the helm. Let’s give it no aiming point, no goal, and no destination. We just start the engines and let it go. I think you’ll agree that if it gets out of the harbor at all, it will either sink or wind up on some deserted beach and a derelict. It can’t go anyplace because it has no destination and no guidance.
It’s the same with a human being. However, the human race is fixed, not to prevent the strong from winning, but to prevent the weak from losing. Society today can be likened to a convoy in time of war. The entire society is slowed down to protect its weakest link, just as the naval convoy has to go at the speed that will permit its slowest vessel to remain in formation.
That’s why it’s so easy to make a living today. It takes no particular brains or talent to make a living and support a family today. We have a plateau of so-called “security.” So, to succeed, all we must do is decide how high above this plateau we want to aim.
Throughout history, the great wise men and teachers, philosophers, and prophets have disagreed with one another on many different things. It is only on this one point that they are in complete and unanimous agreement and the key to success and the key to failure is this:
WE BECOME WHAT WE THINK ABOUT
This is The Strangest Secret! Now, why do I say it’s strange, and why do I call it a secret? Actually, it isn’t a secret at all. It was first promulgated by some of the earliest wise men, and it appears again and again throughout the Bible. But very few people have learned it or understand it. That’s why it’s strange, and why for some equally strange reason it virtually remains a secret.
Marcus Aurelius, the great Roman Emperor, said: “A man’s life is what his thoughts make of it.”
Disraeli said this: “Everything comes if a man will only wait … a human being with a settled purpose must accomplish it, and nothing can resist a will that will stake even existence for its fulfilment.”
William James said: “We need only in cold blood act as if the thing in question were real, and it will become infallibly real by growing into such a connection with our life that it will become real. It will become so knit with habit and emotion that our interests in it will be those which characterize belief.” He continues, ” … only you must, then, really wish these things, and wish them exclusively, and not wish at the same time a hundred other incompatible things just as strongly.”
My old friend Dr. Norman Vincent Peale put it this way: “If you think in negative terms, you will get negative results. If you think in positive terms, you will achieve positive results.” George Bernard Shaw said: “People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can’t find them, make them.”
Well, it’s pretty apparent, isn’t it? We become what we think about. A person who is thinking about a concrete and worthwhile goal is going to reach it, because that’s what he’s thinking about. Conversely, the person who has no goal, who doesn’t know where he’s going, and whose thoughts must therefore be thoughts of confusion, anxiety, fear, and worry will thereby create a life of frustration, fear, anxiety and worry. And if he thinks about nothing … he becomes nothing.
AS YE SOW and SO SHALLYE REAP
The human mind is much like a farmer’s land. The land gives the farmer a choice. He may plant in that land whatever he chooses. The land doesn’t care what is planted. It’s up to the farmer to make the decision. The mind, like the land, will return what you plant, but it doesn’t care what you plant. If the farmer plants too seeds and one a seed of corn, the other nightshade, a deadly poison, waters and takes care of the land, what will happen?
Remember, the land doesn’t care. It will return poison in just as wonderful abundance as it will corn. So up come the two plants and one corn, one poison as it’s written in the Bible, “As ye sow, so shall ye reap.”
The human mind is far more fertile, far more incredible and mysterious than the land, but it works the same way. It doesn’t care what we plant … success … or failure. A concrete, worthwhile goal … or confusion, misunderstanding, fear, anxiety, and so on. But what we plant it must return to us.
The problem is that our mind comes as standard equipment at birth. It’s free. And things that are given to us for nothing, we place little value on. Things that we pay money for, we value.
The paradox is that exactly the reverse is true. Everything that’s really worthwhile in life came to us free and our minds, our souls, our bodies, our hopes, our dreams, our ambitions, our intelligence, our love of family and children and friends and country. All these priceless possessions are free.
But the things that cost us money are actually very cheap and can be replaced at any time. A good man can be completely wiped out and make another fortune. He can do that several times. Even if our home burns down, we can rebuild it. But the things we got for nothing, we can never replace.
Our mind can do any kind of job we assign to it, but generally speaking, we use it for little jobs instead of big ones. So decide now. What is it you want? Plant your goal in your mind. It’s the most important decision you’ll ever make in your entire life.
Do you want to excel at your particular job? Do you want to go places in your company … in your community? Do you want to get rich? All you have got to do is plant that seed in your mind, care for it, work steadily toward your goal, and it will become a reality.
It not only will, there’s no way that it cannot. You see, that’s a law and like the laws of Sir Isaac Newton, the laws of gravity. If you get on top of a building and jump off, you’ll always go down and you’ll never go up.
And it’s the same with all the other laws of nature. They always work. They’re inflexible. Think about your goal in a relaxed, positive way. Picture yourself in your mind’s eye as having already achieved this goal. See yourself doing the things you will be doing when you have reached your goal.
Every one of us is the sum total of our own thoughts. We are where we are because that’s exactly where we really want or feel we deserve to be and whether we’ll admit that or not. Each of us must live off the fruit of our thoughts in the future, because what you think today and tomorrow and next month and next year and will mould your life and determine your future. You’re guided by your mind.
I remember one time I was driving through e a s t e r n Arizona and I saw one of those giant earthmoving machines roaring along the road with what looked like 30 tons of dirt in it and a tremendous, incredible machine and there was a little man perched way up on top with the wheel in his hands, guiding it.
As I drove along I was struck by the similarity of that machine to the human mind. Just suppose you’re sitting at the controls of such a vast source of energy. Are you going to sit back and fold your arms and let it run itself into a ditch? Or are you going to keep both hands firmly on the wheel and control and direct this power to a specific, worthwhile purpose? It’s up to you. You’re in the driver’s seat. You see, the very law that gives us success is a double edged sword. We must control our thinking.
The same rule that can lead people to lives of success, wealth, happiness, and all the things they ever dreamed of and that very same law can lead them into the gutter. It’s all in how they use it … for good or for bad. That is The Strangest Secret!
Do what the experts since the dawn of recorded history have told us to do: pay the price, by becoming the person you want to become. It’s not nearly as difficult as living unsuccessfully.
The moment you decide on a goal to work toward, you’re immediately a successful person and you are then in that rare group of people who know where they’re going. Out of every hundred people, you belong to the top five.
Don’t concern yourself too much with how you are going to achieve your goal and leave that completely to a power greater than yourself. All you have to do is know where you’re going. The answers will come to you of their own accord, and at the right time.
Start today. You have nothing to lose and but you have your whole life to win.
30-DAYACTION IDEAS FOR PUTTING THE STRANGEST SECRET TO WORK FOR YOU
For the next 30-days follow each of these steps every day until you have achieved your goal.
1. Write on a card what it is you want more that anything else. It may be more money. Perhaps you’d like to double your income or make a specific amount of money. It may be a beautiful home. It may be success at your job. It may be a particular position in life. It could be a more harmonious family.
Write down on your card specifically what it is you want. Make sure it’s a single goal and clearly defined. You needn’t show it to anyone, but carry it with you so that you can look at it several times a day. Think about it in a cheerful, relaxed, positive way each morning when you get up, and immediately you have something to work for and something to get out of bed for, something to live for.
Look at it every chance you get during the day and just before going to bed at night. As you look at it, remember that you must become what you think about, and since you’re thinking about your goal, you realize that soon it will be yours. In fact, it’s really yours the moment you write it down and begin to think about it.
2. Stop thinking about what it is you fear. Each time a fearful or negative thought comes into your mind, replace it with a mental picture of your positive and worthwhile goal. And there will come a time when you’ll feel like giving up. It’s easier for a human being to think negatively than positively. That’s why only five percent are successful! You must begin now to place yourself in that group.
“Act as though it were impossible to fail,” as Dorothea Brande said. No matter what your goal and if you’ve kept your goal before you every day and you’ll wonder and marvel at this new life you’ve found.
3. Your success will always be measured by the quality and quantity of service you render. Most people will tell you that they want to make money, without understanding this law. The only people who make money work in a mint. The rest of us must earn money. This is what causes those who keep looking for something for nothing, or a free ride, to fail in life. Success is not the result of making money; earning money is the result of success ad success is in direct proportion to our service.
Most people have this law backwards. It’s like the man who stands in front of the stove and says to it: “Give me heat and then I’ll add the wood.” How many men and women do you know, or do you suppose there are today, who take the same attitude toward life? There are millions.
We’ve got to put the fuel in before we can expect heat. Likewise, we’ve got to be of service first before we can expect money. Don’t concern yourself with the money. Be of service … build … work … dream … create! Do this and you’ll find there is no limit to the prosperity and abundance that will come to you.
Don’t start your test until you’ve made up your mind to stick with it. If you should fail during your first 30 days and by that I mean suddenly find yourself overwhelmed by negative thoughts and simply start over again from that point and go 30 more days. Gradually, your new habit will form, until you find yourself one of that wonderful minority to whom virtually nothing is impossible.
Above all … don’t worry! Worry brings fear, and fear is crippling. The only thing that can cause you to worry during your test is trying to do it all yourself. Know that all you have to do is hold your goal before you; everything else will take care of itself.
Take this 30-day test, then repeat it … then repeat it again. Each time it will become more a part of you until you’ll wonder how you could have ever have lived any other way. Live this new way and the floodgates of abundance will open and pour over you more riches than you may have dreamed existed. Money? Yes, lots of it. But what’s more important, you’ll have peace … you’ll be in that wonderful minority who lead calm, cheerful, successful lives.
Learn more about Earl Nightingale and his many timeless books and audio programs.
The Strangest Secret
Hope you enjoyed that, now it’s your choice… carry on as before and expect your life to improve or take action, dream and conquer your world? - Mark :)
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