Month: March 2014 Page 1 of 2

This week I saw this quote by Gandhi:

“Keep your THOUGHTS positive because your thoughts become your WORDS

Keep your WORDS positive because your words become your BEHAVIOUR

Keep your BEHAVIOUR positive because your behaviour becomes your HABITS

Keep your HABITS positive because your habits become your VALUES

Keep your VALUES positive because they become your DESTINY.”

This  reminded of a story I was told some time ago about Mahatma Gandhi and that integrity is all about matching your thoughts, feelings and words to your actions

In 1931, Gandhi traveled to Britain to attend the round table conference and influence the British public over the plight of India under British rule. Gandhi arrived at the meeting, which was also attended by members of parliament. Here was a man with no perceived power. He appeared frail, dressed in simple robes with no political office and no wealth. He spoke for nearly two hours without notes and he mesmerized many members of parliament and the press.

Since it was difficult for the press to reach Gandhi due to the crowds and security, the press approached his secretary, Mahadev Desai to ask some questions. One of the questions they asked Gandhi’s secretary was how he was able to speak so powerfully for 2 hours without any notes! He said, “You don’t understand. You don’t understand Gandhi. You see what he thinks is what he feels. What he feels is what he says and what he says is what he does. What Gandhi thinks, what he feels, what he says and what he does are all the same. He does not need notes. You and I think things that sometimes may be different than what we feel. What we say depends on who’s listening. What we do depends on who’s watching. It is not so with him. He needs no notes.”

What simple wisdom for us all to learn from and simplify our thinking and lives.

This week, have a think about if there is any scope to simplify your thinking and your life. What benefits would this bring to you?

Quote for the week – “Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity” W. Clement Stone.

To arrange a free no obligation consultation, please contact Stephen Pauley via the contact form or by e mail: Stephen@befirstclass.co.uk

I am a big believer in the power of visualisation and this week I thought I would share a story that illustrates the power of our minds and the role it can play in achieving the results that we desire.

The story is about Major James Nesmeth and was originally featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen.

Major Nesmeth had a dream of improving his golf game – and he developed a unique method of achieving his goal. Until he devised this method, he was just your average weekend golfer, shooting in the mid- to low- nineties. Then, for seven years, he completely quit the game, he never touched a club and did not set a foot on the fairway.

Ironically, it was during this seven-year break from the game that Major Nesmeth came up with his amazingly effective technique for improving his game – a technique we can all learn from. In fact, the first time he set foot on a golf course after his hiatus from the game, he shot an astonishing 74!

He had cut 20 strokes off his average without having swung a club in seven years! Unbelievable, not only that, but his physical condition had actually deteriorated during those seven years.

Major Nesmeth’s secret was visualisation. Major Nesmeth had spent those seven years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam. During those seven years, he was imprisoned in a cage approximately four and one-half feet high and five feet long.

During almost the entire time he was imprisoned, he saw no one, talked to no one and experienced no physical activity. During the first few months he did virtually nothing except hope and say prayers for his release. Then he realised he had to find some way to occupy his mind or he would lose his sanity and probably his life. That’s when he learned to visualise.

In his mind, he selected his favourite golf course and started playing golf. Every day, he played a full 18 holes at the imaginary country club of his dreams. He experienced everything to the last detail. He saw himself dressed in his golfing clothes. He smelled the fragrance of the trees and the freshly trimmed grass. He experienced different weather conditions – windy spring days, overcast winter days and sunny summer mornings. In his imagination, every detail of the tee, the individual blades of grass, the trees, the singing birds, the scampering squirrels and the lay of the course become totally real.

He felt the grip of the club in his hands. He instructed himself as he practiced smoothing out his down-swing and the follow-through of his shot. Then he watched the ball arc down the exact centre of the fairway, bounce a couple of times and roll to the exact spot he had selected, all in his mind.

In the real world, he was in no hurry. He had no place to go. So in his mind he took every step on his way to the ball, just as if he were physically on the course.

It took him just as long in an imaginary time to play 18 holes as it would have taken in reality. Not a detail was omitted. Not once did he ever miss a shot, never a hook or a slice, never a putt missed. He did this seven days a week, four hours a day, eighteen holes for seven years. He tool twenty strokes off his game and shot a 74.

So this week’s question:

“What is your professional and personal vision for the next 12 months?”

Quote for the week – “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” Thoreau.

To arrange a free no obligation consultation, please contact Stephen Pauley via the contact form or by e mail: Stephen@befirstclass.co.uk

It has been a beautiful day here in the UK today and it feels like spring has arrived. It is so nice after weeks of wet weather, grey skies and images of many people being badly affected by severe storms and flooding. The sun has shone brightly, the sky has been cloudless and the temperature warm. I have cut the lawns for the first time in 2014 and got rid of weeds, moss and other debris that had gathered in the flowerbeds and patios.

I have always found that this is a good time of the year to de-clutter, to simplify and let go of things, to create space for growth, new projects and adventures. It seems to energise me to have a good sort out, to throw away paperwork that I no longer need, to donate some of my personal possessions, books and clothes to charity. Somehow this exercise along with the brighter weather and more daylight, helps me to feel lighter, more organised and sharpens my focus on the priorities that matter.

I am sure you have heard the expression “Can’t see the wood for the trees”; well it helps me to see the wood and appreciate the beauty of it! The Oxford Dictionary defines clutter as a “crowded and untidy collection of things”. That is true but it is only part of the story and describes clutter on a physical level. A more complete definition would be:

• Things that you no longer need, want or love
• Things that are untidy and disorganized
• An overloaded busy mind and too many priorities
• Too many things in a small space
• Anything unfinished which can be projects or emotions.

Clutter can lead us to feeling stressed, overwhelmed and can steal valuable time when we have to constantly search for things. We can have a feeling of being disorganized which wastes time and leads to us feeling frustrated. It can affect our energy levels and make us feel tired and lethargic.

It can weigh us down, make us feel heavy and lead to procrastination, putting things off until tomorrow and keep us stuck in the past. When all available space is taken up, there is no room for anything new to come into our lives!

Having physical, mental and emotional clutter prevents us from focusing on what is really important and most valuable to us, our key priorities and the people closest to us. Everything we have has a call on our attention. The more clutter we have, the more your energy is tied up in mundane matters. When we clear out the clutter, it allows us to focus and put the important things in our life into perspective rather than being bogged down in the details of day to day maintenance.

The process of clearing clutter is all about learning to let go. It is not just about letting go of the belongings but the feelings and fear that keep us holding onto an excess of stuff. Life is constantly changing, so when something comes into our life, we need to learn to enjoy it, use it well and when it is time, be prepared to let it go so that we can experience new things.

We are all just temporary custodians of many things that pass through our lives. We can’t take the contents of our wardrobe, garage or kitchen with us when we die and we probably would not want to!! Everything we have is on loan from the planet. It is merely energy in transition. Releasing clutter helps us connect to a new vitality.

So this week’s questions:

“How much of your home and workspace is taken up with clutter?”

“Are there any things that you no longer use, need, want or love that you need to let go of?”

To arrange a free no obligation consultation, please contact Stephen Pauley via the contact form or by e mail: Stephen@befirstclass.co.uk