STOP WAILING YOU'RE ORDINARY

Good morning, world! :-)
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A quote I have always loved and I am sure that you will, too, is this.......

"My mother knew a distinction between achievement and success. She said that -- "Achievement is the knowledge that you have studied and worked hard and done the best in you. Success is being praised by others, and that's nice, too, but not as important or satisfying. Always aim for achievement and forget about success." --------- Helen Hayes

Unquote.

And yet success, more often than not, is what we aim for. Success by what the world teaches us. That success the world holds up as its standard. That which is accompanied by applause, trophies, title and recognition; that one which brings you to the center of the stage with the spotlight on you and you feeling so pleased with yourself. But that's nice too. I don't mind seeing myself up there on that stage..... Being there in that fantastic moment savoring the sweet feel of applause!

But wait......

Because I remember mom tell me long ago that success for the most part is a feeling from within rather than it is from without. It's what you experience or feel in your core and does not necessarily depend on what transpires externally on a grand or grander scale. I think what she meant was it does not matter if the task be minute or colossal but if you gave it your best shot, did your best with it, you are just as successful as the person who invented the light bulb. That would be, by the best standards in point of value, a huge success. That in any language is quite an achievement ---- being your best you!

Well, all that considered, we can call ourselves achievers every day! Right? Because every day as we get on with our respective lives we give it everything we've got. Giving everything to life with what we are and with what we are allowed to have. We study hard, work hard, think hard, honest in our hearts, tumble and fall with bad breaks and yet rise up again much stronger everytime.

I have achieved much in my life, too. Just like everybody else. Maybe it won't hug the headlines but in my tiny corner of the world the spotlight's on me. And the applause I hear I think is the applause of a happy God who I believe is mighty pleased with it. After all as I understand it, God does not require extraordinary things only from extraordinary people ......... but rather that ordinary puny people (like us) do mundane tasks (which sometimes admittedly can be quite so boring and bland) extraordinarily well with who they are and what they have. 

Because honestly.....

It’s not the little or much but rather the honest sincere heart that brings it to the table which pleases a mighty God. 

Blessings, everyone. Give the day and life and God your best shot. Have a great day

WORDS THAT HAVE MADE THEIR MARK

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Well, has it ever occurred to you getting hooked by something someone has said? That's what Maya Angelou's words did to me. 

Many, in fact dozens, of Maya Angelou 's quotes have bitten off a huge chunk of my heart and mind ... replaced them with her wisdom. Here are just a few which I bring here to share with you. I appreciate and thank Maya for putting these thoughts brilliantly together in such a wonderful piece.. or pieces.

Let's see.... beginning from the top....

1)   Admit that on this planet not everybody is your ally or friend. And people as they are have their own individual lives to live and agenda to pursue. Remember how often we've been told and reminded by the wise that life should be lived positively and not to allow any of the negatives to anchor itself on you. Sometimes I forget that rule because I just do what we ordinarily do.... trust. Realizing soon enough and too late that I was just an option. Sad but I have learned since. God is good.

2)   Friends have always warned me to be careful of 'friend requests' here or on any social site. They're talking about 'wolves in sheep's clothing'. Honestly, it's a fact in and out of connections and contacts. There will be good as well as bad in most everything in life. Yet I won't ever want to miss the chance to meet someone who God might be sending into my life as a friendly blessing. Or maybe meant to be both to each other. By God's design.

3)   Everyone is born with talent. But receiving this gift from God doesn't end there. Use it. God blesses you with a kind heart, be kind.. super kind. God gives you the ability to paint, paint masterpieces. God equips you with the skill to write, so then write till your fingers drop - write your heart out till it bursts. When you receive, learn to give back. You see, it's a wonderful way of praising and thanking a Magnificent God.

4)   I keep hearing this from my relatives who believe that success is measured on how much you earn or how much is in your bank account. But as a teenager I was bothered by that and felt that something was wrong in there somewhere. If it was all about money and looking from where I was starting, it would surely use up all of my lifetime to get where I wanted to be. But Mom would always remind me that ... 'it's what best you can put on the table which truly would define your success. The kind that matters.' -- And it's not always all about money.  

  
So there you are. Am sure that you have your own lists and corresponding insights to words of wisdom from people you admire. Indeed they too help us understand much of what goes on in life.

DONE EXTRAORDINARILY WELL

A quote I have always loved and I am sure that you will, too, to quote.......

 "My mother knew a distinction between achievement and success. She said that -- "Achievement is the knowledge that you have studied and worked hard and done the best in you.  

Success is being praised by others, and that's nice, too, but not as important or satisfying.  

Always aim for achievement and forget about success."   

---- Helen Hayes

Unquote.

And yet success is what we aim for. Success by what the world teaches us. That one which is accompanied by applause, trophies, title and recognition; that one which brings you to the center of the stage with the spotlight on you and you feeling so pleased with yourself. But that's nice too. I don't mind seeing myself up there on that stage..... being there in that fantastic moment savoring the sweet smell of success!

But wait......

I remember mom tell me before that success for the most part is a feeling within rather than it is without. It's what you experience or feel within in your core and does not necessarily depend on what transpires externally on a grand or grander scale. I think what she meant was it does not matter if the task be minute or colossal but if you gave it your best shot, did your best with it, you are just as successful as the person who invented the light bulb. That would be, by the best standards in point of value, a huge success. Quite an achievement!

Well, all that considered, we can call ourselves achievers everyday! Because everyday as we get on with our respective lives we give it everything we've got. Giving everything to life with what we are and with what we are allowed to have. We study hard, work hard, think hard, honest in our hearts, tumble and fall with bad breaks and yet rise up again even much stronger.

I have achieved much in my life, too. Just like everybody else. Maybe it won't hug the headlines but in my tiny world the spotlight's on me. And the applause I think I hear is the applause of a happy God who I believe is mighty pleased for what I have done or do. After all as I understand it, God does not require extraordinary things from extraordinary people but that we do ordinary things extraordinarily well. But don't we do that everyday!?? And that's fantastic!

Blessings, everyone. Give the day and life and God your best shot.

SUCCESS MAY BE SWEET BUT ACHIEVEMENT SWEETER

Here's a sterling piece of quote we should include in our stack of favorite quotes, by Helen Hayes...

"My mother knew a distinction between achievement and success. She said that  --- "achievement is the knowledge that you have studied and worked hard and done the best in you.  Success is being praised by others, and that's nice, too, but not as important or satisfying.  Always aim for achievement and forget about success."   -- Helen Hayes

She is right, isn't she? Because success sometimes can be quite empty but achievement on the other hand always fulfills. In some instances success isn't about you but on having the right situation, the right circumstance, the right breaks, the right people. You didn't even have to be so smart. It's still success tho for what it's positive worth.

Achievement is a different game. A battle in which you put yourself into a hundred percent. You dig your brains out and splatter it all over the place while your heart goes thumping hard through its highs and lows. You lose sleep over it assailed by doubts and regrets. You wonder if it's worth doing at all? But you persevere because something there inside of you is a spark that won't allow itself to be diminished however whatever nor by whoever. It's your sweat blood and tears, your wounds bruises and hurts, your cliff-hanging moments, your crashing head-on through obstacles, your falling down and standing up again. It may take a longer time but you don't care! This is you and this is what truly matters. And then one day you're there!!

The sweet sweetest smell of achievement. You did it! Plus a bonus as success comes trailing you close behind.

To my young friends out there in the world, success may be sweet but achievement is sweeter.  Aim for achievement. It's worth all the trouble.

To God be the glory.
Have a blessed day, good people!

THE HABIT OF VERY SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE

A nephew online asked me this question --- " Tita (aunt), so what's the habit of very successful people?" --

The answer? --- It's being able to get up every time you fall.

Everybody has a dream tucked up somewhere there in the mind and heart. Big dreams, small dreams, big goals, small goals, big ambitions, small ambitions. It's all beautiful. Don't let anyone tell you that it's just a waste of time because there's no guarantee that you may get it or even come close, or so they think. Although I could agree on that 'no guarantee' bit because indeed there's plenty of obstacles or hurdles to conquer, sometimes can be quite overwhelming and might make you want to give up, and the unpleasant unexpected can rear its ugly head down the road... thus may affect decisions or actions. But we've read a lot bout other people's success stories, haven't we, and do know what the common denominator was or is --- It's being able to get up every time you fall.

Thomas Edison failed a thousand times. I'm not saying we would. What am saying is he tried a thousand times before finally coming to one that really worked. In essence that is what will happen with the rest of us... stumble and fall 10 maybe 20 times to say the least, but we're expected to pick ourselves up 10 or 20 times too and start all over again -- and perhaps for another round maybe of falling and getting up again. But get up we must. That's the trick that gets the dream.

The same trick that would get you your dream job or position, career or profession, medals, awards, titles, recognition. Name it, you can have it. Use the trick. ------------

Somebody said this, to quote.....

"The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience." Unquote.

WHAT IS SUCCESS

When I was asked about success, I smiled. Because if I were younger I would say a flashy car, a mansion, a bank account, travels round the world, a title, gourmet dishes, fancy clothes etc. But now that am older and have seen much bout life... I can say that those things don't matter much altho yes it has its uses. Success is when everything around you goes crazy but you stand steady and tall, serene and unperturbed and say: "this too shall pass". Because you know that nothing ever lasts and that the true measure of success is not on externalities -- but in your core... who you are and Who your Power Source is.