Yielding a Bounteous Crop

 

A farmer sold all he had and bought a beautiful farm. It was a beautiful property and he decided he was to have the most beautiful farm in the district.

So he prepared.

He bought the most advanced tractor. He bought the most advanced harvester. Then there was the bright, new shiny tools, the fertilizer the bright new barn. He was determined to see that everything was ready and so he prepared, reviewed and again prepared.

Along came harvest time and so he invited his friends to come and they would all work together. He proudly showed his friends the bright new house, the tractor with all its gadgets and air conditioned luxury. The vast array of equipment and tools were all on display for his guests.

Then it came time to go out and harvest the fields.

So out they all drove and to everyone's shock there was nothing there.

Nothing.

The land was bare.

Suddenly the farmer remembered that in all his activity, in all his busyness and strategising, he had not planted the crop.

The season for planting had come and gone and without his noticing, the window of opportunity, the season was over.

He could not bring back the opportunity.

The story is not mine, but one related by speaker Prem Rawat.

It illustrates how many of us live our lives.

We have big dreams and there is a lot at stake so we plan well. So we should, success does require intellectual rigour. Is there a little of the farmer inside of you? Does everything have to be 'just so' before we begin to act on our dreams?

The farmer in the story was a very hard worker. He worked on his plan and researched what was required. Yet in the final analysis he did little work of substance. He did not focus his efforts on the one thing that would bring him a reward – planting the crop.

Harvesters don't make a crop, barns don't make a crop. Only the planting and cultivating the growing seeds would lead to success.

We all have the seeds of greatness. What counts is taking the opportunity in our life and running with it.

There are no guarantees.

When the Wright brothers flew the Kittyhawk a distance no longer than a football field they had no guarantees. They could not be sure of success. In truth, it was not the fact that the Kittyhawk flew that made the Wright brothers famous, As a large number of New Zealanders have reminded me – flight had been achieved in the 'Land of the Long white Cloud'.

The Wright brothers however were successful because they seized their opportunity and were the first to the Patent Office.

They did not allow the seeds of success remain unproductive and now flight is a common every day event.

So often people enthusiastically develop a second business alongside their 9 to 5 occupation.

Off they go, all enthused ready to attack their goals with new found enthusiasm.

Finally they make the break, dumping their job for 100% commitment. Assured that increased effort will guarantee untold success they give it their all.

Disaster! Immediately their efficiency bottoms out.

Why?

In many cases it is partly because their enthusiasm was motivated by their disdain of the 9 to 5 rat race.

Suddenly, without a boss to hate, their drive is gone and a new motivation best be found if success will ensue.

The following suggestions, based on my recent experience and PPC Classroom 2.0 creator Amit Mehta will help increase your efficiency 3-10X.

"Mindfulness is mandatory for anyone wishing to end the misery born of trying – in vain – to fill an empty heart with meaningless experiences." Guy Finley

So let's mindfully simplify our day, clarify our purpose and plan our actions.

1. Write down your vision.
   

Have pictures of your goals around as visual reminders

1. Written Goals
   

Write Weekly goals at the beginning of the week and then each day write out 8 to 12 of the most important things you will do that day and DO them.

Modify, adjust and clarify your targets daily as you work toward your weekly target.

Written goals can also be planned for the month or the whole year as needed.

1. Do the top 2 tasks first
   
2. Keep your energy levels up.
   

   Eat 5 or 6 nutritious meals during the day. Simply having a bowl of fruit close at hand can aid in keeping your concentration high. Avoid, or atleast reduce energy stimulants that give you a quick high but leave you feeling deflated such as sugar or excess coffee.
   

3. Get a good night Sleep
   
4. Get up early. In an extra hour a lot can be achieved before the rest of the family is wanting your attention!
   
5. Outsource low value tasks. Have a secretary do the paperwork or use an online out sourcing service.
   
6. "Focus on your strengths, outsource the rest". Live by this motto!
   
7. Have a separate office, somewhere that can have the door closed behind you separate from the rest of your daily life.
   

   For inspiration you may even take a laptop, even a simple notebook, and work outside occasionally. I'm writing this at the edge of Bramble Bay, Queensland. If I had only been writing my first drafts at the water edge other times I would surely have been more productive.
   

8. Get a 30 inch monitor.
   

   According to Amit Mehta studies show a 40% increase in productivity with the big screen. I must be honest and say that at this point I have yet to take the plunge. However, the research presents a compelling argument.
   

   True it is a psychological 'trick' but if you value your time look into it.
   

9. Learn to speed read.
   

With the increasing overload of information available, efficient information harvesting is essential in today's world.

Paul Scheele's Photoreading program is excellent and surpasses the usual speed reading technology. Using a combination of both the unconscious and conscious mind whole pages can be grasped at a glance with remarkable retention.

Another tool for training your eyes to read efficiently is the software 'EyeQ". This tool trains the eyes to move more effectively so that groups of lines are read instead of a few words at a time.

If you can't afford these check online for the many speed reading books available.

1. Take a break every 60 minutes
   

Consider the following schedule:

• Begin your day on task #1 and nothing else
  

Go for it, don't start the day reading the paper or checking the news.

The only exception I consider is to begin my day clarifying my life's purpose and clarifying my goals. For me that includes some spiritual reflection and prayer. Once settled and focused I begin to review the days goals as per Step #1 above.

• Take a 10-15 minute break. A break does not include doing a different type of work.
  
• Go back to your top task for another hour.
  
• Take another slightly longer break.
  

Suggested breaks could include exercise, meditation, a quick walk in nature or playing with the dog. 20 minutes of exertion pumps away the cobwebs, releases stress and allows us to return to work with increased focus. I only recently joined a gym and am surprised how in a matter of days my focus has jumped dramatically.

Take a 20 to 30 minute power nap if you're tired. Wake up refreshed and then work with increased vigour.

The most important:

Get away from the computer! Yes take your exercise away from the plug-in cyber drug.

How often have you received an inspired idea the moment you were not forcing your focus on an issue? So play with the dog, pat the cat, tease the children.

Getting away from the computer for short non work related breaks WILL increase your efficiency. Note, I did say short and I am not advocating constantly being distracted from your life's purpose or daily targets.

Remember step 1. List 8-12 targets and DO them. Taking breaks is a tool to help you more inspirationally achieve these outcomes.

There are only so many hours you can work in a day but you can improve your efficiency from 3 to 10 fold by considering these suggestions.

Remember the farmer at the beginning of this blog. He worked. He worked hard, getting everything ready yet he was never focused on his outcome or overall goal.

Following these suggestions will increase your efficiency in working toward your daily, weekly, monthly and annual targets. Ultimately it is hoped it will help you achieve the realization of your life's purpose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are You Prepared

According to the Law of Attraction we are part of the single universal force that holds the universe together. Whether it is because of subatomic resonance or simply the idea that thoughts are things our entire life is said to be a product of our thoughts and feelings. We are what we think about, or more precisely the feelings generated by our thoughts.

Then why does living a life that attracts wealth seem so foreign to most of us? Why does it seem so hard?

Some of us are about to begin a journey – another challenge to enhance our lives – but why take training if greatness is already part of us?

We have lost our sensitivity to listen to our hearts.

We live in a world where everything is measured outside of ourselves. Many of these values are important and worthy because of the potential to achieve that they represent. Yet everything about us draws our attention to the external world.

However, t he Law of Attraction reminds us that the outer world is a reflection of the inner world.

It requires us to feed our inner being and to recognise the richness within.

All major religions teach we are made in the image of God. The divine therefore has the potential to be reflected through man. The problem is in us. A mirror is designed to shine and must be clear of all dirt and obstruction.

Sadly, we have done a good job of covering up our spark of divinity.

We have done a brilliant job of covering up our hearts most secret yearnings.

There is always another thing to do, another responsibility to fulfil and our inner world, the seed of our greatness, and who we are truly, is pushed aside.

We have our outer responsibilities which must not be ignored and we also have a responsibility to our inner world.

How can that seed of potential be encouraged to grow?

To grow a good crop of seeds more than hope is required. Even if the weather, rain and seasons were right good success depends on preparation.

A seed thrown on hard uncultivated ground, or a seed amidst weeds or just out of the way gobbled up by passing birds has little chance.

Do we listen to the leadings of our heart? Or are we to busy, running over the soil of our heart, crushing down our desires underfoot packing them down hard never allowed to be expressed. Are we always pushing our hearts aside, never allowing time to reflect on our desires and let them take root in our soul before the dry heat of life's dramas shrivel them from our soul ?

Do we live in a world of distractions, each little anxiety and pressure, choking out our desires before they mature, like weeds choking out the seeds of a valuable crop?

Or do we simply ignore our desires and simply let someone take away the seeds of our hope as does a bird take seeds laying on the ground?

We need to dig away all the obstacles we have layered on our hearts to see the valuable gem within.

If we are to succeed in drawing success to ourselves then the seed of desire must be planted deep in our hearts, ploughed cultivated, watered and fertilized like a well prepared crop.

 

It is easy to become discouraged and to view ourselves as too insignificant.

'How important am I anyway?' you may ask.

At the Oxonian Institute, on May 11, 2007, writer Deepak Chopra related how he and his brother travelled to India to cremate their father. In The ashes were taken to the Ganges at Rishikesh where the Chopra's had their fathers details recorded. The dates of their grandparents, great grandparents, and great-great-grandparents were recorded.

Deepak asked how far back did the family records go?

"How far back do you want to go?" asked the priest. "This place has been keeping records since 323 BCE when Alexander the Great invaded India."

This caused Deepak Chopra to ask himself about all the tens of millions of people required for his birth to occur. You have 2 parents, 4 grandparents, 8 Great grandparents, 16 Great Great Grand-parents and if any one of those people were missing in the chain – if any one of them had not been in an amorous mood at a precise time he would not exist.

Think. Compared to the universe we are but a speck of dust on a speck of dust that rotates around a slightly bigger speck of dust in a giant dust bowl.

It is east to feel dwarfed.

Yet oh what a magnificent speck of dust! An infinite number of events have made your life possible. I believe this is far more than random coincidence.

We are a speck of dust that experiences the union of the finite and the infinite all at once, a speck of dust that can appreciate the finite world and be open to the divine intelligence that moves this universe.

We have the ability to appreciate beyond what is. We have a remarkable gift called consciousness. Either this spark of divinity within us is simply a by product of the brains chemical activity – an epi-phenomenon, or we are influenced by the divine. How you describe that divine intelligence I leave to your belief system. You may disagree and I respect your opinion.

Now, even science is coming around, as only one of the 12 schools of thought that describe mans proposed evolution view it as an entirely random phenomenon.

Do we truly appreciate how great a gift we have been given?

With all the things that must have occurred for us to be alive - with all the things that have occurred to grant us consciousness we have so much to be grateful for.

That gratitude can propel us to want to appreciate every second of our existence.

Do we take every opportunity to enhance and empower our lives and to learn both what it is we truly desire and what skills and tools can enhance our pursuit of an Empowered life style.

One of the biggest problems in achieving our goals is knowing on what to set our aspirations.

To know our vision we must take a very personal journey that no one else can take for us. The journey into our soul.

This is why the great writers of the past constantly emphasize the need of silence – stilling the self talk. If your religion discourages meditation then quietly reflect on a scene from a scene consistent with your views. I like a scene that reminds me of the 23^rd Psalm of sheep as I remember them in my Tasmanian childhood.
Once we understand what it is that we so hungrily desire within then looking for a means to manifest it is more readily achieved.
A few months back I attended an arts awards night. The judge spoke highly of the artistic skill of the entrants but made an interesting observation. She encouraged the artists to spend far more time working within and finding what was the message they wanted their work to convey. An Empowered, meaningful Life is far more than the skilful use of techniques. We must have a vision to people us forward otherwise we will not fully use all; the gifts available to us.
Our vision gives us a reason to strive, to overcome obstacles and allows us the satisfaction to look back over our life with a sense of deep satisfaction.
At the end of your days what will be the message people will write as your epitaph? If you can write it now what would you want people to remember? What is it that is truly you? What is it that is to be your destiny?
Brian
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