Motivation/Inspiration

6
Jul/100

seeing things

“seeing things” requires the following… literally through lenses; figuratively despite filters:

http://www.wordle.net

©2010 Tom Leu

Filed under: Motivation/Inspiration

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25
May/101

easy to be hard

Apr-25, originally uploaded by tomleu68.

The old Three Dog Night song says “it’s easy to be hard; easy to be cold; easy to say no; easy to be proud; easy to give in.”

It may be easy to give in, but it’s [not] easy to be hard… to say “no.”

It IS easy to give in RATHER than standing up for what you believe in.

Because it’s often easier to believe in what everyone else believes in.

There’s a bigger market for believing.

There’s less resistance. There’s already an infrastructure in place. Power in numbers… that whole thing.

I’ve heard it said it’s easy to be cynical and skeptical… particularly when it comes to matters of faith, religion, and spirituality.

It’s not.

It’s much easier to embrace blind faith than to ask hard questions.

The faithful are applauded while the reasonable are ridiculed.

This contemptous relationship endures.

Cynicism and skepticism are often used as synonyms. It’s semantics, but there’s a big difference between the two.

Cynicism is a mistrusting of the motives of others.

Skepticism is a doubting or questioning attitude or state of mind.

I’m often skeptical, yet only sometimes cynical.

It’s not easy to be skeptical.

It’s not easy to ask hard questions.

It’s not easy to doubt and demand.

It’s not easy to go against the grain.

It’s not easy to risk.

It’s not easy to reject the status quo.

It’s not easy to stand alone.

It’s not easy to choose the minority.

It’s not easy to be hard.

It’s not easy… but necessary.

More necessary today than ever.

©2010 Tom Leu

Tagged as: agnosticism, cynicism, faith, religion, skepticism, spirituality

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21
Apr/100

change for the bitter

Sept-18, originally uploaded by tomleu68.

change can make you better.

or change can make you bitter.

but change is inevitable, unavoidable, and often uncomfortable.

whether you like it or not.

whether you want it or not.

it’s coming.

embrace it, or buck it, it’s up to you.

you can choose to get better or you can choose to get bitter.

change for the better means looking forward.

change for the bitter means looking backward.

either way it’s your decision in the present.

so give yourself a gift.

get over the bitter and resolve to get better.

get on board, go with flow, and adapt.

your future depends on it.

©2010 Tom Leu

Tagged as: change, making changes

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7
Apr/100

outside looking in

Mar-29, originally uploaded by tomleu68.

Sometimes you only need to show up and be prepared to get great results. Such is life at times I suppose…

The sky, the river, the lights, and the night make this one for me.

©2010 Tom Leu

Tagged as: Motivation/Inspiration, Photography

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18
Jan/102

limited possibility perspective?

Do you suffer from LPP? A lot of people do and don’t realize it. What is it?

Simply put… the Limited Possibility Perspective is thinking that you can’t, more than believing that you can. It is operating from a scarcity mentality that tells us that dreams cannot or do not come true.

Great things are accomplished by those who dare to dream.

Those who refuse to accept the status quo.

Those who take intelligent risks and live on purpose.

Those who embrace and expand their perspective of possibilities.

Those who courageously step out and take action over apprehension… often in the midst of adversity and uncertainty.

If all this sounds like a bunch of positive thinking, motivational and inspirational nonsense to you… then you are likely suffering from acute LPP right now.

Limiting our possibilities makes the world appear very small. Physics tells us that when spaces get small, the pressure goes up. The world of possibility is vast. Options and opportunities are everywhere. But you have to look for them. You have to see them. Sometimes “seeing things” is the best thing.

But this same world is full of nay-sayers and dream stealers ready and willing to tell the rest of us what can’t be done and isn’t possible in their opinion and from their perspective. It appears as though they get great joy from pounding and pouncing on others’ ambition when in fact they are just running scared themselves. Run from these people. Distance yourself from dream stealers and instead surround yourself with dreamers who decide to do each and everyday.

Regardless of our individual definitions of success, or the actual outcomes, greatness is reserved for those who pursue it. And this greatness exists within the pursuit of possibility.

“Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who believed that something inside of them was superior to circumstance.” – Bruce Barton

©2010 Tom Leu

Tagged as: dreams, optimisim, positive thinking, possibilities, success, taking action

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10
Dec/090

begin an end

Like a lot of people, endings often make me sad. It’s been this way my whole life. Whether it’s the end of a vacation, a marriage, or a movie, the idea of something that was anticipated being over is depressing. It’s been said that the end of one era begins yet another. So to begin an end means to anticipate the conclusion of events, relationships, and seasons of life in advance. To prepare mentally for the inevitable. It’s not morbid, it’s practical.

begin-end Not all endings are bad of course. In fact, oftentimes they’re actually good things… just in disguise. Some things inevitably have to end in order for the benefits to finally come from them.

The band Semisonic puts it like this… “every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” So instead of looking at something being finished as an ending, maybe we ought to look at it as the next beginning of something even better. Always the optimist, this notion appeals to me much more.

This anonymous quote sums it up nicely for me: “Don’t cry because it’s over; smile because it happened.” Begin an end where the end result is the beginning of your next new outcome.

©2009 Tom Leu

Tagged as: beginnings, endings, seasons

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1
Dec/090

the poison persuasion

Article up on Examiner.com:

It’s not about how good you are, it’s about how good of a communicator you are.

Example: 80’s hair metal bands Ratt and Poison. Like most of this era’s glam-metal groups, these two bands are often better known for their hair styles and lifestyles, rather than their music…

Read full article >>

http://www.examiner.com/x-29067-Music-Marketing–Motivation-Examiner~y2009m12d1-RattPoison

Comments and article sharing always welcome!

©2009 Tom Leu

Tagged as: hair bands, hair metal, marketing, persuasion, Poison

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28
Nov/090

“When I Grow Up” #7

So what do you want to be when you grow up?

I have no idea.

No idea? Really?

I used to think I knew, but I didn’t, and still don’t think I do. Not exactly.

I find that hard to believe.

Why’s that?

Because you’re always so busy with so many projects, and you appear so focused and seem to have so much direction and purpose in life.

Interesting words you used: busy, projects, appear, seem, direction, purpose… As an old acquaintance of mine once said, “It’s all smoke and mirrors.”

How’s that?

She said that she was aware of how all of her activity looked to others. It appeared as though she was really doing well because of all the outward activity that others could see. And that was by design. It was being done on purpose to promote that she was very purposeful. And she was.

But she wasn’t doing well in reality? Was it all an act?

Well, I don’t know. That’s really a question only she could answer. I mean, it’s years later now and she still seems to have quite a bit going on when I look her up online. She’s doing all the things she’s always done and more. I guess by some measure she’s doing well… whatever that means to her.

I’m confused.

Just because someone has a lot going on externally doesn’t necessarily mean they have it all together internally. Get it?

Sort of.

I have done, and have had, many, many different careers in my “career” thus far. I have been a musician, salesman, manager, writer, public speaker, television host, producer, and teacher among other things. And I’m proud to say that I have excelled with each of the various occupations I have ever undertaken.

So what’s the problem?

I’m not exactly sure, except for the nagging fact that I never seem satisfied with my path; with myself. There’s always a certain amount of perpetual discontent present.

I’m confused again.

I get to learn (new things). I execute. I do well. Then I do very well. Then I get bored. Then I inevitably move on. Repeat.

There’s got to be certain things that you don’t tire of, yes?

There are.

How about “doing” those things?

I’ve been attempting that for many years now. But the problem is that I always wish to turn these things into my business; my livelihood; the way I make money.

Why?

Because whether it’s right or wrong, that’s how I measure and evaluate the relative success of these endeavors. When I undertake something and they don’t actually produce as much as I expect them to… I question everything. I doubt. Discontent creeps back in. And I want to quit.

So if these endeavors make money, then you’re successful, and if they don’t, you’re not.

I believe so.

I believe that’s what you believe. But does that belief make it so?

What’s that supposed to mean?

I mean… just because someone believes something doesn’t necessarily mean that what they believe is actually true.

Yes, I suppose that’s true. But what is “true” for each of us profoundly shapes our perspective and ultimately our behavior. What we do and don’t do each and every moment, each and every day is largely influenced by our “truth” – whatever that is.

So… whether something is actually true or not in reality, if it’s my truth, then it’s true (for me) because it’s likely to significantly affect my decisions and my behavior. Is that what you’re saying?

That’s what I’m saying.

It’s not really about adjusting behavior but more about adjusting beliefs?

Exactly. I’ve heard it said “you can’t think your way into new behavior, you have to act your way into new thinking” or something like that.

So back to what you want to be when you grow up…?

Yeah, well I’m still working on how I perceive all of that. I realize that my thinking in this area is likely a bit skewed. I think psychosocially speaking, all of us are always “working” on how we see our world and where we fit into it.

And of course, this is an ongoing process, not a one-time event.

Well that’s how it’s turning out for me. The point is that if we truly want something to change here, there, or anywhere, we have to adjust our perspective. We have to allow other viewpoints into the mix. We need to attempt to see things in a different way if we hope to move in a different direction.

Isn’t that kind of a “grown up” realization?

It sounds like it doesn’t it? But I think that “being” is a destination resulting from the “growing up” process.

Do we ever really grow up then?

Man, I hope not.

Me neither.