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by Rick Baker
On May 14, 2012
Thought Tweet #476 Some people somehow know the course of their lives at an early age and they live it. Most of us do not.
The Thinking Behind The Tweet
For many generations, self-help gurus have taught the importance of having a life purpose. Napoleon Hill called it definite chief aim. Orison Sweet Marden wrote, "Power is largely a question of strong, vigorous, perpetual thinking along the line of the ambition, parallel with the aim - the great life purpose." ['Pushing To The Front', (1911)]
I have written and talked about my heroes, as examples - Napoleon, Gandhi, and Alexander the Great. These heroes did have life purposes, which they understood at a young age.
But, they are anomalies, not the norm.
From now on, when I write about my heroes I am going to make sure I give at least equal time to the vast majority of us who are accomplishing meaningful and important things at somewhat lower levels than the extreme standards set by our heroes.
by Rick Baker
On Mar 21, 2012
Courage is Spirited Leaders' #1 Corporate Value.
Why is Courage so valued?
I will use excerpts from James Allen's 1914 classic, 'Men and Systems' to explain.
James Allen described a hierarchy of 3 standards of Courage: all good, for different reasons.
Physical Courage – the lowest standard of Courage
Human Beings are animals. Like other animals - for example, like lions - we possess internal 'workings' that allow some or all of us to have and illustrate physical Courage. Soldiers provide a good example. Soldiers risk their lives for country and comrade. Like lions, soldiers are fearless in attack and in defense. Like lions, soldiers forfeit their lives rather than yield. Soldiers even sacrifice their lives to save comrades. These are common-enough phenomenon...illustrations of physical Courage.
Moral Courage - a higher standard of Courage
People possess Courage above and beyond that illustrated in the animal kingdom. Quoting James Allen, "In moral courage the other person's ideas, opinions, or principles are attacked, one's own idea, opinions, and principles are defended." Moral Courage places Man above beast. Allen described an evolutionary process where Man's brain evolved to the point where it became able to add much texture around thought before action and around 'right' versus 'wrong', and around 'good' versus 'evil'. Put another way - Man illustrates an expanded consciousness, an expanded capability for cognition...reasoning...thinking. And, People began to judge other People's thinking. There is written evidence Moral Courage has existed for millennia. For example, ancient literature tells us, Socrates, the 5th Century BCE philosopher, drank poison rather than concede his principles.
The New Courage - the highest standard of Courage
James Allen described a Courage exceeding physical and moral fearlessness. Here are Allen's words: "He who has the New Courage does not attack other men or defend himself; does not attack their opinions or defend his own; he is the defender of all men, and that from which he defends them is their own folly, their own ungoverned passions. While never seeking to protect himself, he so acts as to shield others from their deadliest enemy, namely, the evil within themselves.” “The New Courage may, indeed, be described as the courage to be silent.” Certainly, the great prophets [the founders of the major religions] possessed 'The New Courage'.
Hero 'Worship'
When I think of some of my heroes...
Nelson, Napoleon, and Alexander the Great led with Physical Courage and Moral Courage.
Lincoln, Gandhi, and Mandela led with The New Courage.
by Rick Baker
On Mar 9, 2012
Over the years, I have written about energy:
Today, my thoughts are about the major role energy serves in our lives.
A century ago, another of my heroes, Albert Einstein, showed the world E=mc 2...that is, energy and mass are directly linked and proportional. [ and Einstein said more] Perhaps this is true? Perhaps, in the future, another great mind will prove there are nuances not captured in that fascinatingly-straightforward Einstein equation?
Regardless, for life, energy is necessary. For human life, energy is necessary.
Here's how Brad Sugars expressed this a few years ago, when I attended his session in Las Vegas:
- People can live about 3 weeks without food
- People can live about 3 days without water
- People can live about 3 minutes without oxygen
- People can live, perhaps, 3 seconds without electricity
Brad's point: without electricity the neurons in our brains would not fire...and life would cease.
So, we know our bodies consume energy and we process it without destroying it.
In fact, we use energy to fuel everything we think, feel, and do...our muscles, our internal processes, etc.
Our brains consume energy as our neurons fire.
Scientists have measured the voltage and the current over neuronal synapses. While it would be rather intrusive work, scientists could insert a bunch of probes and do a pretty good job of figuring out just how much energy is required to fuel the parts of our brains that do our thinking work. Yes, it would be an intrusive and tedious exercise...and dangerous. So, let's not spend more time on that extreme approach.
Let's accept the fact our brains use quite a bit of energy to fuel our thoughts.
On a micro scale, all those billions of bits and pieces of our brains do work when we think.
There is a limited amount of energy available to the parts of our brains that do our thinking.
As we try to do with oil and coal and other non-renewable sources of energy, we ought to consume the energy in our brains as prudently as possible.
by Rick Baker
On Feb 23, 2012
About Napoleon and the thought-force
"Napoleon's army is in the East. The plague is beginning to make inroads into its ranks. Long lines of men are lying in cots and on the ground in an open space adjoining the army. Fear has taken a vital hold of all, and the men are continually being stricken. Look yonder: contrary to the earnest entreaties of his officers, who tell him that such exposure will mean sure death, Napoleon with a calm and dauntless look upon his face, with a firm and defiant step, is coming through these plague-stricken ranks. He is going up to, talking with, touching the men: and, as they see him, there goes up a mighty shout, - The Emperor! the Emperor! and from that hour the plague in its inroads is stopped. A marvelous example of the power of a man who, by his own dauntless courage, absolute fearlessness, and power of mind, could send out such forces that they in turn awakened kindred forces in the minds of thousands of others, which in turn dominate their very bodies, so that the plague, and even death itself, is driven from the field. One of the grandest examples of a man of the most mighty and tremendous mind and will power, and at the same time an example of one of the grandest failures, taking life in its totality, the world has ever seen."
From Ralph Waldo Trine’s ‘This Mystical Life of Ours’ (1919 edition)
by Rick Baker
On Feb 1, 2012
This is the first in a series of Thought Posts about building self-confidence.
To get started, here is our definition of self-confidence:
Confidence is what you feel when you believe you have what it takes to excel, do well, or at least handle the task and situation at hand
Now, here are some facts about Confidence:
- each of us has Confidence, at least some of the time
- our Confidence levels ebbs and flows
- many factors influence our Confidence: situations, other people's actions, amount of sleep
And, of course, a healthy level of Confidence is a very good thing.
First, let's check out some advice from experts.
- Every day remind yourself that you did some things well. Give yourself a mental pep talk at the beginning and the end of the day.
- Read inspiring biographies and autobiographies: build a file of the stories that inspire you most.
- Be thankful. Focus on the benefits you enjoy.
- Build excellent support around you. Excellent relationships will boost you.
- Push yourself to accomplish short-term goals. Get things done.
- Do something for yourself every week. Celebrate your accomplishments.
What about Jack Canfield's 2nd recommendation: read inspiring biographies and read stories that inspire you?
Do you do that?
There is no question, Spirited Leaders do that. I imagine Spirited Leaders have always done that...from sitting around campfires listening to the elders and chiefs tell their stories to reading about Mahatma Gandhi or Alexander the Great to watching inspiring movies.
Great Leaders study the lives, the successes, and the defeats, of other great Leaders. They do this for several reasons. They do this to inspire themselves. They also do this to learn. Knowledge is a key to Strength and Strength is a key to Self-Knowledge and Self-Confidence.
by Rick Baker
On Jan 10, 2012
The best of mentoring happens 'naturally' when an eager-to-learn business person 'connects' with a more-experienced business person who is eager to teach. For both people, mentoring is of value. This type of 'natural' mentoring tends to happen in cycles: over time, the student of the present becomes the teacher of the future.
One of my favourite examples of 'natural' mentoring is the story of 25-year-old Napoleon Hill meeting steel-baron Andrew Carnegie in 1908. At the time, Andrew Carnegie was well into his 70's and he was one of the richest men in the world. Yet, for some reason, when Napoleon Hill visited to interview him about business success, Carnegie took Hill home and spent 3 days with him. That was the starting point for Hill's labour of love...and the creation of his classic self-development books, including my favourite 'Think and Grow Rich'. This story does not end with the creation of books like 'Think and Grow Rich' in 1938. That's just the beginning. For example, one of the greatest leaders of the 20th Century - Mahatma Gandhi - read Hill's book. The book was translated and widely circulated throughout India; I suppose supporting the good work of Gandhi.
Some business and education organizations promote mentoring. I am honoured to be able to participate in Conestoga College's mentoring program. Mentoring at the student level is a tremendous idea!
I am keeping my eyes and ears open for mentoring ideas, advice, and suggestions. If you have any then please share them.
Here is a sample of the things I have learned about mentoring. This is the advice of Eric Chester, the author of a recently-published book titled 'Reviving Work Ethic':
5 Tips on Mentoring
- Find your style
- Develop trust
- Value tact and timing
- Tell stories
- Cast a vision
Good, simple, advice!
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