Working on Self-Mastery

Ric Thompson sent me this tidbit in an email from Healthy Wealthy N Wise. I wanted to pass it on because it really struck a chord with me. . .

Think of a day, any day in 2009. Got one?

Now ask yourself if on that day, if there will not be a need for honesty, integrity, compassion, goal clarity, good judgment, or focus.

And the answer is, of course not.

There will never be a day in the coming year (or your life) that will not require honesty,integrity, compassion, goal clarity, good judgment, or focus and the feeling that you can improve.

Each and EVERY day offers an opportunity for improvement and each moment serves as an advance or retreat in the pursuit of your goals.

Now that 2009 has arrived, you can decide if you are going to make it the best year of your life. To do so, you must focus on self-mastery as the key to creating a personal revolution.

Self-mastery is a lifelong pursuit because life is a work in progress. You never totally arrive; there's always some polishing to do, knowledge to gain, and love to deepen. Self-development ends only when we run out of time. You are, and will always be, a self in evolution.

Everyone can improve a little as a parent, child, spouse, friend, citizen, or employee. No one is perfect; no one walks the straight and narrow line all the time. Theabsence of perfection leaves the door open for improvement.

Our fight is not external; it lies in internal mastery over self. The aim of personal development is self-mastery. If we are to gain mastery over events and experience greater levels of performance, we must first gain mastery over ourselves.

Let there be no doubt: as long as you continue to blame others instead of assuming your own responsibilities, you will make no meaningful and enduring change for the better. To have and enjoy certain liberties requires us to hold ourselves
accountable for our actions.

Here's a truth you can lean on: Self-mastery is dependentupon YOU becoming a better person. It's a solo act, which requires contemplative thought, behavior modification,
along with a healthy dose of humility.

To enjoy a better life, you must first become a better person. If you want to be a better manager, become a better person. If you want to become a better parent, become a
better person. If you want to be a better doctor, become a better person. If you aspire to greater spheres of influence, become a better person.

One well-executed idea - or one person who's attracted to you because of what you've become - can change your life forever. So goal setting should primarily focus on yourself - becoming the best person you can possibly become so people are attracted into your life.

Self-mastery means surfacing and re-examining all those assumptions and beliefs that operate today in your life and business. It's about more than simply acquiring new knowledge and insights; it's also crucial to unlearn old knowledge that has outlived its relevance. Thus, forgetting is probably at least as important as learning.

Self-mastery begins with a few questions:

" How should I live my life so that I am fulfilled content
in the new year?

" Am I becoming the person I was meant to be on the day I
was born?

" In order for me to make more money in 2009, what habits
must I begin to initiate. . .immediately?

" What should I begin doing today in order to leave a
lasting legacy once I'm gone?

" Which behavioral vices must be removed and replaced with
virtues?

" How can I can contribute and make myself more useful as
a human being?

Answers to questions like these require an intense evaluation of your life.

In 2009, concentrate your energies on what needs development and how you can perform better. Don't play games by denying the reality of a certain part of your character or personality because it's easy and convenient through the creation of false perceptions.

Habits-good and bad alike-are lifelong companions and hold court, acting as both judge and jury, over personal development. Your primary challenge in the coming year is to withstand the effects of your own bad habits which are like psychological landmines strewn through the landscape of your life.

Life is an ongoing journey, with lots of beginnings and continuations. We never get to a point when all knowledge is attained and understood, when our bodies function
flawlessly, when we completely honor our values, and achieve every goal.

Astonish Yourself in 2009!

What's Important?

Most of us want a little fun out of life. Yet we make life so complicated, we lose the fun. We are busy working, worrying, and wondering what we should really be doing with our life. Have you taken any time to think about what you really like to do? Give yourself 30 minutes to find a quiet place and think about what makes you smile. . .what makes you laugh. . . what makes you feel really good.

Make a list of all these things. Now look at the list and see what is really important to you. Got more than one? List them side by side and pick the one that you are most passionate about. Continue down the list, comparing until you have the top 5. When was the last time you pursued anything in your top 5? Are you letting your days slip by? Look at what you listed at the top of the list. How can you go about doing this more often to feel a little more fun and fulfillment in your life?

A book called The Passion Test is an enlightening tool to help you find your passion and fulfill it.

Get the book here.

Yours for a more passionate life,
Marsha