Curious about Learn and Learning: How Much Are You Learning? And How Are You Doing It?

Definition of Learning: of Learn; The acquisition of knowledge or skill; as, the learning of languages; the learning of telegraphy. The knowledge or skill received by instruction or study; acquired knowledge or ideas in any branch of science or literature; erudition; literature; science; as, he is a man of great learning.

“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.” – Henry Ford, American businessman

“By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.” – Confucius, Chinese philosopher

WOW! I chose “Learn and Learning” for this week’s theme, because this past week has been overloaded with learning – “especially by experience which is the bitterest.” If you had asked me three weeks ago for one of the best learning quotations, I would have definitely chosen the above Henry Ford quotation. I have always been a lifetime learner who works constantly at keeping my “mind young.”

However, the past two weeks – and especially this past week – I have been painfully learning and learning and learning some more. You may be now asking, “Why, what happened.”

Two weeks ago to the day, I inadvertently deleted some important files from my computer. When I tried to run the restore feature, it wouldn’t complete it and, even though I tried everything I could think of, it still wouldn’t boot up. For the whole following week, my computer was in the computer hospital being worked upon by a knowledgeable technician.

What did I learn? First of all, that even though I have been backing up files and the whole computer regularly, it doesn’t guarantee freedom from worry. Secondly, even though I feel rather savvy when it comes to computers, I still have a huge amount to learn. And, thirdly, don’t try something too quickly without reading the manual.

I brought my computer home the beginning of this week, and started setting it up on Tuesday. Fortunately, I only lost a few files. But, as the computer doctor told me, I would have to reinstall my programs. This is where the learning really started. I have one more important file to go – phew. I have faced activation challenges because of updates and “error” messages galore. Don’t worry, I am not going to bore you with the gory details.

But, there is always a silver lining! My computer is now working more efficiently and a good deal faster than before. I only am using those programs that are truly important for what I do. So, as I have always believed, everything happens on purpose. Between the learning, the purging and the reinstalling, I feel like I have a brand new computer. Hooray!

Of course, you know that I found some great quotations:

• “The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as we continue to live.” - Mortimer Adler, American philosopher
• “I'm a great believer that any tool that enhances communication has profound effects in terms of how people can learn from each other, and how they can achieve the kind of freedoms that they're interested in.” - Bill Gates, American businessman
• “He who has imagination without learning has wings but no feet.” - Joseph Joubert, French writer
• “An organization's ability to learn, and translate that learning into action rapidly, is the ultimate competitive advantage.” Jack Welch, American businessman
• “A little learning, indeed, may be a dangerous thing, but the want of learning is a calamity to any people.” - Frederick Douglass, American author
• “I never learn anything talking. I only learn things when I ask questions.” - Lou Holtz, American coach
• “Learning too soon our limitations, we never learn our powers.” - Mignon McLaughlin, American journalist

And, three more to learn from:

• “It has taken me years of struggle, hard work and research to learn to make one simple gesture, and I know enough about the art of writing to realize that it would take as many years of concentrated effort to write one simple, beautiful sentence.” - Isadora Duncan, American damcer
• “The secret of success is learning how to use pain and pleasure instead of having pain and pleasure use you. If you do that, you're in control of your life. If you don't, life controls you.” - Tony Robbins, American author and motivator
• “You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance.” - Franklin P. Jones, American businessman

What have you learned lately? I hope it hasn’t been painful while being a mind enhancer!

Curious about Reach: What Are You Reaching For? How High, Wide, or Low Is Your Reach?

“Stride forward with a firm, steady step knowing with a deep, certain inner knowing that you will reach every goal you set yourselves, that you will achieve every aim .” - Eileen Caddy, English celebrity

I really relate to Eileen Caddy’s quotation. One of my top goals and/or aims has been to reach a wide number of people with whom to form relationships, so that I can help them with their communications, careers and creative ideas. Earlier this year I was involved with an excellent training course in marketing. Our leader suggested that we become involved with Facebook and form a large group of friends.

Eureka! I have been loving every minute of reaching a large and wide group of great people from all over the world. Hence, I chose “Reach” for this week’s theme.

When I started to read and pick the quotations, I found quite a variety of approaches. So many applied to my life and business that I decided to stray a bit from my original idea(s). I also urge you to let yourself consider how your experiences relate to reach and what you are reaching for.

Warning: a change in pace, but still a foundation of reaching.

“There are no mistakes. The events we bring upon ourselves, no matter how unpleasant, are necessary in order to learn what we need to learn; whatever steps we take, they're necessary to reach the places we've chosen to go.” - Richard Bach, American novelist

Richard Bach is speaking directly to me. I have always felt that everything happens for a reason. I have spent this whole last week learning from the “events I brought on myself.” I spend a great deal of time on the computer. And, I also pride myself on being rather savvy when it comes to computers. So, last Sunday I was working on cleaning up my computer’s software when I inadvertently deleted some files I shouldn’t have.

As soon as I realized this, I attempted a restore which left me without my operating system able to boot up. After spending several hours trying everything I could think of, I admitted the machine to the computer hospital and it is still there. (Should be released on Monday). Yes, it has been “unpleasant” and I have learned the importance of taking care of my laptop, having backups (hopefully, the ones I took to the computer hospital will fill in the spaces), and having important files on flash disks. Please reach out and cross your fingers for me.

On with the quotations:

• “The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.” – Confucius, Chinese philosopher
• “You reach a point where you don't work for money.” - Walt Disney, American cartoonist
• “People do not like to think. If one thinks, one must reach conclusions. Conclusions are not always pleasant.” - Helen Keller, American author
• “Have no fear of perfection - you'll never reach it.” - Salvador Dali, Spanish artist
• Your problem is to bridge the gap which exists between where you are now and the goal you intend to reach.” - Earl Nightingale, American entertainer
• “Never quit. It is the easiest cop-out in the world. Set a goal and don't quit until you attain it. When you do attain it, set another goal, and don't quit until you reach it. Never quit.” - Bear Bryant, American coach

And three more that I relate to completely:

• “It's not only children who grow. Parents do too. As much as we watch to see what our children do with their lives, they are watching us to see what we do with ours. I can't tell my children to reach for the sun. All I can do is reach for it, myself.” - Joyce Maynard, American writer
• “It is a paradoxical but profoundly true and important principle of life that the most likely way to reach a goal is to be aiming not at that goal itself but at some more ambitious goal beyond it.” - Arnold J. Toynbee, British historian
• “Do not fear mistakes. You will know failure. Continue to reach out.” - Benjamin Franklin, American statesman

What are you reaching for? It is fine and productive to take small steps and keep on keeping on. I would love to hear from you!

Curious about Destination: Do You Have a Solid One? Ask Yourself What Is It?

Definition of Destination: Purpose for which anything is destined; predetermined end, object, or use; ultimate design. The place set for the end of a journey, or to which something is sent; place or point aimed at.

“All you need is the plan, the road map, and the courage to press on to your destination.” Earl Nightingale, American businessman

I have read and heard from many gurus about the importance of having a destination. We need to know where we are going – where we want to be. I have always felt that the destination is another way to describe a goal or an intention.

However, when I started looking up quotations for this blog, I found that there were quite a few who felt that the journey or going through the process was more important than the destination. I certainly see their reasoning. If the destination is a goal, and while we are on the journey we learn and experience alternative approaches, we may find it makes sense to re-adjust our destination – or is it?

I am going to share some of these different ideas, and let you decide for your own situation. The one suggestion I have for you, though, is to make sure that you are on the journey – not just sitting around trying to decide on a destination.

The journey group quotations:

• “The good life is a process, not a state of being. It is a direction not a destination.” - Carl Rogers, American psychologist
• “Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.” - Arthur Ashe, American athlete
• “Life to me is a journey - you never know what may be your next destination.” - David Russell, Scottish musician
• “Life's a journey, not a destination.” - Steven Tyler- American musician

The destination group quotations:

• “You will now have a starting place and a destination, and you will be able to determine what it will cost you to get there. You will be going someplace.” - H. Stanley Judd, American author
• “It has never been, and never will be easy work! But the road that is built in hope is more pleasant to the traveler than the road built in despair, even though they both lead to the same destination.” - Marion Zimmer Bradley, American writer
• “By prevailing over all obstacles and distractions, one may unfailingly arrive at his chosen goal or destination.” - Christopher Columbus, Italian explorer
• “I think that my biggest role models are people that have maybe struggled for a while and then finally gotten to their destination.” - Jonathan Brandis, American actor
• “Follow what you are genuinely passionate about and let that guide you to your destination.” - Diane Sawyer, American journalist
• “The capacity for hope is the most significant fact of life. It provides human beings with a sense of destination and the energy to get started.” - Norman Cousins, American editor

And two with a combined twist:

“The road leading to a goal does not separate you from the destination; it is essentially a part of it.” - Charles de Lint, Canadian writer

“If we are always arriving and departing, it is also true that we are eternally anchored. One's destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things.” - Henry Miller, American author

So, I ask you. Do you have a destination and know where you are going or as Zig Ziglar asks, “Are you a wandering generality?” Send me your feedback.

Curious about Abundance: Do You Believe that We All Have Abundance? What Signifies It?

Definition of Abundance : An overflowing fullness; ample sufficiency; great plenty; profusion; copious supply; superfluity; wealth: -- strictly applicable to quantity only, but sometimes used of number.

“The world is full of abundance and opportunity, but far too many people come to the fountain of life with a sieve instead of a tank car... a teaspoon instead of a steam shovel. They expect little and as a result they get little.” - Ben Sweetland, American author

Yes, we are experiencing a Recession. And, yes, many of us have had to cut back on our spending – I know, I’ve been there, too. Even my favorite radio station, NPR, that usually highlights the positive news has been interviewing people who are out of work or have experienced foreclosure. I am listening to inspirational, positive tapes and CDs instead.

Maybe to some it’s a sign of avoidance and denial, but I fear that it is so much easier to focus on lack – recession or no recession - rather than on abundance.

“When you have too much month for you paycheck, then what you need to do is realize that there is abundance all around you and focus on the abundance and not your lack and as night follows day abundance will come to you.” - Sydney Madwed, American businessman

When I started looking up “abundance” quotations – and they aren’t necessarily current – I found fewer than 3 ½ pages. Out of interest, I looked up “lack” and found 14 pages. That is an incredible difference. That’s why I decided to make this blog positive and encouraging. If you are not looking for positivity, this blog is not for you.

Here are some quotations to help influence and take to heart:

• “Whatever we are waiting for - peace of mind, contentment, grace, the inner awareness of simple abundance - it will surely come to us, but only when we are ready to receive it with an open and grateful heart.” - Sarah Ban Breathnach, American author
• “Many a man curses the rain that falls upon his head, and knows not that it brings abundance to drive away the hunger.” - Saint Basil, Greek saint
• “I noted that people are happy here in India. When I went back home, people had everything in the materialistic sense and were surrounded with abundance, but they were not happy.” - Goldie Hawn, American actress
• “What is called genius is the abundance of life and health.” - Henry David Thoreau, American author
• “Not what we have, but what we enjoy, constitutes our abundance.” – Epicurus, Greek philosopher
• “Expect your every need to be met. Expect the answer to every problem, expect abundance on every level.” - Eileen Caddy, English celebrity

And, two more for us to remember, use, and chew upon:

“Your most precious, valued possessions and your greatest powers are invisible and intangible. No one can take them. You, and you alone, can give them. You will receive abundance for your giving.” - W. Clement Stone, American businessman

“Doing what you love is the cornerstone of having abundance in your life.” - Wayne Dyer, American psychologist

I would love to hear about the abundance in your life. Drop me a comment, and do have a terrific, abundant week!