Recognizing The Work Done By Volunteers

Having recently attending numerous community meetings, it has surprised me to observe how many volunteers in our community are willing to give their time and energy to serve their communities.

The efforts of our volunteers a lot of the time go unnoticed but their importance and value cannot be underestimated. I have tremendous respect for those who give so much of themselves without expecting anything in return.

Being involved in the personal development industry, there are many teachers or mentors who share their wisdom and knowledge with those who are looking to improve their lives, and they do it because that's what they love to do. And many of them will do it without expecting anything in return.

This is the best part about sharing your gifts with others - you do it because you want to. Thus, our volunteers should be applauded for the work they do and be supported in any way possible. Our communities are better off because of the work our volunteers do.

Being Motivated

What are things that you will do when you are motivated? Do you surprise yourself with what you accomplish?

I recently noticed how powerful motivation can be at a supermarket out of all places. The checkout counter where I went to was shutting down and there was only one customer after me. The girl at the counter was extremely excited by be finishing her shift and after she had served me, while waiting for my credit card payment to be processed, she lined up the next customer's groceries so that it she would be ready to go. I had observed her while waiting in line before being served and noticed that she was taking her time and not even bothering to look at the next customer's groceries until she had served the current customer.

So it got me thinking about how when we are excited about something, we seem to get extra energy from somewhere and do things we wouldn't always do. Therefore it makes sense that when we are motivated by something, it is usually because it is something we want to do. We are motivated when we enjoy doing what we do. The message is: when we enjoy what we do, things flow and we create effortlessly. A lot of the time, we surprise ourselves by what we accomplish.

For more insights and success principles, grab a copy of my book, 'Hoops and Freedom' today at http://www.hoopsandfreedom.com/

NBA All Star Weekend

The mid season point of the regular NBA season means that it is time for the NBA All Star Weekend. And what a weekend it was!

On Saturday night, Dwayne Wade won his second skills challenge and Jason Kapono tied Mark Price's record from 1994 with 24 points in the final round. The most entertaining event of Saturday night was the race between referee Dick Bavetta and legend Charles Barkley. After challenging 67-year old Bavetta to a race, Barkley came through when it counted and ran the last few metres backwards and fell over the finish line. The crowd were cheering wildly for both competitors.

The glamour event of Saturday night is the slam dunk competition and Boston Celtics Gerald Green pulled off some spectacular dunks and scored a perfect 50 and defeated defending champion Nate Robinson. This is an event where imagination and creativity plays a huge part in determining who will be the eventual winner.

The All Star game on Sunday saw the West defeat the East team 153-132 with Kobe Bryant earning MVP honors for the second time with 31 points, 6 assists and 6 steals. The game did not disappoint with many spectacular plays from players from both teams.

The All Star game is always entertaining and it's no wonder that the NBA has the slogan 'I Love This Game'. For more details on All Star weekend, visit http://www.nba.com/

Giving A Small Gift To Someone

What is one gift you can give someone today that won't cost you a cent?
A smile!

A smile can give a person a little boost and can change their focus to what is great in that particular moment. At times, we all can get caught up in our world of working, looking after the family and kids, driving in peak hour traffic etc. and forget the little things in life that make us happy.

So I encourage you to smile at the next person you see and notice the difference you make to that person. And the best thing is it won't cost you anything. :)

Happy Valentine's Day to you!

How Do You Treat Yourself?

How often do we tend to admonish ourselves for doing something wrong or making an inappropriate comment or in general, letting ourselves down? We are often our hardest task masters.

So the question is how well do you treat yourself? I was asked once something that made me totally change the way I treated myself. The question that was posed to me was, "Would you be friends with someone who treated you the same way you treat yourself?" My response was no and it made me realize how harshly I had been treating myself. So what if I made a mistake - as along as I learned something from the experience and did not cause another person any harm. We tend to grow more as a person after facing obstacles or challenges but our conditioning have made us believe that mistakes are not acceptable or not good enough. I know that's what I had believed for a long time before I started doing personal development work and realized the gift that my daily challenges gave me.

Life isn't always going to be smooth sailing. We will encounter rough waters and when we do, it is important to realize that it's our time to grow just a little bit more. Therefore, we must treat ourselves the same way we expect others to treat us and also the same way we will treat a loved one. When we do that, every experience in life will be a tremendous gift.

For more insights and success principles, grab a copy of my book, 'Hoops and Freedom', today at http://www.hoopsandfreedom.com/

The Power Of Motivation

Does motivation last? The answer of course is no! So why doesn't it last?

Whenever we need motivation, we tend to rely on getting it from external sources. It can be by speaking to a person, or reading a book, or listening to a motivational program or CD. Zig Ziglar has a great quote, "Motivating gets you going and habits gets you there. Make motivating a habit and you will get there more quickly and have more fun on the trip."

Motivation is very important because it can trigger an emotional response in you that can trigger a decision and make a change. But motivation on its own will not work because it is only a temporary solution. What you need to be is self motivated. To be self motivated, you need to go within yourself and tap into that quality called your inner drive or your inner passion. You need to develop habits that are in alignment with the results you want. That's when you'll be able to keep going for what you want even when you don't 'feel' like it. Otherwise, you'll be looking for your regular hit of motivation to keep you going and you'll be hoping to get it from an external source.

Just recognize that motivation will not always last and you need to be clear on the vision and result you are going for, and rely on your natural drive and passion to get you there.

For more insights and success principles, grab a copy of my book, 'Hoops and Freedom', today at http://www.hoopsandfreedom.com/

Creating Synergy

On my morning walks, I tend to observe with interest the people I see either walking or jogging. In recent times, I have noticed that a few people do their morning exercises with a partner. There is something special about creating a result with another person. As human beings, we tend to want to share our experiences with other people especially when it is a positive experience. In a sense, it enhances the experience and we enjoy it even more.

That's what synergy can do. There is an old saying, "Two heads are better than one". When we create an experience with someone it gives us more energy and drive. Take for instance having an exercise partner. Obviously, there will be times when one person will not feel like doing exercise on a particular day for whatever reason they may have. By having a partner or a friend there to support and encourage, you will receive the inspiration and motivation to break out of your limiting thoughts and actually go exercising. It is so much more powerful when you have someone supporting you. When I am in my limiting beliefs, I will tend to do things on my own and not ask for help. While at times, it does work out fine, it usually takes longer to reach the desired end result. When I allow myself to receive assistance or guidance, I usually spend less energy and end up creating a better result in a shorter period of time.

Synergy is such a powerful thing and when its full potential is utilized, results can be created effortlessly.

For more insights and success principles, grab a copy of my book, 'Hoops and Freedom', today at http://www.hoopsandfreedom.com/

Influences In Our Lives

Have you ever thought of what and who have influenced your life greatly? It could be your parents, your teachers, your friends, your sports coaches or your new town or city.

We all have been influenced in some way, shape or form. When someone tries to influence us, they are sharing their beliefs and ideas about a particular subject or topic. We can be influenced in a positive and empowering way or a negative and disempowering way. For me, the biggest things that have influenced my life are: emigrating to Australia, attending university, and starting personal development courses. These events have shaped the direction of my life and they were initially triggered by one thing - a decision!

Although I did not make the decision to emigrate to Australia (that was done by my parents), every major changes in my life have been shaped by the decisions I made. This then leads to the realization that change is caused by a decision. Although you cannot change your destination immediately, you can certainly change the direction in which you are heading in an instant.

Ultimately, decisions are what influences the quality of the results we get in our lives, and they also determine the direction in which we head in our lives. Therefore, the ability to make informed and powerful decisions is an important ability to develop and nuture. When used wisely, the results created can be extraordinary.

For more insights and success principles, grab a copy of my book, 'Hoops and Freedom', today at http://www.hoopsandfreedom.com/

Recognizing Opportunities

During my last coaching session, it was pointed out by my coach that I was still yet to fully recognize the opportunities that were coming my way. It is very true! There have been many occasions where an idea or a solution to something I want to create has basically fallen into my lap but I have failed to take advantage of the opportunity.

I once heard that almost everybody gets a million dollar idea a few times a week. But unfortunately, most people either do not recognize the idea or if they do, they fail to take any action towards making that idea turn into a reality that will be of benefit to them.

Just today I seized on an opportunity that came my way! What happened was that a sales person or 'a marketing consultant' as she referred to herself, came to my house to offer me a better deal for my gas and electricity bills. While listening to her speak, I recognized that she had excellent communication skills and presented herself very well. So I asked her if she would be willing to help promote my book, 'Hoops and Freedom', to people since she was out and about and already speaking to them. She was interested in the idea and we agreed to do a trial and see how that would work out. While I do not know if it is going to be successful or not, the point is that an opportunity came my way and I was able to recognize it and take advantage of it. I have taken action towards my vision of having my book reach as many people as I can. By the way, I did agree to the new deal she was offering!

It is important to know that opportunities are all around us and it is up to us to take advantage of them. The universe is always providing us in many ways and we need to be aware of them.

For more insights and success principles, grab a copy of my book, 'Hoops and Freedom', today at http://www.hoopsandfreedom.com/

Giving Meaning To Experiences

I have been reading Viktor Frankl's book 'Man's Search For Meaning', which is his account of the experiences he had in a Nazi concentration camp, and have found it to be a remarkable story by a remarkable man. I had heard of this book for a couple of years but had not made the effort to acquire it and now that I have, I am so glad that I did.

Reading his experiences has reinforced to me that no matter how what your situation is in life, the only thing that matters is the meaning you give to the experience. Viktor used his experiences in the concentration camp to empower himself, and used his talents and skills to help others, not just in the camp but later on in life as well. He was a great example of how powerful the human spirit is. He did not allow his experiences, which most of us would define as horrible, to affect his mind. The messages he gave himself were positive and empowering. Similarly, there are other great icons who have been a great example of what is possible if you use any experience in life as an opportunity to make a difference. People like Nelson Mandela, Ghandi, Martin Luther King Jr to name a few have all impacted the world in a profound way. These icons knew how to use their experiences today to make a better tomorrow.

The quality of our life is shaped by the meaning we give to our everyday experiences. Every thing happens for a reason and it is up to each of us to benefit from each experience and grow as a person.

For more insights and success principles, grab a copy of my book, 'Hoops and Freedom', today at http://www.hoopsandfreedom.com/

Connection With Another Person

Here's something that I have pondered on for a while. All throughout my life, I have believed that opposites attract. Things have different poles and everything are on certain vibrations. Every vibration exists on the same pole but it can be at different ends. For example, there is hot and cold on the vibration of temperature, there is good and bad on the vibration of worth, and there is rich and poor on the vibration of wealth.

What has this got to do with anything you may be asking? Well, I'm relating this to a recent experience I had, where I had a chat with a person I had never met before. In terms of the conversation we had, there was a lot of synergy between us because we had similar interests, had a similar upbringing and childhood memories and we speak the same language, literally. It was the best conversation I had with a person I had never met in my life. So, it raises the question, do opposites really attract?

My belief is that when it comes to human connection, it is measured by the type of conversation you will have with another person. In my experience, I have connected with people on a much deeper level if they had similar interests, beliefs and values to mine. That may well be the reason why communities, groups and forums have been created - being around like-minded people! Connection with a person who has a similar lifestyle and interest certainly does increase your energy levels and bring out your passions.

But it also raises the question whether you will get bored if you are around the same minded people all the time. Anthony Robbins has shared what he believes are the six human needs and the first two are Certainly and Uncertainty or Variety. He basically states that all humans need to have some level of certainty in their life, where they know what they have to do, what will happen and how to do things. On the other hand, if there are no surprises in a person's life, they will become extremely bored and hence, won't enjoy life as much as they would like to. We all love experiencing different things from time to time.

So, the theme here is that it is vital when connecting with a person, you have things in common but you also have differences that will stimulate both of you in different ways. At times, it is better not to know what's ahead in life or what a friendship with a person will entail. That's what makes life the beautiful gift it is.

For more insights and success principles, grab a copy of my book, 'Hoops and Freedom', today at http://www.hoopsandfreedom.com

Living Your Life Purpose

Do you know who you really are?

If someone asked you that question what would you say? Maybe your name, how old you are, what you do for a job. You might say where you're from and what kind of background you have.

If someone asked you to tell them all about yourself, what would you answer? Maybe you'd say what kinds of things you're into, the films you love, the fun and exciting things you do at the weekends, and how you plan to travel and see the world.

But who are you?

What's under the clothes, the lifestyle and the smile? What makes you tick? What is your purpose in life?

Read more here at: http://www.hoopsandfreedom.com/article-LivingYourLifePurpose.html


For more insights and success principles, grab a copy of my book, 'Hoops and Freedom', today at http://www.hoopsandfreedom.com

Do Other People's Opinion Matter?

Why did I ask that question?

We all know everybody's got an opinion and they can resonate as being true or be absolute hogwash. I'd like to share a conversation I had with a close friend of mine, Jamie, a few days ago. She had just received her book, Around The World With One Bra, back from her first editor.

According to her editor, her book, which is Jamie's story of personal transformation while travelling around the world for over 12 months, was well described but that it did not have enough content to sustain a reader’s interest. Her editor also said she needed to convey her internal transformation as well as her physical journey in her story. Basically, in a polite way, she told Jamie that her story was just a backpacker's tale and didn't have much substance in her book!

Having done personal development work for a number of years now, I know all that matters is what's true. While it is okay to listen to other people's opinion, what should really matter is what resonates as being true to you. When Jamie shared what her editor had commented to her, I was surprised to say the least because I know Jamie to be an extremely talented and insightful writer. What her editor had said to her did not resonate as being true to me and without wanting to give my 'opinion' to her, I simply said that whatever she chose to do would be what's needed to be done. Nobody else could tell Jamie what was true. That would be something that she would realize herself.

I shared my recent book editing experiences with her, having just released my first book, Hoops and Freedom. My experience was remarkable in the sense that I attracted an amazing editor, who did such a fantastic job for an absolute bargain price. I gave Jamie the details of my editor and I am pleased to say that they have come to an agreement to work together. So Jamie is happy and so is my editor. I'm delighted to have assisted a good friend in one of her creations.

Having learnt over the years about going for one's truth, I now realize there is nothing greater than what is true. And the bottom line is that nobody really knows what's true for you except you. Other people can give you their opinion or say that this is what they get as being true, which is all fine, but ultimately, all that matters is what resonates with your heart. Nobody knows that better than you.

For more insights and success principles, get a copy of my book, 'Hoops and Freedom', today at http://www.hoopsandfreedom.com/