Curious about Realization: What Surprising and Sometimes Unsettling Realizations Have You Experienced?

“More power than all the success slogans ever penned by human hand is the realization for every man that he has but one boss. That boss is the man - he - himself.” - Gabriel Heatter, American journalist

“There is joy in work. There is no happiness except in the realization that we have accomplished something.” - Henry Ford, American businessman

Yesterday I attended an excellent and eye-opening seminar where the two speakers shared how realization played a huge part in their current level of success. With help from mentors, the reading of enlightening books, and lots of hard work on themselves both have achieved “more than they ever imagined possible.”

It started with the realization that even though they both had many strengths, they also had some weaknesses in the area of people skills and relate ability. And they weren’t even aware of this. Did you know that in a recent survey, 85% of those surveyed felt they were above average in intelligence, relationship building, fitness and almost all of the other areas mentioned?

We all know that those results are impossible, but we don’t realize what areas we are weak in and need to work on. Yes as the American author, Jean Toomer said, “The realization of ignorance is the first act of knowing.” What do we actually know and realize about ourselves? What might be holding us back for accomplishing what we desire?

Some of the general quotations:

• “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” - Franklin D. Roosevelt, American President
• “Computers are magnificent tools for the realization of our dreams, but no machine can replace the human spark of spirit, compassion, love, and understanding.” - Louis Gerstner, American businessman
• “My ideas about time all developed from the realization that if nothing were to change we could not say that time passes. Change is primary, time, if it exists at all, is something we deduce from it.” - Julian Barbour, British scientist
• “Respect for another man's opinion is worthy. It is the realization that any opinion is valuable, for it is the sign of a rational being.” - Sargent Shriver, American politician
• “With realization of one's own potential and self-confidence in one's ability, one can build a better world.” - Dalai Lama, Indian leader

And, some with a different focus:

• “Once the realization is accepted that even between the closest human beings infinite distances continue, a wonderful living side by side can grow, if they succeed in loving the distance between them which makes it possible for each to see the other whole against the sky.” - Rainer Maria Rilke, German poet
• “Time made me change. I gradually woke up to the realization that this is who I am, an author, a public figure, and I couldn't just hide in my study, tapping away at the keyboard and pretend that I didn't have a role to play beyond stringing words together.” - David Guterson, American author
• “So then, the relationship of self to other is the complete realization that loving yourself is impossible without loving everything defined as other than yourself.” - Alan Watts, English philosopher
• “The possibility of a scientific treatment of history means a wider experience, a greater maturity of practical reason, and finally a fuller realization of certain basic ideas regarding the nature of life and time.” - Muhammed Iqbal, Indian poet
• “And that is a very, very exciting realization: to recognize that slum dwellers and rural dwellers are the same as all the rest of us, and that in fact the real strength of the developing world is the strength of the people.” - James Wolfensohn, Australian businessman

Especially for all of you – and me, too – during these coming weeks:

“Success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal or ideal.” - Earl Nightingale, American entertainer

“You have all the reason in the world to achieve your grandest dreams. Imagination plus innovation equals realization.” - Denis Waitley, American writer

“The secret to having everything you want out of life is the realization that you really don't want most of the things you think you want.” - Bo Bennett, American businessman

Have an incredible week! Realize all the great things you do and strive for!