The Formula for Success

The Formula for Success

Positive Mental Attitude/Drive
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Avoiding Negativity
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Planning/Goal Setting
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Persistency
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Consistency
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Never Giving Up = SUCCESS

Too often people are one step away from Success when they fall short because they are missing a piece of this Success Formula.

When studying and following the strategies and tips from literally hundreds successful individuals, this formula continues to be the key to their personal success and the Successful people they have studied & documented.

If one looks in their life, he or she can find dozens of examples of how they succeeded because they followed this formula. The same holds true for he or she when one ultimately failed because they didn’t have the right attitude or they were not consistent on following their schedule and procrastinated at times.

Ask oneself before you begin a new journey and as you continue to travel down the road, “Am I sticking with the formula?” If one is forgetting a piece, stop for a moment and take the time to evaluate and make the necessary changes to get back on track.

How does one develop and sustain a Positive Mental Attitude with Success University? Begin by starting your day off by reading a positive article, quote, or listening to a SU course. This will set the tone for your day. Even if it’s just a couple minutes this can make a huge difference.

How does one Avoid Negativity? Avoid thinking about the things one doesn’t have, the people one wishes they could be around, the bills that are plaguing your life, the job you hate, etc.

Instead, focus on the great things that are happening in one’s life. Think about the fact that one has a home, a car that runs, relationships that are great, etc.

Avoid those people that are energy suckers. Work toward creating new relationship with those people that are positive, uplifting and in a higher level of success that one wants to achieve. For example, avoid the negative gossip at the coffee pot at work. This is only a waste of time and usually results in someone getting hurt.

How does one Plan and Set Goals? When one plans and set goals, look at all areas of your life:

1. Financial
2. Home
3. Social
4. Spiritual
5. Health
6. Education

Step 1: Create a goal journal, write down detailed aspects of the goal and be sure to write down why one specifically wants that goal. This will allow one to stay focused and motivated towards the goal and allow for any modifications as they travel through life.

Step 2: Make sure that one has a proper balance and if something is out of balance just be aware that it is because one is working on a specific goal in one of the other areas.

Step 3: Celebrate success as one’s goals are obtained. This leads back to a renewed healthy Positive Mental Attitude.

How does one become Persistent? Persistence is an attribute that must be practiced. It is often said that a sell is made because one was persistent and would not let the word, "No," stand in their way. The key is to keep going no matter what, continue trying one’s best.

When one runs into an obstacle and gets knocked down. Get right back on one's feet and keep trying. It’s called practice and people’s learning curves are different so realize that it’s only a matter of time tell one reaches their target.

How does one become Consistent? Consistency is a matter of developing habits. Some people may get lucky and score a couple successes, but it is through creating a consistent work ethic that success will be created often.

Some experts say it takes 30 days of doing something to create a habit and make it a part of ones everyday life; however others say it can take a year to really become consistent in doing an activity. AVOID PROCRASTINATION and just begin right away with the task at hand.

How does one keep on keeping on and Never Give Up? It can be an overwhelming challenge not to give up at times. The finish line can seem like miles away. However these challenges and obstacles are all part of the fun and the process. Success is not easy, one must constantly work on it.

The bottom line is the only way you lose is by quitting. Continue to drive on with all your passion and enthusiasm. Realize that what one’s mind and soul can imagine, the body can truly create and bring forth into existence.

One must first believe in themselves. Second, they most believe in what they are planning on doing. Lastly, they must take ACTION.

Remember to follow these ingredients to this Success Formula in all areas of one’s life and the Road to Success will be fun, exciting, and filled with Happiness and Joy.

© Mike Ward 2006

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OPRAH.....my ever favourite Lady! ....................Quotations included!

More on Oprah's Philanthropy

A Christmas party for 50,000 orphans in South Africa. Building and furnishing homes for 250 families impacted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa. Grants totaling over $1 million to the East Asian tsunami recovery. One name is behind all of that and more - Oprah Winfrey.

You may think Oprah's Angel Network is the organization behind all of the philanthropy associated with Oprah - because it's the most well known charity associated with Oprah.

In reality, Oprah has three organizations to focus on her charitable work, but all have a similar focus. They give grants and fund projects that start movements. That inspire. That build up. That create opportunities.

It is important to know how we work though. Here's an explanation of the different organizations and examples of their work.

Oprah's Angel Network Dedicated to inspiring people to make a difference in the lives of others, Oprah's Angel Network awards grants to organizations and operates projects that make a difference in underserved communities. To date in 2006, Oprah's Angel Network distributed more than $2.5 million to 33 organizations and projects making a difference in underserved communities. In addition, it distributed more than $16.5 million towards disaster recovery programs helping people rebuild and strengthen their lives and communities after the tsunami and Hurricane Katrina. Oprah's Angel Network is a public charity that accepts donations.

The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy Foundation This organization's focus is building the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls - South Africa. Scheduled to open in January 2007, the free, residential school will eventually be home to 450 girls in grades 7-12. The students, who will have been going to school in South Africa, will come from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds. It's Oprah's dream to see the Academy develop the future women leaders for South Africa. The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy Foundation is a private operating foundation under the direction of Oprah Winfrey. Oprah Winfrey funds the majority of its work.

The Oprah Winfrey Foundation

The Oprah Winfrey Foundation provides grants to not-for-profit organizations that offer educational opportunities and enhance the quality of life for children and families throughout the world.

So far in 2006, The Oprah Winfrey Foundation distributed more than $6.5 million to 18 organizations and sponsored the building of a 30,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility for The Oprah Winfrey Boys and Girls Club of Kosciusko/Attala County.

The Oprah Winfrey Foundation is a private foundation under the direction of Oprah Winfrey. Oprah Winfrey funds virtually all of its work without donations from the public.

Quotation of Oprah Winfrey,

My philosophy is that not only are you responsible for your life, but doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.

• I think that when you invite people to your home, you invite them to yourself.

• Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody's going to know whether you did it or not.
• As you become more clear about who you really are, you'll be better able to decide what is best for you - the first time around.
• Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.
• Every one of us gets through the tough times because somebody is there, standing in the gap to close it for us.
• I define joy as a sustained sense of well-being and internal peace - a connection to what matters.
• I finally realized that being grateful to my body was key to giving more love to myself.
• I know for sure that what we dwell on is who we become.
• I trust that everything happens for a reason, even when we're not wise enough to see it.
• If you want your life to be more rewarding, you have to change the way you think.
• In every aspect of our lives, we are always asking ourselves, How am I of value? What is my worth? Yet I believe that worthiness is our birthright.
• Living in the moment brings you a sense of reverence for all of life's blessings.
• Partake of some of life's sweet pleasures. And yes, get comfortable with yourself.
• The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you're willing to work.
• The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams.
• The whole point of being alive is to evolve into the complete person you were intended to be.
• Though I am grateful for the blessings of wealth, it hasn't changed who I am. My feet are still on the ground. I'm just wearing better shoes.
• Understand that the right to choose your own path is a sacred privilege. Use it. Dwell in possibility.
• We are each responsible for our own life - no other person is or even can be.
• What I know for sure is that what you give comes back to you.
• What we're all striving for is authenticity, a spirit-to-spirit connection.
• Whatever you fear most has no power - it is your fear that has the power.
• With every experience, you alone are painting your own canvas, thought by thought, choice by choice.
• I've learned that you can't have everything and do everything at the same time.
• If you neglect to recharge a battery, it dies. And if you run full speed ahead without stopping for water, you lose momentum to finish the race.
• Use what you have to run toward your best - that's how I now live my life.
• Getting my lifelong weight struggle under control has come from a process of treating myself as well as I treat others in every way.
• I believe the choice to be excellent begins with aligning your thoughts and words with the intention to require more from yourself.
• Every time you state what you want or believe, you're the first to hear it. It's a message to both you and others about what you think is possible. Don't put a ceiling on yourself.
• Be more splendid, more extraordinary. Use every moment to fill yourself up.
• Every day brings a chance for you to draw in a breath, kick off your shoes, and dance.
• Every time you suppress some part of yourself or allow others to play you small, you are in essence ignoring the owner's manual your creator gave you and destroying your design.
• With every experience, you alone are painting your own canvas, thought by thought, choice by choice.
• The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you're willing to work.
• Understand that the right to choose your own path is a sacred privilege. Use it. Dwell in possiblity.
• I know for sure that what we dwell on is who we become.
• Use what you have to run toward your best - that's how I now live my life.
• Be more splendid, more extraordinary. Use every moment to fill yourself up.
• I believe that uncertainty is really my spirit's way of whispering, "I'm in flux. I can't decide for you. Something is off-balance here."
• I believe that [everyone] is the keeper of a dream - and by tuning into one another's secret hopes, we can become better friends, better partners, better parents, and better lovers.
• Energy is the essence of life. Every day you decide how you're going to use it by knowing what you want and what it takes to reach that goal, and by maintaining focus.
• Every day brings a chance for you to draw in a breath, kick off your shoes, and dance.
• You are built not to shrink down to less but to blossom into more.
• Every time you suppress some part of yourself or allow others to play you small, you are in essence ignoring the owner's manual your creator gave you and destroying your design.
• Getting my lifelong weight struggle under control has come from a process of treating myself as well as I treat others in every way.
• All these years I've been feeling like I was growing into myself. Finally, I feel grown.
• You can take from every experience what it has to offer you. And you cannot be defeated if you just keep taking one breath followed by another.
• Let your light shine. Shine within you so that it can shine on someone else. Let your light shine.
• I would visualize things coming to me. It would just make me feel better. Visualization works if you work hard. That's the thing. You can't just visualize and go eat a sandwich.
• Confidence is the sexiest thing a woman can have. It's much sexier than any body part.
• It is confidence in our bodies, minds and spirits that allows us to keep looking for new adventures, new directions to grow in, and new lessons to learn - which is what life is all about.
• To have that sense of one's intrinsic worth... is potentially to have everything...
• The roses, the lovely notes, the dining and dancing are all welcome and splendid. But when the Godiva is gone, the gift of real love is having someone who'll go the distance with you. Someone who, when the wedding day limo breaks down, is willing to share a seat on the bus.
• If you neglect to recharge a battery, it dies. And if you run full speed ahead without stopping for water, you lose momentum to finish the race.
• I've learned that you can't have everything and do everything at the same time.
• Challenges are gifts that force us to search for a new center of gravity. Don't fight them. Just find a different way to stand.
• Before you agree to do anything that might add even the smallest amount of stress to your life, ask yourself: What is my truest intention? Give yourself time to let a yes resound within you. When it's right, I guarantee that your entire body will feel it.
• Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.
• I've come to believe that each of us has a personal calling that's as unique as a fingerprint - and that the best way to succeed is to discover what you love and then find a way to offer it to others in the form of service, working hard, and also allowing the energy of the universe to lead you.
• The key to realizing a dream is to focus not on success but significance - and then even the small steps and little victories along your path will take on greater meaning.
• The whole point of being alive is to evolve into the complete person you were intended to be.
• I believe the choice to be excellent begins with aligning your thoughts and words with the intention to require more from yourself.
• Every time you state what you want or believe, you're the first to hear it. It's a message to both you and others about what you think is possible. Don't put a ceiling on yourself.
• I believe that one of life's greatest risks is never daring to risk.
• Do the one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire. This is your moment. Own it.
• There's no easy way out. If there were, I would have bought it. And believe me, it would be one of my favorite things!
• I think that when you invite people to your home, you invite them to yourself.

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Charistmas is all about JESUS BIRTH

Jesus' Birth in Bethlehem (Luke 2:1-7)

Copy Right is Dr. Ralph F. Wilson
Lessons in e-book format

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Text

Luke 2:1-7

[2:1] In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. [2] (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) [3] And everyone went to his own town to register.

[4] So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. [5] He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. [6] While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, [7] and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

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Exposition

How cute to see some girl's doll, recruited at the last minute and wrapped tightly in a blanket, lying amidst the straw of an X-ended manger that dwells the remainder of the year in the church attic. Jessica stands in for Mary, while Robert, the tallest boy in Sunday school this year, makes a perfect Joseph -- once they've applied his fake beard.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm not at all against nativity scenes. But we've seen so many, year after year, that it's hard for us to read Scripture and see with fresh eyes what it actually says to us. Open your Bible to Luke 2:1-7 and read it. These verses make four important points about the birth of Jesus:

1. Jesus is born in history.
2. Jesus is born in David's birthplace.
3. Jesus' birth is attended by hardship.
4. Jesus is born in humble circumstances.

Jesus Is Born in History (2:1-2)

"In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)" (2:1-2)

Jesus has an historical context; he's neither a myth nor a legend.

A myth is "a person or thing having only an imaginary or unverifiable existence."[1] But Jesus was born in history. A legend is "a story coming down from the past; especially one popularly regarded as historical although not verifiable."[2] But Jesus is both historical and verifiable. He is mentioned not only in the New Testament, but by contemporaries and early documents such as Josephus, Pliny, Tacitus, Suetonius, Bar-Serapion, Thallus, Lucian, Josephus, and the Talmud.[3] The November-December 2002 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review announced the discovery of a First Century ossuary (bone burial box) that likely bears the name of Jesus' brother James, as well as Jesus' own name.

Jesus is a person in history. Here are those who were in power when Jesus was born:

"Caesar Augustus" was the emperor Octavian, founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned from AD 27 until AD 14, when he was succeeded by Tiberius Caesar. Herod the Great (Matthew 2:1) was called "king of the Jews, and who ruled Judea from 40 to 4 BC. His reputation for paranoia and ruthlessness was well deserved, having executed three of his own sons, and slaughtered all the baby boys in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:16).

The third ruler is Quirinius. He was a military leader and Roman consul in central Asia Minor, and later Imperial Legate of Syria-Cilicia (AD 6 to 9), where Josephus notes that he conducted a census.[4] The census referred to in Luke 2 isn't recorded historically, but probably took place under a kind of extraordinary command authority he possessed during his military maneuvers in Cilicia or possibly during a brief earlier stint as governor in Syria.[5]

Early heresies such as Docetism and modern heresies such as Christian Science strip Jesus of his place in history and turn him into some kind of "Christ figure" or metaphysical guru. But Scripture persistently places him within history as a man who lived and died and rose again in real time, a man who permanently altered the history into which he was born.

Jesus Is Born in David's Birthplace (2:3-4)

"And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David." (2:3-4)

The second point of our passage is that Jesus was born in the birthplace of David, Israel's greatest King. Nearly 1000 years before Jesus' birth, God had promised to David through the Prophet Samuel, "Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever" (2 Samuel 7:16). Micah had prophesied 730 years previously:

"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times." (Micah 5:2)

The Jews eagerly expected David's successor and called this hoped-for Messiah the "Son of David." Jesus is the Son of David, this promised King. It is no accident that Joseph was "of the house and lineage of David" (Luke 2:4, KJV) and that Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

Jesus' Birth is Attended by Hardship (2:5-6)

"He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born." (2:5-6)

But Mary and Joseph lived in Nazareth and God needed them in Bethlehem for this birth. "It just so happened..." that the Romans ordered a tax census and Joseph was required to return to his ancestral town, Bethlehem, for enrollment.[6] This meant hardship for the Holy Family. The most glorious event in history is about to unfold, but for Joseph and Mary it is drudgery and hardship -- a real pain.

• Mary and Joseph live in Nazareth, four days journey north of Bethlehem.
• Mary is pregnant. A journey late in pregnancy is arduous for her. But if she stays in Nazareth she has to face scandal alone. Luke puts it delicately: "... Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child" (2:5).
• Compounding that, it was probably winter, if second century church tradition is to be taken seriously.[7]

An arduous journey in winter, a pregnant teenage mom. Who says that following God's plan is easy? Just because we face hardships and obstacles is no indication that God is absent, that we've missed his will. Sure we face trouble. But then, we face even more trouble if we DON'T follow Jesus. Jesus faced obstacles, but told his disciples, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

Jesus Is Born in Humble Circumstances (2:7)

"... And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." (2:7)

The manger astounds me. Jesus wasn't born in a snug home -- "there was no room for them in the inn." We've romanticized the birth and swept up after the animals. But the evidence is clear: the holy Son of God was born in a stable or cave where animals were kept, and his first crib was a common cattle trough. Why? I wonder. I don't think this was by accident or the Father's lack of provision for his Son. There's a message here. Though Jesus was by very nature God (Philippians 2:6), he didn't grasp at his prerogatives or flaunt his rights. Instead, he "made himself nothing (Greek kenoo), taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness...." (Philippians 2:7). The Greek verb kenoo means "make empty"[8]. Jesus literally "emptied himself" of all the privileges to which he was heir. He didn't just take a low place, he took the lowest place. His commission was "to preach good news to the poor" (Luke 4:18; quoting Isaiah 61:1), so he was born among the poorest of the poor. His disciples argued about who would be greatest in the Kingdom, but Jesus stopped them short: "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). The manger represents serving.

The message for us is clear: Jesus' disciples are not to seek glory but servanthood. Serving when it is convenient and when it is not. Serving when no one understands or appreciates what we do. Christmas teaches us servanthood, God's serving -- and then ours.

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Prayer

Father, sometimes we're so fussy, so picky about what we will and will not do. Please forgive us and make us pliable in your hands. Make us willing to be your servants, wherever you send us out of our comfort zones, and whatever it takes. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

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Key Verse

"And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn" (Luke 2:7)

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Questions

1. Why does Luke name the Roman rulers in 2:1-2? What point is he making?
2. What is the significance of Joseph being a descendant of David? (2:4) What is the significance of Bethlehem in Messianic prophecy (Micah 5:2)?
3. What is the scandal in verse 5? What hardship is Mary experiencing? What about Joseph?
4. Why do you think the journey to Bethlehem difficult for Mary? Is pleasure an indication that we are in God's will or not? Any examples from your life?
5. Extra Credit: Argue for or against this proposition: "Being a consistent Christian causes more hardships than just going with the flow."
6. To what do you attribute Messiah's birth in a stable -- poor planning? (2:7) What message does the manger convey to modern-day disciples?
7. If our culture is enamoured with bigness and success, and humility runs across the grain, what appeal can the humble Jesus have to people today?
8. Extra Credit: How far do you think Jesus "emptied himself" by being born a human? What aspects of his divinity did he retain during his time in human flesh? What aspects did he lay aside?

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References

See Common Abbreviation,

1. Merriam-Webster, p. 770.
2. Merriam-Webster, pp. 664-665.
3. Josh McDowell, Evidence That Demands a Verdict (Campus Crusade for Christ, 1972), documents all these references and more in Chapter 5: "Jesus--a Man of History," pp. 83-89.
4. Josephus, Antiquities 18.1-3,26, referred to in Acts 5:37.
5. The controversy surrounding Quirinius and this census are discussed fully in C.L. Blomberg, "Quirinius," ISBE 3:12-13; and Marshall, pp. 99-105.
6. Usually Romans conducted a census where residents lived, but there is a precedent for the procedure we see in Luke 2:3-5. A decree of C. Vibius Maximus, dated in AD 104, required absentees to return to their home towns for a census in Egypt (P. Lond. 904, 20f; cited in J.M. Creed, St. Luke, London: Macmillan, 1930).
7. The date of December 25 goes back to Hippolytus (AD 165-235), and Chrysostom (AD 345-407), who stated in 386 that December 25 is the correct day. Brief discussion in ISBE 1:688.

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