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I want to add my own tribute to the people who worked on the moon landings – not just the people who got to walk on the moon but everyone else as well.

This is one of those stories that should fill every person (regardless of nationality) with pride in the achievements of people. Those who made the landings possible were just ordinary men and women who found themselves in the position of being able to work on this incredible adventure.

We would be wrong to assume that they were somehow superhuman and different from ourselves, they were people just like us. They had been to school just like us, had been told off by parents, just like us. No doubt they had fallen in and out of love, been excited and disappointed just like us. They faced big setbacks and made some amazing advances but all with the same brain that we have. They even had the same kinds of tools that we have – in fact we probably have better ones today.

It is amazing what people can achieve when they apply themselves and work hard to overcome all obstacles. I often hear people comment on how amazing the animal kingdom is but I want to say how amazing people are. This is a day to celebrate being a person and then to allow ourselves to dream of what might be possible for us.

Go on have some dreams and then make some plans to bring them about – after all people have been to the moon so is your dream really that impossible?

This is one of those months where everything seems to get tough: the weather is bad, summer seems a long way off, winter colds are hitting you hard. It would be easy now just to give up. This is why it is so important to keep going.

What really makes the difference between a success and a failure often comes down to simply keeping going.

At that very moment when you feel like giving up, others on the same journey will feel like giving up as well. What makes you different (and hence a success) is that you are not going to give up. Let other people give up but not you. Walk past those who are sitting down and giving in. You feel the same pain and experience the same feelings of doom that everyone else feels but you are not going to give up.

If you must then plan in a time of retreat or relaxation but make sure you have a plan for afterwards.

Now is the time to dig out all those dreams you once had and to renew them. Feel the power of them again.

Come on it’s time to get going. It may be tough and hard. Just take one step at a time. Slowly are carefully push your way forward and keep going. You are on your way to success!

I love Christmas! It’s a great time of year for all kinds of reasons. I think it’s a good time to remember that other people are important in your life.

Here is a list of some simple ways to make this point (both to others and yourself):

1. When you buy a present think about the person who you are giving it to and how you might bring them some pleasure. We all have to buy stuff because it’s expected of us but that doesn’t mean we have to be mean about all our buying choices. I’ve met countless people who seem to moan about everything around Christmas. Don’t miss the opportunity to bring some pleasure into anothers life – you will be surprised how good it makes you feel to know you have done it.

2. Think about the people you send cards too. All right some of them are people you hardly ever see but that doesn’t mean its not good to remember them and wish them well. One day you might be glad that you know these people so make sure you acknowledge that now.

3. When you are at a party give some time up for those you don’t usually speak to. You don’t have to make a big thing of it, just talk to them for a few minutes. People will really appreciate that you took the time to do it.

4. Smile at people. It’s nice to have someone smile at you (at long as it isn’t creepy) so be pleasant. People get very stressed around this time of year – why not be the one who helps them feel happy and relaxed.

5. Compliment the chef. Christmas dinner can be very stressful for those who have to cook it. It’s not that it’s complicated but that you want it to be perfect. Tell the cook that it helped to make Christmas special this year and they will really appreciate it.

Have a great Christmas!

This time of year exercising can be extra hard. The mornings and evenings are dark and it’s cold outside. It’s a lot easier to be lazy. This is just the time of year then that we all need a little extra boost in our motivation. I got mine this weekend when I went for a walk in the countryside.

The benefits of countryside walking have been known for a long time. Just today I heard about a report that said people with dogs tend to be fitter and less stressed than those without them. Having a dog forces you to get the exercise that helps make you fitter and lower stress.

But you don’t need a dog to get exercise.

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I once read somewhere that we should never tell someone that they have failed at it. I don’t agree. It seems to me we need to wake up to the fact that sometimes we fail. But failing is not the problem, the problem is how we view that failure.

If you listen to Simon Cowell on the X-factor you will often hear him saying things that sound at face value to be nasty. He will point out what is wrong with a performance when others seem incapable of saying anything negative. Now I’m in favour of being positive but if someone is doing something wrong then they need to hear about what they are doing wrong.

When you understand this simple truth you can start turning a loss into a gain.

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This is just the poem to read if you are struggling with your new vision. Keep going and learn that the best things in life are hard won. I’m intending to do a series of posts based on this poem over the next few weeks so please check back regularly to see where things are going. It was written for a son so it talks about becomming a man but it applies to you whatever your gender. It is really about growing into maturity.

The poem follows …

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Quote:
Work spares us from three evils: boredom, vice, and need
Voltaire

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Quote:
I believe that the true road to pre-eminent success in any line is to make yourself master of that line
Andrew Carnegie

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Quote:

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.
Aristotle Read the rest of this entry »

Quote:

I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.
Thomas Jefferson

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