Daily Motivation 8-8-2012

Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Today's Gift

The important thing is not to conquer but to have fought at all. —Olympic motto

People come from all over the world to participate in the Olympics, and they come with a wide range of talent. A lot of them know they will not win a medal, yet they have trained hard for their event. They meet people from all corners of the earth who love the same activity.

There is a contagious joy and excitement the athletes share in their time together. It is a sense that the sharing of worldwide joy and peace is indeed possible.

Whether we succeed or fail in what we do is not the essential thing. What is important is the heart with which we live our lives.

If I could share something with the world, what would it be?

From Today's Gift: Daily Meditations for Families ©

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Twenty-Four Hours a Day

 

Walk In Dry Places

Attitude

 

Competing with others
Some of us never liked close competition. We preferred to be clear winners or not to compete at all. We didn't like to have competitors breathing down our necks.

This attitude kept us from doing our best, and we made a mistake when we thought we were competing with others. We're actually competing with ourselves at all times, trying to do better than we did yesterday. The presence of other people only helps us to set performance standards and goals.

 

Once we accept the idea of self-improvement, we can delight in competition. We can take satisfaction in situations where, though we were not number one, we came in a close second instead of a sullen last.

Action for the Day: I'll know today that I'm always working with others but only competing against myself.

 

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One Day At A Time

 

Complacency
It is easy to let up on the spiritual program of action and rest on our laurels.
We are headed for trouble if we do, for alcohol and drugs are a subtle foes.
We are not cured of our dysfunction.
What we really have is a daily reprieve
contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 85

Thought to Ponder . . .
I didn't make it all the way to the beach just to drown in the sand.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
S W A T = Surrender, Willingness, Action, Trust.

 

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Daily Motivation

All the way there

The most powerful time to persist is when you don’t feel like it. Keep going, and the persistence itself will make you feel much better.

The most powerful time for keeping your expectations high is when those expectations are not being met. Persist in expecting the best, and in backing up your expectations with action.

When things are not working out, that’s an opportunity for you to get busy working diligently and purposefully. When there’s a difficult challenge standing in your way, there’s meaningful value on the other side of that challenge.

If it seems you’ve run out of ideas, and you’re being blocked at every turn, go ahead and step confidently forward. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

The energy, the resources and the opportunities are most certainly there. Persistence is how you prove that you’re ready and willing to make the most of those opportunities.

When you’re weary, frustrated and disappointed, you’re also closer than ever to the goal. Persist, and get yourself all the way there.

— Ralph Marston