Making The Law of Attraction Work For You

The law of attraction is not a new idea. It has always been here from ancient times, and people have always used it. Hunters, who painted scenes of hunting on the walls of caves thousands of years ago, used the law of attraction. Businessmen, who visualize and plan what they wish to accomplish also use it. You use it too, whenever you think, make plans or daydream.

Books on this subject started to be popular more than a hundred years ago, but the authors of these books did not use the term "the law of attraction". They called it the law of opulence, mental power, mental magic, the power of thoughts or creative visualization. It is the same law, the same power, only with a different name.

William Walker Atkinson, Richard Ingalese, Opheil and many others, have written books on the power of the mind to attract what one thinks about, many years ago, and these books are still popular and available nowadays at bookstores. Other known authors are Joseph Murphy, Napoleon Hill and Wallace.D.Wattle. Later, Shakti Gawain wrote a book on the subject and popularized the term "Creative Visualization".

All of these books are on what is now termed "The law of attraction". As you see, it is not a new subject, but due to the media, it became a "hot" subject today. If you look around in bookstores, the Internet, TV and the newspapers, you will find many new books and articles on this subject budding every day. It is said that there is nothing new under the sun, just a change of terms or names.

The message of all these books is that if you keep thinking upon a certain subject, you will ultimately attract it into your life. Thoughts, mental images and feelings can move the subconscious mind and the Universal Mind to act on your behalf and manifest your desires.

This is a most inspiring and elating idea, and is the reason why so many people are fascinated by what the law of attraction can do.

The fact is that inspiration and feelings of elation are not enough to make this law work. You need to know what to do and how to proceed; otherwise you will get no results. Just thinking for a little while about what you wish to achieve is not enough, and might lead to disappointment, discouragement and losing of faith in the law of attraction and the powers of the mind, if you don't get immediate results.

Reading books or articles on this subject awaken a sensation of power. The realization that you can transform your life and create success brings excitement and hope, but these feelings can change into disappointment and frustration, if you don't know what to do next.

If you are told that you can attract anything you want into your life, but are not provided with the proper guidance and practical instructions, how can you proceed?

It is not enough just to think about or visualize what you desire for a few minutes, and then let doubts and disbelief fill your mind for the rest of the day.

It is not enough just to visualize for a few times, and then wait for miracles to happen.

• You need to have a strong desire and motivation, and the commitment to do whatever is necessary to achieve your goal.

• You need persistence, concentration, the ability to visualize, and at least some degree of self-discipline.

• You need to learn to recognize opportunity when it appears, and to be willing and ready to take and use this opportunity.

• You need to be willing to act and take the required steps whenever needed, and not just wait for your desires to materialize from thin air or suddenly drop on you from the sky.

In order to take full advantage of the law of attraction you need to know certain rules and follow them. It is true, some people achieve great success, without knowing much or anything about the law of attraction, but they intuitively use it correctly.

The law of attraction is not a method for getting rich quickly, without doing anything. It requires mental work, focus and visualization, and also the willingness to follow the mental work with any required actions on the physical plan.

The law of attraction can manifest your desires in many ways, sometimes obviously and directly, and sometimes in an indirect way, through various steps. Sometimes you might attain your goal in a sudden or miraculous way, and at other times slowly or indirectly, one thing leading to another. People might offer you help, a new job might open, an idea might pop up in your mind, or you your intuition might tell you to follow a certain course of action. These are just a few of the many ways, through which this law can help you manifest your desires.

Positive Affirmations

- I am healthy and happy.

- Wealth is pouring into my life.

- I am sailing on the river of wealth.

- I am getting wealthier each day.

- My body is healthy and functioning in a very good way.

- I have a lot of energy.

- I study and comprehend fast.

- My mind is calm.

- I am calm and relaxed in every situation.

- My thoughts are under my control.

- I radiate love and happiness.

- I am surrounded by love.

- I have the perfect job for me.

- I am living in the house of my dreams.

- I have good and loving relations with my wife/husband.

- I have a wonderful and satisfying job.

- I have the means to travel abroad, whenever I want to.

- I am successful in whatever I do.

- Everything is getting better every day.

How much time should one sleep!!!

Sleep is one of the richest topics in science today: why we need it, why it can be hard to get, and how that affects everything from our athletic performance to our income. Daniel Kripke, co-director of research at the Scripps Clinic Sleep Center in La Jolla, Calif., has looked at the most important question of all. In 2002, he compared death rates among more than 1 million American adults who, as part of a study on cancer prevention, reported their average nightly amount of sleep. To many his results were surprising, but they've since been corroborated by similar studies in Europe and East Asia. Kripke explains.

Q: How much sleep is ideal?

A: Studies show that people who sleep between 6.5 hours and 7.5 hours a night, as they report, live the longest. And people who sleep 8 hours or more, or less than 6.5 hours, they don't live quite as long. There is just as much risk associated with sleeping too long as with sleeping too short. The big surprise is that long sleep seems to start at 8 hours. Sleeping 8.5 hours might really be a little worse than sleeping five.

Morbidity, [or sickness,] is also "U-shaped," in the sense that both very short sleep and very long sleep are associated with many illnesses - with depression, with obesity, and therefore with heart disease and so forth. But the [ideal amount of sleep] for different health measures isn't all in the same place. Most of the "low points" are at seven or eight hours, but there are some at six and some even at nine. I think diabetes is lowest in seven-hour sleepers, [for example]. But these measures aren't as clear as the mortality data.

I think we can speculate [about why people who sleep 6.5 to 7.5 hours live longer], but we have to admit that we don't really understand the reasons. We don't really know yet what is cause and what is effect. So we don't know if a short sleeper can live longer by extending their sleep, and we don't know if a long sleeper can live longer by setting the alarm clock a bit earlier. We're hoping to organize tests of those questions.

One of the reasons I like to publicize these facts is that I think we can prevent a lot of insomnia and distress just by telling people that short sleep is OK. We've all been told you ought to sleep eight hours, but there was never any evidence. A very common problem we see at sleep clinics is people who spend too long in bed. They think they should sleep eight hours or nine hours, so they spend eight or nine hours in bed, with the result that they have trouble falling asleep and they wake up a lot during the night. Oddly enough, a lot of the problem [of insomnia] is lying in bed awake worrying about it. There have been many controlled studies in the United States, Great Britain and other parts of Europe that show that an insomnia treatment that involves getting out of bed when you're not sleepy, and restricting your time in bed, actually helps people to sleep more. They get over their fear of the bed. They get over the worry, and they become confident that when they go to bed they will sleep. So spending less time in bed actually makes sleep better. It is in fact a more powerful and effective long-term treatment for insomnia than sleeping pills.

Power of Positive Talk - best teachings from the great personality Mr.Abdul Kalam!!!

One of the best of best teachings from the great personality Mr.Abdul Kalam!
Pl forward it to our awesome friends!

Power of Positive Talk

I remember my dad teaching me the power of language at a very young age. Not only did my dad understand that specific words affect our mental pictures, but he understood words are a powerful programming factor in lifelong success.

One particularly interesting event occurred when I was eight. As a kid, I was always climbing trees, poles, and literally hanging around upside down from the rafters of our lake house. So, it came to no surprise for my dad to find me at the top of a 30-foot tree swinging back and forth. My little eight-year-old brain didn't realize the tree could break or I could get hurt. I just thought it was fun to be up so high.

My older cousin, Tammy, was also in the same tree. She was hanging on the first big limb, about ten feet below me. Tammy's mother also noticed us at the exact time my dad did. About that time a huge gust of wind came over the tree. I could hear the leaves start to rattle and the tree begin to sway. I remember my dad's voice over the wind yell, "Bart, Hold on tightly." So I did. The next thing I know, I heard Tammy screaming at the top of her lungs, laying flat on the ground. She had fallen out of the tree.

I scampered down the tree to safety. My dad later told me why she fell and I did not. Apparently, when Tammy's mother felt the gust of wind, she yelled out, "Tammy, don't fall!" And Tammy did… fall.

My dad then explained to me that the mind has a very difficult time processing a negative image. In fact, people who rely on internal pictures cannot see a negative at all. In order for Tammy to process the command of not falling, her nine-year-old brain had to first imagine falling, then try to tell the brain not to do what it just imagined. Whereas, my eight-year-old brain instantly had an internal image of me hanging on tightly.

This concept is especially useful when you are attempting to break a habit or set a goal. You can't visualize not doing something. The only way to properly visualize not doing something is to actually find a word for what you want to do and visualize that. For example, when I was thirteen years old, I played for my junior high school football team. I tried so hard to be good, but I just couldn't get it together at that age. I remember hearing the words run through my head as I was running out for a pass, "Don't drop it!" Naturally, I dropped the ball.

My coaches were not skilled enough to teach us proper "self-talk." They just thought some kids could catch and others couldn't. I'll never make it pro, but I'm now a pretty good Sunday afternoon football player, because all my internal dialogue is positive and encourages me to win. I wish my dad had coached me playing football instead of just climbing trees. I might have had a longer football career.

Here is a very easy demonstration to teach your kids and your friends the power of a toxic vocabulary. Ask them to hold a pen or pencil. Hand it to them. Now, follow my instructions carefully. Say to them, "Okay, try to drop the pencil." Observe what they do.

Most people release their hands and watch the pencil hit the floor. You respond, "You weren't paying attention. I said TRY to drop the pencil. Now please do it again." Most people then pick up the pencil and pretend to be in excruciating pain while their hand tries but fails to drop the pencil.

The point is made.

If you tell your brain you will "give it a try," you are actually telling your brain to fail. I have a "no try" rule in my house and with everyone I interact with. Either people will do it or they won't. Either they will be at the party or they won't. I'm brutal when people attempt to lie to me by using the word try. Do they think I don't know they are really telegraphing to the world they have no intention of doing it but they want me to give them brownie points for pretended effort? You will never hear the words "I'll try" come out of my mouth unless I'm teaching this concept in a seminar.

If you "try" and do something, your unconscious mind has permission not to succeed. If I truly can't make a decision I will tell the truth. "Sorry John. I'm not sure if I will be at your party or not. I've got an outstanding commitment. If that falls through, I will be here. Otherwise, I will not. Thanks for the invite."

People respect honesty. So remove the word "try" from your vocabulary.

My dad also told me that psychologists claim it takes seventeen positive statements to offset one negative statement. I have no idea if it is true, but the logic holds true.. It might take up to seventeen compliments to offset the emotional damage of one harsh criticism.

These are concepts that are especially useful when raising children.

Ask yourself how many compliments you give yourself daily versus how many criticisms. Heck, I know you are talking to yourself all day long. We all have internal voices that give us direction.

So, are you giving yourself the 17:1 ratio or are you shortchanging yourself with toxic self-talk like, " I'm fat. Nobody will like me. I'll try this diet. I'm not good enough. I'm so stupid. I'm broke, etc. etc."

If our parents can set a lifetime of programming with one wrong statement, imagine the kind of programming you are doing on a daily basis with your own internal dialogue. Here is a list of Toxic Vocabulary words.

Notice when you or other people use them.

Ø But: Negates any words that are stated before it.
Ø Try: Presupposes failure.
Ø If: Presupposes that you may not.
Ø Might: It does nothing definite. It leaves options for your listener.
Ø Would Have: Past tense that draws attention to things that didn't actually happen.
Ø Should Have: Past tense that draws attention to things that didn't actually happen (and implies guilt.)
Ø Could Have: Past tense that draws attention to things that didn't actually happen but the person tries to take credit as if it did happen.
Ø Can't/Don't: These words force the listener to focus on exactly the opposite of what you want. This is a classic mistake that parents and coaches make without knowing the damage of this linguistic error.

Examples:
Toxic phrase: "Don't drop the ball!"
Likely result: Drops the ball
Better language: "Catch the ball!"

Toxic phrase: "You shouldn't watch so much television."
Likely result: Watches more television.
Better language: "I read too much television makes people stupid. You might find yourself turning that TV off and picking up one of those books more often!"

Exercise: Take a moment to write down all the phrases you use on a daily basis or any Toxic self-talk that you have noticed yourself using. Write these phrases down so you will begin to catch yourself as they occur and change them.

Never give in! Never give in! Never, never, never, never - in nothing great or small, large or petty. Never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. -- Sir Wonston Churchill

To evident the above quote here is a story of a girl who showed lot of determination n courage...
Sujata Burla's life took an ugly turn on June 9, 2001. On a pilgrimage to Shirdi, where the Sai Baba temple in Maharashtra is located, from Hyderabad, she met with an accident.
Four months later, the doctors and physiotherapists treating her told her she could not walk for the rest of her life. The accident had turned her into a paraplegic. It meant Sujata was immobile below the shoulders. She was just 21.
Soon people who she thought were her friends abandoned her and Sujata was left alone. Compounding her tragedy was her father's death in March 2004. Not one to be easily cowed down by her circumstances, she started learning about the stock markets that year.
Now she trades like a pro and earns anywhere between Rs 200,000 and Rs 250,000 every month. On a day like Wednesday, September 19, 2007, when the Nifty was up 186 points, Sujata made a cool Rs 600,000 in a single day. She has still not sold her position.
"I expect the Nifty to touch 4800 in the next two, three trading days. I will sell my position then," Sujata told this correspondent in a telephone conversation from her home in Hyderabad.
Sujata moves around in a wheelchair and does not regret this fact. Financial independence is what she strove for and that is exactly what she has got through sheer determination and discipline.
How do you cope with such a trauma?
Before, I could not even write or type. Now I have got used to it. I can easily type and trade on my computer and laptop.
In the first four months after my accident I did not even know I would never be able to walk again. I went into a depression feeling that this was the end of life for me.
Does your condition make you dependant on others?
I am the kind of person who doesn't like to depend on anybody -- whether financially, physically or mentally. So, it was very tough for me to physically depend on somebody. I soon realised that financial independence could get me much more freedom in life.
So I started thinking how I could earn money. I worked with my sister, who is a fashion designer, and learned a bit about it. I soon started a textile workshop where I employed 10 people. However, the workers took undue advantage of my physical disability leading to losses. Since I wanted to be independent I started moving towards stock market trading. The textile workshop business is now my secondary business.
How did you get into the stock markets?
I realised that if at all I have to succeed in life I would have to do something for which I don't have to depend on anybody. Through a friend of mine I came to know about the stock markets in 2004. It took me almost a year to understand the various nuances of the stock market and it was in 2005 that I actually started trading.
What was your first trading/investment experience like?
My first investment was in blue chip companies like Reliance Industries [Get Quote], Hero Honda, ACC and IDBI. However, the Rs 100,000 that I invested did not earn me any returns. It was my first investment and I did not know when to sell or the right time to sell my stocks. That learning experience helped me to hone my skills in the stock markets.
How much do you make from trading in stocks now?
My turnover for a month is over Rs 3 crore. But my actual investment is only Rs 15 lakhs. I make anywhere between 10 to 15 per cent per of this investment per month. It is like I earn 20 to 30 per cent sometimes and lose 10 per cent at other times. This takes my average monthly return to 10 to 15 per cent every month of my total investment of Rs 15 lakhs.
Could you share your success mantras for our readers?
Read all the advice that you get from various business television channels, newspapers, friends who understand the stock markets but be extremely cautious and disciplined when you act on this advice.
Never extend your trading bets beyond your means. I speak to my friends; get investment and trading ideas from my brokerages (she is registered for online trading with Reliance Money, Indiabulls and Kotak Securities).
How would you identify yourself as a stock market player?
I am a short-term trader; I am surely not a long-term investor.
Do you trade intra-day?
Well, if my bets appreciate considerably then I take home my profits on the same day. Otherwise, I wait for my investments to bear at least 7 to 8 per cent returns before I actually sell it.
Intra-day trading, though, is very risky as most traders tend to burn their fingers trying to time the market. And I have lost quite a bit of money trading intra-day in the cash market, believe me.
How much have you deposited with all these brokerage companies?
As I told you earlier, my total deposit with all the three brokers is Rs 15 lakhs. Using this amount I buy Call Options within my overall limits. There is no concept of margin money in options. Whatever money I have earned till now is only through Option trading. You can do risk-less trading in Options using a small amount.
As a safe strategy I never write a Put Option. Put Options are very risky. That way I am a very safe trader. In Puts I can even make 50 per cent a month on my investments; but then I can lose the same amount too. My principle is if I make money I make it; I shouldn't lose money at all.
I usually write a Call Option on the Nifty. I am always long (buying first and then selling at a higher price to make profit) on the markets and whenever the market is too overbought I wait for the markets to cool down.
The last two days turned out to be very good for the stock markets. How much did you make in these two days?
Actually, it is celebration time for me. I made 80 per cent returns today (September 19, the Nifty was up 186 points or 4.09 per cent). Most of the Nifty Calls went up by 80 per cent today. However, I did not invest the entire Rs 15 lakhs because I am sitting on a bit of cash as the markets have run up too fast in the recent past. I invested only 50 per cent of Rs 15 lakhs on which I made an 80 per cent return
However, there are times when I lose a big amount of money in trading. Such gains happen only once in a lifetime. The losses that I make during the year sort of offsets such gains.
But remember that these things don't happen every other day. I have still not booked my profits. I am still holding on my positions. I plan to sell them after a day or two because I feel that the markets can still go up -- at least for the next two, three days -- based on the strong momentum. I am expecting the Nifty to go up to 4800 at least.
Actually, the target given by one of my brokerage houses is 4900 but I am going to book profits at 4800 levels. Too much greed is also not good, is it?
Moreover, it is the festive season and Diwali is just round the corner. Normally, the markets go up during Diwali. There will be some profit booking (a situation when a trader sells her/his stocks at a profit) tomorrow and the day after that but the general mood is likely to remain bullish till Diwali. I don't expect a market crash or correction till Diwali.
Do you stay with your family?
I stay with my mother and cousin Priya. My father passed away on March 20, 2004. I have a sister and two brothers but they are all married and lead separate lives.
Do you have friends?
Before the accident I had many friends but they all ran away after my accident. They were all false friends. People like this go where there is money, success and happiness. People like these don't chase failures.
After my accident I have a different set of friends. I have a few friends now but they are my true friends. They have been with me through my bad times. They really care for me. I can count Pradeep and Ashish amongst my true friends now.

Note: The story taken from rediffmail.com

I wish to share an inspiring speech delivered during the commencement exercises of the UP graduating class of 2003 by Mr. Butch Jimenez, the youngest commencement speaker in the university's history. Though its a long one but worth giving a read.....
He once dreamed of doing so, and it came true!!!:-) Students wished they had a pencil orpaper to jot down notes during the speech; some even wished they had a tape recorder. Some members of the faculty found his speech practical, refreshing,and funny! Butch Jimenez, head of PLDT's media and strategic communications department, delivered this speech at the UP Diliman Class 2003 commencement exercises. What's better than...? By Butch Jimenez As college students, you're just about to set sailinto the real world. As you prepare for the battle ground of life, you'll hear many speeches, read tons of books and get miles of advice telling you towork hard, dream big, go out and do something for yourself, and have avision. Not bad advice, really. In fact, following these nuggets of truth mayjust bring you to the top. But as I've lived my life over the years, I have come to realize that it is great to dream big, have a vision, make a name,and work hard. But guess what: There's something better than that. So my message today simply asks the question, what's better than...? Let's start off with something really simple. What's better than a long speech? No doubt, a short one. So, you guys are inluck because I do intend to keep this short. Now, let me take you through avery simple math exam. I'll rattle off a couple of equations, and you tell me what you observe about them. Be mindful of the instructions. You are totell me what you observe about the equations. Here goes: 3+4=7, 9+2=11, 8+4=13, and 6+6=12. Tell me,what do you observe? Every time I conduct this test, more than 90 percentof the participants immediately say, 8+4 is NOT 13, it's 12! That's trueand they are correct. But they could have also observed that the 3 otherequations were right. That 3+4 is 7, that 9+2 is 11, and that 6+6 is 12.What's my point? Many people immediately focus on the negative instead ofthe positive. Most of us focus on what's wrong with other people more than what's right about them. Examine those four equations. Three were right andonly one was wrong. But what is the knee-jerk observation? The wrong equation.If 10 people you didn't know were to walk through thatdoor, most of you would describe those people by what's negative aboutthem. He's fat. He's balding. Oh, the short one. Oh, the skinny girl. Ahhh,'yung pango. Etc.Get the point? It's always the negative we focus on andnot the positive. You'll definitely experience this in the corporate world. You do a hundred good things and one mistake-guess what? Chances are, yourattention will be called on that one mistake.So what's better than focusing on the negative? Believe me, its focusing on the positive. And if thisworld could learn to focus on the positive more than the negative, it wouldbe a much nicer place to live in.
Better than working hard? We have always been told to work hard. Our parents saythat, our teachers say that, and our principal says that. But there's something better than merely working hard. It's working SMART. It's takingtime to understand the situation, and coming out with an effective and efficient solution to get more done with less time and effort. As the Japanesesay, "There's always a better way." One of the most memorable case studies Icame across with as I studied Japanese management at Sophia University inTokyo was the case of the empty soap box, which happened in one of Japan's biggest cosmetics companies. The company received a complaint that aconsumer had bought a box of soap that was empty. It immediately isolated the problem to the assembly line, which transported all the packaged boxes of soap to the delivery department. For some reason, one soap box went through the assembly line empty. Management tasked its engineers to solve theproblem. Post-haste, the engineers worked hard to devise an X-ray machine withhigh-resolution monitors manned by two people to watch all the soap boxes that passed through the line to make sure they were not empty. Nodoubt, they worked hard and they worked fast. But a rank-and-file employee that was posed the same problem came out with another solution. He bought a strong industrial electric fan and pointed it at the assembly line. He switched the fan on, and as each soap box passed the fan, it simply blew the empty boxes out of the line. Clearly, the engineers worked hard, but the rank-and-file employee worked smart. So what's better than merely working hard? It's working smart. Having said that, it is still important to work hard.If you could combine both working hard and working smart, you would possessa major factor toward success.
Better than dreaming big ? I will bet my next month's salary that many haveencouraged you to dream big. Maybe even to reach for the stars and aim high. Isure heard that about a million times right before I graduated from thisuniversity. So I did. I did dream big. I did aim high. I did reach for the stars. No doubt, it works. In fact, the saying is true: "If you aim fornothing, that's exactly what you'll hit: nothing." But there's somethingbetter than dreaming big. Believe me, I got shocked myself. And I learned itfrom the biggest dreamer of all time, Walt Disney. When it comes to dreaming big, Walt is the man. No bigger dreams were fulfilled than his. Everyleadership book describes him as the ultimate dreamer. In fact, the principle ofdreaming and achieving is the core message of the Disney hit song, "When YouWish Upon a Star". "When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are;anything your heart desires will come to you. If your heart is in yourdream, no request is too extreme. When you wish upon a star, as dreamers do,"as Jiminy Cricket sang. But is that what he preached in the Disney Company?Dream? Imagineering Well, not exactly. Kind a but not quite. The problemwith dreaming is if that's all you do, you'll really get nowhere. In fact,you may just fall asleep and never wake up. The secret to Disney'ssuccess is not just dreaming it is IMAGINEERING. You won't find this wordin a dictionary. It's purely a Disney word. Those who engage in imagineering are called imagineers. The word combines the words "imagination"and "engineering. In the book "Imagineers," Disney's CEO, Michael Eisner,claims that "imagineers turn impossible dreams into real magic." Walt Disney explained there is really no secret to their approach. They just keep moving forward-opening new doors and doing new things, because they are curious. And it is this curiosity that leads them down new paths. They alwaysdream, explore and experiment. In short, imagineering is the blending ofcreative imagination and technical know-how. Eisner expounds on this thought by saying that "Notonly are imagineers curious, they are courageous, outrageous, and theircreativity is contagious." The big difference with imagineers is that they dream and then they DO! So don't just be a dreamer, be an imagineer.
You must have all been given a lecture at one time or another about the importance of having a vision. Even leadership expert John Maxwell says that an indispensable quality of a leader is to have a vision. The Bible also makes it very clear that "Without vision, people perish." So no doubtabout it, having a vision is important to success. But surprise! There's something more potent than a vision. It's a CAUSE. If all you're doing is trying toreach your vision and you're pitted against someone fighting for a cause,chances are you'll lose. The Vietnam War is a classic example. Literally with sticks and stones, the Viet Cong beat the heavily armed US Army to surrender,primarily because the US had a vision to win the war, but the Vietnamese were fighting for a cause. In the realm of business, many leaders have visions of making their company No.1, or grabbing market share, or for ever increasing profits. Nothing really wrong with that vision, but take the example ofSony founder Akio Morita. He did not just have a vision to build the biggest electronics company in the world. In his biography, "Made in Japan," he reveals that the real reason he set up Sony was to help rebuild his country, which had just been battered by war. He had a cause he was fighting for. His vision to be an electronics giant was secondary. What's the difference between a vision and a cause? Here's what sets them apart... No one is willing to die for a vision. People will die for a cause. You possess a vision. A cause possesses you. A vision lies in your hands. A causelies in your heart. A vision involves sacrifice. A cause involves the ultimate sacrifice. Just a word of caution. You must have the right vision, andyou must be fighting for the right cause. In the end, right will always winout. It may take time, and it may take long. But if youhave the right vision and are fighting for the right cause, you will prevail. If not, no matter how sincere you are, if you are not fighting for what is right, you will ultimately fail. Two final quotes Allow me to end with two quotes that I have lived byever since I stepped out of UP. The first comes from the Bible, which says, "To whom much is given, much is required." Having been given the opportunity to studyin UP, no doubt, much has been given to you in terms of an excellent education. Don't forget that in return, much is now required of you to use that education not just for yourself, but for others. And as you move up and start reaching the pinnacle of success, even more will be required of you to look at the welfare ofothers, of society and of the country. Though I have often dreamed of addressing any graduating class of UP Diliman, I never really thought it would happen. This brings me to the second quote I have held close to my heart as Itraverse the destiny God has laid out for me. "There is no destination beyond reach of one who walks with God." My standing in front of you today, as the youngest commencement speaker of this esteemed university in 92 years, is proof of how true that quote i s.
A final review: What's better than ...?
* What's better than focusing on the negative? Focus on the positive.
* What's better than working hard? It's working smart.
* What's better than dreaming? Imagine ring. * What's better than doing something for yourself? Doing something for your country.
* What's better than a vision? A cause.
* What's better than a long speech? Definitely, ashort one. Thank you and congratulations, UP Diliman graduatingclass of 2003 "Excellence is not a destination; it is a continuous journey that never ends."

The Standard of Success is Joy

At the heart of every desire is the desire to feel good. And so, the standard of success in life is not the things or the money, the standard of success is absolutely the amount of joy you feel.