Ignorance perverts our desire to improve ourselves. When I talk of ignorance, it has nothing to do with stupidity. In a way, ignorance is very intelligent, but it is an intelligence that works exclusively in one direction, that is, we react exclusively to our projections instead of simply seeing what there is.

Ignorance is the ability to recognise the true nature of things and the law of cause and effect which governs happiness and suffering. Supporters of ethnic cleansing for instance, claim that they want to build the best of all possible worlds, and some appear to be deeply convinced of the rightness of their abomination. As unhealthy as it seems by sowing death and destruction those who satisfy their selfish impulses at the expense of others expect their actions to bring them a certain degree of gratification.

Those who are cruel, obsessed, self-righteous or conceited are still blindly pursuing happiness while being completely unaware of its true nature.

The only way to dispel this basic ignorance is through opening our minds to knowledge. It also involves the application of that knowledge, to begin to understand which thoughts, words, and actions inevitably lead to pain; and which contribute to well-being.

Of course, such an approach requires that we first come to see that something is not quite right with our way of being and acting. We then need to feel a burning desire to change.

The first step to attract what you want in life is to change or shift your energy. We are all made up of energy - everything in this world is made up of energy. Other people pick up on your energy - if it’s positive you’ll attract positive people into your life. If you have negative energy - you’ll always attract negative people and negative situations into your life. If you find that you are getting exactly what you don’t want, or if you find that you are not getting what you want - then there’s a very good chance that you are simply sending out the wrong energy. In the end you’ll attract what corresponds to your energy. Negative energy attracts negative situations. Positive energy attracts positive situations. It’s really that simple. So if you’re not getting what you want - you’re likely sending out the wrong energy.

Change your energy - and you’ll likely start getting what you want.

The therapeutic benefits of regular physical activity are without rival. Study after study has shown that it increases longevity while decreasing morbidity and mortality from a host of diseases. Someone once said that if exercise was a pill, it would be the most powerful medication known to humans. The only problem is that it is difficult to motivate others to take that pill every day. In my opinion inactivity should be considered a dis-ease state. Adults are often told that they should consult a physician before beginning an exercise program.  Based upon scientific evidence, it may be more appropriate to consult a physician before sitting down in a lounge chair in front of a TV with a remote control. Stressed out clients often complain that they do not have time to exercise. This is unusual when one considers that a high percentage of corporate executives of leading global companies always seem to find the time to exercise regularly. I’ve even noticed that the president of American and other world leaders seem to have embraced a healthy exercise routine. Don’t these very important people have anything better to do with their time?  It is more likely that they have learned to be competitive and at their best only when they make the time to sweat and get their hearts pumping. 

To own a home. To fall in love , get married and have kids. To see your kids through university. Building a strong work ethic. Reinforcing your self-esteem. For others it’s starting their own small business, and watching it grow. Everybody has dreams, the question is how to go about achieving them. Like all people, dreams of personal achievement are like locomotives that pull us all through life. They inspire us and propel us forward. However, achieving these things requires far more than simply the burning desire to succeed. It takes almost athletic discipline and managerial skills, an abundance of drive and stamina, and the intelligence to know where to get your hands on the best knowledge. When we study the path of successful men and women, all of them, in all sorts of professions never stop acquiring knowledge related to their major purpose, business and profession. Those who are not successful usually make the mistake of believing that the knowledge acquiring period ends when one finishes school. Which one are you willing to be?

Of all the fears that eat away at our confidence, the fear of failure is the most discouraging. It leads us to avoid challenges, to steer clear of anything that might involve risk, or to give up at the first sign of difficulty. At its most extreme it paralyses us. We wait until we can be assured of success before we are prepared to make a move. Such certainty is never forthcoming, and as a consequence we venture nothing, achieve nothing, feel bad about ourselves and spend our lives bemoaning what might have been. Now I’m sure this extreme description does not fit you, but there is a little of it in most of us. So let’s take a few minutes to consider the fear of failure and how we can work to overcome it.

Failure carries a very personal label. Our fear is that if we try something and fail, we will be in some way less worthy as human beings. We see ourselves not as people who have experienced failure, but as failures! It’s easy to see why. The pass/fail judgement has been dangling over our lives since early childhood. Passing the test offers a gateway to whatever we have set out to do while failure leaves us out in the cold. The truth is that people consistently labelled ‘successes’ or ‘failures’. But isn’t it ironic that in an effort to avoid the failure label we shrink from the very challenges that could lead to success? All the time that we sit in our comfort zones and dream, we can convince ourselves that we have the potential to succeed. Our fear is that, as soon as we set foot outside and put ourselves to the test, we will be found wanting.

The truth is that everyone experiences failure at some time and that it is those who do not fear it who are able to learn from it and move on. One of the most important lessons about confidence is that in order to win, you must dare to lose, and that means having the courage to step outside the comfort zone.

As far as trust for me goes, A few years back, I was betrayed beyond my wildest imagination and I literally let this betrayal consume me to the point where it affected every aspect of my life including my health. Recently over the last three years, I have come to the realization that trusting others really is in my control. NO one can hurt me if I don’t let them. I can‘t control the actions of others, but I can choose to control how I react to them and how far I allow them to affect me. I no longer have the idealistic view of life that I had prior to being devastated, which for me was the majority of the problem. It really doesn’t matter if I trust them or not. What matters is, seeing things at face value, seeing things realistically, and seeing people for what they are, just people and not little gods and goddesses or without faults. This point of view has helped me tremendously in realizing that if people try to hurt me, that is their problem, if I choose to let them, that is mine.

You are the only one who has the exceptional opportunity to truly know you and to discover your single beautiful path in life. Others can hold a mirror for you and show you parts of yourself. But, they can never give you the whole of yourself. The whole that is yours to possess, to expand and to express. You are all gifted with virtually unlimited potential for learning and creativity.

Just think about this for a minute. 95% of what we know about the human brain has been learnt in the last 25 years. Our schools, universities and companies are only just beginning to apply this emerging understanding of human potential.

As our knowledge and intelligence increases, unfortunately so does the noise and clutter within our brains. In today’s world, it is estimated that 80% to 90% of most people’s thinking is not only repetitive and useless but it also dysfunctional and often negative in nature. Most of it is harmful to yourself first and secondly to everyone who interacts with you.  Simply begin to observe your mind and you will find this to be true.

Your mind is an instrument, a tool, an incredible one too. We have hardly touched the surface of its capabilities. It is there to be used for a specific task, and when the task is complete, you switch it off.

While everyone wants to be happy one way or another, there’s a difference between aspiration and achievement. That is the tragedy of human beings. We fear misery but run to it. We want happiness but turn away from it. The very things we do to ease suffering often fuel it. How could such a misjudgment occur? Simple, we are confused about how to go about it. We look for happiness outside ourselves when it is basically an inner state-of-being. If it was an exterior condition it will be forever beyond our reach because our desires are boundless and our control over the world limited, temporary and more often than not a complete illusion and lie.

Everyone is doing their very best to make sense of and deal with the challenges of being a human being. Let all face it, its hard being here. Some people think it’s only hard for them and that for others it’s easy. Others think it’s only hard because they’re doing something wrong, or that there’s some secret they have yet to discover, or because they are broken in some way.

Take it from me; the truth is its hard being here for everyone. Whether you’re rich, poor, adored or unloved, enlightened or completely oblivious, famous or obscure, in many forms life is hard for every human being.

However, no matter how bleak, desperate or unbearable life is never and I mean never lose hope because at the heart of life is a creative energy that flows through each and every one of us.

Every person, by nature, wants to become all that they are capable of becoming, this desire to release countless possibilities is inherent in human nature, we cannot help wanting to be all that we can be. True success in life is becoming what you want to be, and, it is never too early or too late to begin to do so. In fact, every living thing in ALL of nature must continually seek for enlargement of its life, because life, in the act of living, must grow and increase itself.

Your intelligence is under the same necessity for continuous growth. Every thought you think makes it necessary for you to think another thought, your consciousness is continually expanding. Every fact you learn leads you to learn another fact, your knowledge is continually increasing. Every talent you cultivate brings to the mind the desire to cultivate another talent. Therefore, every living thing, including yourself, are subject to the urge of life, always seeking expression, which always drives us to know more, to do more, and more importantly to BE more.

What’s the difference between winning and losing? The top athletes in every field benefit from state-of-the-art training facilities, an army of coaches and the latest technology to analyse their physiology, diet and technique. Sportsmen such as footballers, rugby players and golfers are, fitter, stronger and technically better than ever. So, what separates a Woods or a Ronaldo from the rest of the pack? What differentiates the superhuman from the merely excellent athlete?

Simple it’s all in the mind. Sports psychology is the new religion for athletes, and it’s what gives the most successful stars a crucial edge over their rivals. The pros use a variety of cutting-edge mental conditioning techniques, from visualization and mental keys to deep breathing and being in the ‘zone’. If that all sounds confusion, never fear. The fact is you can own the self-belief that drives on the top sports performers. Whether you’re a business man, student, parent, or self-development devotee, these mental-conditioning techniques are guaranteed to improve your self-belief and performance no matter who you are.