Archive for May, 2009

by Michelle Casto
Planet Earth is ripe for change. Everywhere you look, change is occurring: for theindividual, families, corporations, communities, states, countries, and ultimately the world.

The pace of change has increased to keep up with the human desire to create more change. You would not have to look very far in your own life to identify
something you would like to change.

Now is the perfect time to transform yourself physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually or otherwise.

As Dr. Richard Gerberhas stated, The discord and unrest occurring upon the planet at this time is a higher reflection of the emotional and spiritual imbalances that exist in many people throughout the world. We must begin to heal dis-ease and distress at the level of causes and not just at the superficial world of physical effects.

In order to accept and work with vibrational healing methods, one must begin to make the transition toward personal transformation that is necessary before true physical and spiritual healing can occur.

What you may have noticed is that it is time for a change. What you probably don not know is how to go about transforming your life.

The first thing you need to learn about change, is that in order to change your outer reality, you must transform your inner programming.

Transformation Begins With a New Thought
All change begins with you—on the inside—your thoughts, feelings, and beliefs about how life works determines what you will create in your outer world. Gathering information is an important first step in the change process, making smart decisions is also key, but listening to your souls
callings is the very best way to call forth change into your life.

What changes your life is not learning more, though education is important.
What changes your life is not making decisions, although making choices and acting on
them is important. What changes your life is being in touch with your inner self and designing your life around what is important and true for you.

Rollo May, the famous psychotherapist once said, The cause for insanity is doing the same thing the same way expecting different results. How many times in life have you done the same thing the same way hoping for a different outcome?

To keep from going insane, stop looking for the answer on the outside and start looking on the inside for what is blocking your efforts.

Albert Einstein once said, Nothing happens until something moves. In other words, change will not come until something inside you moves, like letting go of limiting beliefs, fears, resentments, and making room in your heart for more of what you want. When you turn inward and face your fears and limiting beliefs, you are more capable of facing your reality, whatever it may be.

You must change because this is the season of change.
Now is the time to re-think and reevaluate your life.
Now is the time to create change in the world.
Now is the time to heal.
Now is the time to sing and to dance.
Now is the time do your inner soul work.
Now is the time to transform your life.

The great news is that you do not have to do it alone. Why not hire a coach? Professional athletes and business executives stay at the top of their game with the help of a coach/mentor. Personal coaching is an enlightening and empowering experience, and working with a personal coach can transform your life.

Michelle Casto is known as the Soul Coach because she empowers you to follow the intuitive guidance of your soul and make life changes easily and with grace. Get your Free ereport at http://www.smartlifechanges.com

Article Source: PLJMagazine.com

by Marc Savage
You have certainly heard the expression “when you assume you make an a– out of you and me”. While that may be true in most circumstances, assumptions are a key ingredient in hypnotic mind control.

Assumptions are called presuppositions in hypnotic mind control. These presuppositions can quickly guide someone to follow your commands and they will think it was their own idea.

First of all what is a presupposition? Well, a presupposition is very much like an assumption. For example, let’s say you came home late and your wife says to you “You are late, you must have been out with your friends at the bar”

Now, your wife has no idea of where you have been, she only knows you are home late. So she presupposes you have been at the bar with your friends.

The above example is more of an assumption than a hypnotic presupposition. So let me give you an example of a hypnotic presupposition.

“When you begin buy my program you should become a master of hypnotic mind control and as you realize how much you need my program you may find yourself buying it now.” OK so what am I presupposing here?

By using the words “when you buy…” I am presupposing that you will buy, right? I am not asking if you will buy I am saying when you buy. This type of language presupposes that you will buy.

Ok, I’m sure your thinking to yourself big deal, anyone can do that. Well here is where it becomes hypnotic, buy saying “when you buy…” the unconscious mind interprets that as meaning it is a foregone conclusion that it is going to happen.

If it’s a forgone conclusion that it is going to happen then your resistance goes down and you become more inclined to actually buy my program.

Now to be fair, presuppositions alone are not enough. As you look at that sentence again (did you catch the presupposition there) you may notice there are embedded commands such as “buy my program”, “you need my program” and “find yourself buying it now”.

The more you re-read that sentence the more you will realize just how powerfully hypnotic presuppositions are. Did you catch the presupposition in the previous sentence?

As you learn more about presuppositions you may become aware of your deep desire to learn as much as you can about them and about hypnotic mind control

Presuppositions are just one of the many techniques you can discover when you learn more about hypnotic mind control.

Learn more about the right program for you at my websiteMarc Savage is the owner of http://www.hypnoticmindcontrol.net

Article Source: PLJMagazine.com

by Marc Savage
Conversational hypnosis is not the usual type of hypnosis that is seen in the media. This is the type of hypnosis that is known by a very few elite people.

Conversational hypnosis is the tool that top sales people and others use to make others take the actions that they want them to. It is a very easy form of hypnosis when one knows the basic techniques that go into this covert form of mind control.

The first part of conversational hypnosis is building a rapport with the person that you would like to make do something. This happens with you finding ways to agree with the person no matter what they say.

It is about finding ways to get the person to agree with you and take the actions that you want them to do. People are more likely to go along with someone that does agree with them. This is because the person feels that you and they are the same person. People like people who are like themselves.

One of the most important steps to make this work is to confuse the person on the issue that you would like to see change with. This can be done in a variety of ways.

Once the seed of confusion is planted into the mind, it begins to grow. As the doubt and the confusion grow, the ease of mind control becomes greater.

It is all about getting past the conscious mind of the individual and using simple conversational techniques to speak with the unconscious mind to make the changes that you desire.

The final piece to the puzzle is giving the person the subtle suggestion to make the change that you desire. The most important part of this is the word subtle. It is important to make sure that the idea to make the change is implanted into the person unconscious mind.

This will help the person to come to the conclusion that they need to make this change on their own. They will never know that you were the one that made them make this decision.

These steps are a simplified version. Conversational hypnosis is something that most of us come into contact with many times during the course of life.

It can be the car sales person trying to convince us to buy the truck that we test drove. It can be seen with the speeches of our politicians. This form of mind control can even be seen by the motivational speakers of today.

Conversational hypnosis is all around us and you can learn it yourself.

Learn more about the Hypnotic Mind Controlfrom my FREE report at my websiteMarc Savage is the owner of http://www.hypnoticmindcontrol.net

Article Source: PLJMagazine.com

by Timothy Crane
Life is like a road. There are long and short roads; smooth and rocky roads; crooked and straight paths. In our life many roads would come our way as we journey through life. There are roads that lead to a life of single blessedness, marriage, and religious vocation.

There are also roads that lead to fame and fortune on one hand, or isolation and poverty on the other. There are roads to happiness as there are roads to sadness, roads towards victory and jubilation, and roads leading to defeat and disappointment.

Just like any road, there are corners, detours, and crossroads in life. Perhaps the most perplexing road that you would encounter is a crossroad.

With four roads to choose from and with limited knowledge on where they would go, which road will you take? What is the guarantee that we would choose the right one along the way? Would you take any road, or just stay where you are: in front of a crossroad?

There are no guarantees. You do not really know where a road will lead you until you take it. There are no guarantees. This is one of the most important things you need to realize about life.

Nobody said that choosing to do the right thing all the time would always lead you to happiness. Loving someone with all your heart does not guarantee that it would be returned. Gaining fame and fortune does not guarantee happiness.

Accepting a good word from an influential superior to cut your trip short up the career ladder is not always bad, especially if you are highly qualified and competent.

There are too many possible outcomes, which your really cannot control. The only thing you have power over is the decisions that you will make, and how you would act and react to different situations.

Wrong decisions are always at hindsight. Had you known that you were making a wrong decision, would you have gone along with it? Perhaps not, why would you choose a certain path when you know it would get you lost?

Why make a certain decision if you knew from the very beginning that it is not the right one. It is only after you have made a decision and reflected on it that you realize its soundness.

If the consequences or outcomes are good for you, then you have decided correctly. Otherwise, your decision was wrong.

Take the risk: decide. Since life offers no guarantee and you would never know that your decision would be wrong until you have made it, then you might as well take the risk and decide.

It is definitely better than keeping yourself in limbo. Although it is true that one wrong turn could get you lost, it could also be that such a turn could be an opportunity for an adventure, moreover open more roads.

It is all a matter of perspective. You have the choice between being a lost traveller or an accidental tourist of life. But take caution that you do not make decisions haphazardly.

Taking risks is not about being careless and stupid. Here are some pointers that could help you choose the best option in the face of lifes crossroads.

Get as much information as you can about your situation. You cannot find the confidence to decide when you know so little about what you are faced with. Just like any news reporter, ask the 5 Ws: what, who, when, where, and why.

What is the situation? Who are the people involved? When did this happen? Where is this leading? Why are you in this situation? These are just some of the possible questions to ask to know more about your situation. This is important. Oftentimes, the reason for indecision is the lack of information about a situation.

Identify and create options. What options do the situation give you? Sometimes the options are few, but sometimes they are numerous. But what do you do when you think that the situation offers no options? This is the time that you create your own.

Make your creative mind work. From the most simplistic to the most complicated, entertain all ideas. Do not shoot anything down when an idea comes to your head. Sometimes the most outrageous idea could prove to be the right one in the end.

You can ask a friend to help you identify options and even make more options if you encounter some difficulty, but make sure that you make the decision yourself in the end.

Weigh the pros and cons of every option. Assess each option by looking at the advantages and disadvantages it offers you. In this way, you get more insights about the consequences of such an option.

Trust yourself and make that decision. Now that you have assessed your options, it is now time to trust yourself. Remember that there are no guarantees and wrong decisions are always at hindsight. So choose decide believe that you are choosing the best option at this point in time.

Now that you have made a decision, be ready to face its consequences: good and bad. It may take you to a place of promise or to a land of problems. But the important thing is that you have chosen to live your life instead of remaining a bystander or a passive audience to your own life.

Whether it is the right decision or not, only time can tell. But do not regret it whatever the outcome. Instead, learn from it and remember that you always have the chance to make better decisions in the future.

For more information about the law of attraction and how you can learn more about the 11 forgotten laws, go watch this video on one of the best programs out there, Just Click Here http://my11forgottenlaws.info

Article Source: PLJMagazine.com

by Debra Berndt
The amount of money that flows into your life is directly related to your inner relationship with the dollar bill. Since childhood, we have been programmed to believe certain things about money.

Money is the root of all evil, blessed are the poor, rich people are jerks, or simply that there is never enough. These old ideas are deeply embedded in your subconscious mind and determine whether you attract or repel wealth.

Different than the deeper mind, the conscious mind is your present moment awareness including your five senses and your will. This is a very small part of your experience. The conscious mind is the logical and analytical part of your thinking.

Beneath your conscious awareness is the subconscious which holds all of your belief systems gathered throughout your lifetime, including ideas about money. You may have certain beliefs of your self-worth, confidence or intelligence that gets in the way of attracting riches. Even if you are lucky enough to win the lottery or get a great bonus, you have a good chance of ending up broke again if you do not believe that you deserve to be rich.

In order to increase your cash flow, you need to change your relationship with money on the subconscious level. If you want riches and you consistently seem to struggle in business or have bad luck with money, you may have deep beliefs about money that are not in alignment with success.

The subconscious is not logical but has an amazing power over your life. Everyone and everything in your world is a mirror of your subconscious belief system. Anything that you want in life, such as money, love, health or happiness, must be in alignment with your deep mind for you attract it into your life.

In order to change the deep beliefs on the subconscious level, you need to find a way to bypass a filter that kicks out new ideas that do not match the ones that are already there. If the idea such as “money flows to me easily” does not agree with your inner mind, the filter rejects it. That is why most affirmations do not work because they just remain on the conscious surface and rarely affect the subconscious belief system.

The way you can change subconscious ideas is first to identify your limiting beliefs and then reverse them to positive statements. Get a piece of paper and write down all of your beliefs about money. You will be amazed at how many ideas are affecting your current financial situation. Make sure you reverse all of those unwanted attitudes on a separate piece of paper and throw the old paper away.

After you have identified the beliefs that block you from money, the best way to change the subconscious is through relaxing the mind through self-hypnosis so that your critical thinking is suspended to allow the new ideas to sink in to the subconscious. One suggestion in a hypnotic state is equal to one thousand affirmations said consciously.

Even though self-hypnosis gives you more rapid and lasting changes than simple affirmations, you need to be patient. It takes at least thirty days of continuous programming to make a permanent shift in your belief system. You have millions of thoughts each day. Self-hypnosis is like training wheels for the mind to get your thoughts in alignment with unlimited wealth.

By changing your deep beliefs and shifting your habitual thoughts from lack to endless possibilities and abundance, you can attract enormous amounts of wealth. Regardless of economic conditions, there are plenty of opportunities for bringing more money into your life and the only scarcity is what you allow yourself to believe.

You are in absolute control of your life when you become a master of your thoughts.

Debra Berndt is a Certified Hypnotic Coach, Host of The Love Coach Radio Show, and Author of the upcoming book, “Let Love In.” Get free attract money download and her weekly newsletter from her website at AttractRealLove.com

Article Source: PLJMagazine.com

by Jai Kai
Seven time Tour De France winner Lance Armstrong will attempt to become the oldest winner of the 2009 Tour De France race in the name of cancer awareness. The big question is, will Lance succeed in his attempts to win the race and more importantly find a cure for cancer.

What is Lance doing now to succeed? Lance is currently training on the bike and focusing on specific things such as stretching, diet, technology of cycling and team strategies. In a recent interview Lance stated that although he will be almost 38 when he starts the tour next summer, he feels like he is 25 again. He said that he feels motivated and more inspired than he has ever been to get back to the bike and work hard to make all the sacrifice it requires to be competitive.

The key to his success is that he believes the mind powers the body, and once the mind says we want to do it, then the body will follow. The Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) inspires and empowers people affected by cancer through the Global Cancer Initiative. Their focus is on the following:
1. Together we will end the stigma of cancer and turn cancer victims into cancer survivors.
2. Together we will build an international grassroots movement that will take cancer from isolation to collaboration.
3. Together with world leaders, we will transform cancer from obscurity to priority.

The Obama government needs to focus on the continuum of the disease all the way from prevention to end of life. This is another success principle from Lance Armstrong - take measurable preventions to eliminate chances of failure and defeat.

Currently more funding is needed at the federal level both at the National Cancer Institute and the National Institutes of Health. Barack Obama has pledged to double funding at the NCI. He is a big support on the fight against cancer as he lost his mother to this disease. The question for success is now, “will the White House treat cancer as a priority?”

Most people may not feel good about hearing this but here are the realities of cancer: More than 12 million people worldwide are diagnosed with cancer and eight million will die from the disease each year. Cancer kills more people than malaria, tuberculosis and aids combined. However, many governments devote few resources to fighting cancer and collect little information about its causes and effects.

For more than 10 years the LAF and its founder - cancer survivor and champion cyclist - Lance Armstrong, have partnered with other organizations and dedicated advocates to make cancer a national priority in the United States and Canada. Now the LAF is taking the battle to fight cancer globally.

So why will Lance win the 2009 Tour De France? It is very simple. His passion, determination and his support from millions who will take action towards the Global Cancer Initiative has the power to succeed. You can support too by visiting the live strong website and supporting Lance and his efforts.

Check out what leadership coaching is all about.Find out the Law of Success and receive updated news, new articles and amazing videos at SharingSuccess.TV

Article Source: PLJMagazine.com

by Debra Berndt
Everything in the universe is created by one original substance. This formless substance or energy is neutral. It is the thought applied upon this substance that creates the thing that is imagined by the thought.

Since you are thinking source, you can create anything you desire. There is an unlimited storehouse of love and abundance that this substance provides. Many of those who struggle with relationships tend to apply negative thoughts about love into this energy and ultimately create more loneliness, lack and fear of losing the one we adore.

You can attract true love by changing your thoughts and working with this amazing formless substance that creates all. This formless creative substance is referred to as God, universal energy, life force and other names that may fit with your personal belief system.

Limited v. Creative Mind
We tend to look at our life in two ways. One way is to see things as they are and believe we have no power to change them. We have a strong habit of looking at our current situation, making decisions about them based on past circumstances and recreate the situation over and over again.

This is working with your limited mind or habitual way of thinking. This type of thinking leads to competition, fear, scarcity and grasping in relation to love and relationships.

The other way to look at life is to see beyond how things are and believe in the possibility of what they can become. The truth is that there is an unlimited source of love in the world.

When you think of everything around you as becoming or in possibilities of growth and expansion, you are using the creative mind. This creative mind tends to push beyond perceived limitations and create opportunities and loving relationships.

In order to use the creative mind more effectively, you need to change the limited beliefs in your conditioned mind. By changing your inner beliefs and shifting the habits of thinking to possibilities, openness and endless opportunities, you can attract the partner of your dreams.

Power of the Mind
Most people do not realize that their entire life is run by their conditioned mind. You think almost the same thoughts every single day that keeps you stuck in your limited way of being. The conditioned mind is the pattern of thought you bring from the past.

Your mind tends to be consistent with your beliefs and emotional responses to external stimulation. It is the source of the habit of thinking that either drives or repels love.

Your mind gathered information about your self-worth and love-ability throughout your life, especially in childhood when you took things literally and made up ideas about yourself from the mind of a child. Those old ideas are still operating in your inner mind and become the foundation of almost all of your belief systems.

This process begins at conception, through all nine months of pregnancy, birth experience and all childhood experiences. You have evidence of these deep beliefs as you go through life, but sometimes are not aware of them. You sometimes feel like you are acting like a child because your conditioned mind is running your actions, reactions and interpretations of issues that arise.

Most of dating and relationship issues were created because of ideas you learned about love, family, gender roles and marriage in your childhood from your parents, friends and teachers.

If you want something and it is not showing up in your life, your conditioned mind is not in agreement with receiving it. For example, if you want a loving partnership and you consistently seem to struggle in dating or have bad luck with men or women, you probably have beliefs that are not in alignment with love. It is important to understand that conditioned mind is not logical but has an amazing power over your life. Everyone and everything in your life is a mirror of your mind and this hard-wired pattern of thinking can be changed if you follow the Creative Mind Method.

Shifting to a New Experience of Love
There are many ways to shift from old limited patterns of being to expand into the creative mind of love.

1. Uncover false beliefs operating in your unconscious mind. A great exercise is to write down one or more of these stem sentence and finish it over and over to get all the junk out on paper:

The reason I do not have a healthy relationship is because…
or
If I had a happy relationship, I would…

2. Flood your mind with new ideas about love and relationships. Self-hypnosis is the best way to change your limited mind. Did you know that it takes 1,000 affirmations to match the power of just one suggestion in hypnosis? That is because in the alpha state you are more able to accept new positive statements about yourself. Hypnosis creates immediate results.

3. Instead of focusing exclusively on your external appearance, shift your energy to watching your thoughts and speech. With every action you take, do it in a way that is in alignment with your will for true love.

4. Practice meditation and learn to quiet your mind to be present in the moment. (This step will help you master step number 3).

5. Do not think in terms of competition or lack - there is plenty of love to go around. The perfect partner for you is out there. If someone you love turns to another, know that the void will be replaced with someone truly right for you.

6. Do not get discouraged no matter how long it takes for your love to arrive in your life. Be patient and let go. Keep holding the vision of your dream for a happy relationship regardless of external conditions.

Debra Berndt is a Certified Hypnotic Love Coach, Host of The Love Coach Radio Show, and Author of the upcoming book, “Let Love In.” Get free attract love mp3 download and her weekly dating advice newsletter from her website at AttractLoveToday.com

Article Source: PLJMagazine.com

by Lita Stone
Have you wondered why some people seem to find it so easy to draw financial abundance into their lives? At the same time we see people doing well financially, while their lives seem to be falling apart due to the stress of working long hours or never taking time off. These people may be doing well financially, but is the price worth it? Is there a way to turn our lives around financially without having to sacrifice the quality of our lives? There is! And it has to do with learning and applying the laws of attraction.

If you have seen the hit movie The Secret, then you have been introduced to the ancient and vitally important law. Vitally important I say, because its what is behind the kind of experiences your now having in your life. Yes, it is true the circumstances we are born into is a part of the great mystery of our lives. But what we do with those circumstances, where we go in our lives in spite of circumstances is where the law of attraction really kicks in.

The basic principles of the Law of Attraction are simple: What we focus on we attract. Have you noticed as you focus on not having enough money to pay the bills, you continue to not have enough to pay the bills? Here is the law of attraction at work, in this case creating more of exactly what you do not want. This is termed creating by default, or creating circumstances unconsciously in our lives. If you really take an honest look at your life, up to this point, you can see how you have been creating by default all along. Depressing, possibly, but a powerful and enlightening insight once your really get it.

As simple as the law of attraction seems, for most of us learning to implement it successfully to create prosperity and abundance into our lives can be challenging at first. But once we get into the flow, it gets easier and easier. There is much to be learned and unlearned. Old habits need to be changed. But then, living lives of struggle are even more challenging. How would you like to take that energy you put out, struggling with what is, and use it to create a life of abundance free of struggle?

The first step to begin the process of switching from creating by default, to creating consciously, is to study. Learn more about about the Law of Attraction and the other laws that are related to it. The Secret was just the beginning. Then get support to help guide you and keep you on track. Turning our patterns of thinking around needs to become a daily effort, until it becomes effortless. Then do not give up. Remember, we are all masters at the Law of Attraction, we are doing it all the time!

Lita Stone, the author, has been using the Law of Attraction to create a thriving online business sellingRelaxation Audios. To Learn more about how to make the law of Attraction work for you, visit Law of Attraction now!

Article Source: PLJMagazine.com

by
Ever since the beginning of time, ambitious people of the world have attributed some “indescribable” secret to the success of those people with wealth. These people have spent, and will continue to spend, millions of dollars to cultivate these “secrets” within themselves.

Particularly since the early seventies, there has been a growing demand by the public to attend classes, workshops, and self-improvement seminars that will enable them to align their thinking as well as their actions, with those of people who have already achieve success.

The popularity of such best-selling how-to manuals as, Winning believes…Think and Grow Rich… How to Develop a Winning Personality… Overcoming Shyness… Imagineering… New Life Options… Winning By Negotiation… Successful Visual-Verbal Communications… Conversationally speaking… and countless others lend reinforcement to the “need” for self-improvement seminars.

You can promote and stage these seminars either as a generalist or as a specialist in a specific area of expertise -and attain wealth for yourself almost beyond your current imagination! The market potential has only barely been scratched, affording a real ground-floor opportunity for those with the gumption to take action.

Dale Carnegie - the author of the book, How to Win Friends and Influence People - was certainly one of the first, if not “the first” self-improvement seminar marketer/teacher. Back in the Great Depression of the thirties, he recognized this need in people to improve themselves - he worked out a deal with the local management of his home town YMCA - got the word around that he was holding classes on self-improvement - and the rest is one of the truly classic unemployed-to-multi-million-dollar success stories of our time.

A self-improvement seminar is conducted much the same as a Toastmaster’s Club meeting… It can be held just about anywhere, from the informal atmosphere of someone’s living room to the formalities of the Hilton Convention Center.

Basically, a self-improvement seminar is a gathering of people where one or more speakers talk on a specific subject. More often than not, only a certain aspect of self-improvement, such as How to Develop a Positive Mental Attitude - is the thrust of the seminar. In other words, the more successful seminars deal with “specialized areas” of self-improvement.

These speakers usually wind up their talks with audience involvement question and answer sessions. Most of them “wind down” with the speaker circulating through the audience, plus lots of opportunity for the purchase of self-help books and tapes by the people wanting on-going motivation and reinforcement relative to what they’ve just heard. Always - sometimes even as the featured subject of the seminar - there’s a great deal of motivation projected during these meetings. At the bottom line, motivation is more the purpose of these seminars than the attendees learning something they don’t already know. The favourite words of most seminar speakers are usually, “It’s the difference between having a dream and taking action - a matter of saying I can, believing it, and then doing it - because you can!”

Uchenna Ani-Okoye is an internet marketing advisor and co founder of Top Affiliate Programs

Article Source: PLJMagazine.com

by
My name is William Stephenson; I grew up in Manasquan and have spent most of my life in New Jersey. Id like to speak with you about achieving your best, about making the most of your assets and realizing your biggest dreams.

I was raised with the adage that my accomplishments were only limited to the heights I could imagine. This was a commonly used and inspirational line that many parents shared with their children. At the time, those words didnt mean so much to me. Upon further reflection however, the spirit of those words was ever present in my blind sub conscience.

When I was only 9 years of age, I had 2 paper routes on opposite ends of town. It was a morning paper, The Start Ledger; therefore both routes had to be completed by 7am. I pedaled fast to get back from the Manasquan Beach and change in time for school. The early riches that I enjoyed afforded many crucial lessons which would subsequently fuel my future achievements.

By learning the power of hard work and money at such an early age, an age where were all highly impressionable, it forever solidified the correlation between the two. I am incredibly grateful to my parents for supporting me in those early desires. The significance of this work should not be underscored; to me, it helped form one of my core values in life, responsibility.

By learning to do for myself and not waiting for someone else to take responsibility, I not only acquired things more speedily, but I had the good feeling of having earned them myself.

This early money was invested wisely, not an IRA, not a 401K, I used those funds for flight lessons at Allaire Airport. At age 13, I was speaking with an Uncle of mine. He was a war hero to me, who fought in Korea. He stated that he always regretted not learning how to fly. For some reason, his regret cautioned me enough not to follow his path.

I clipped a 50 percent off coupon from an Entertainment Guide for an introductory flight lesson. Well, soaring above my home town and central New Jersey served two purposes. First, it sold me instantly on the joys of flight. Second, and more importantly, it extended my reach out into the world; it effectively reduced the size of it and led me to believe that it would be easier to conquer now. Again, I have to thank my parents for allowing me to circle their home at 1000 feet. They clearly hadnt read all of the accident reports on that scenario.

About one year after that first flight lesson, I accomplished one of my most rewarding feats. I had officially been involved with Boy Scout Troop 59 of Manasquan for only 4 years when I had reached a pinnacle by attaining the rank of Eagle Scout. To this day, less than 2 percent of all scouts make it that far. To this day as well, I still dont know why that percentage has remained so low. Even at age 14, my drive was surpassing my moments.

Each Eagle Scout applicant must appear before a board of review to validate his award and confirm that he in fact extols the virtues befitting the milestone. At this board of review the applicant sits among and across from several elders in his troop as well as a representative from the council level, the governing body for many troops.

I perplexed them all that evening, not on purpose of course. All I had to do was answer a few questions and I would be an Eagle Scout. Later, I was told that the elders of my troop were kicking themselves underneath the table. They would have preferred that I had said less rather than more that evening.

I was questioned about my awareness of the high honor they would soon bestow upon me. My answers and my feelings in general about the rank of Eagle Scout at the time were slightly dismissive. Quite frankly, I saw the rank of Eagle as just another step along the scouting trail. In fact, as they pressed me about why I didnt seem as excited about it as perhaps the elders were, I told them that every scout should follow the logical path that I had taken and achieve the rank as well.

My unrefined point that evening was that I felt the very act of holding that rank up on a special pedestal was one of the impediments to most scouts attaining it. I believe that more scouts would enjoy the accolade if it were not placed so high above them. Of course, this could possibly dilute the experience at the same time.

After much back and forth, I acquiesced and agreed that it was indeed a tremendous accomplishment. I was now one of the younger Eagle Scouts in our troops storied history. My years in scouting provided far too many memories and tales to share with you this evening, however, the leadership skills that I cultivated during those early years would prove pivotal. They have played a key part in every major accomplishment and milestone after that. I believe the Boy Scouts to be a fine organization for our youth when accompanied by active parenting. Its affects are incalculable.

Psychologists say that the majority of our basic learning is acquired by the age of 16; if this in indeed true, the importance of our early decisions is paramount. The more healthy habits and useful ventures we take part in during this phase of life, the better.

Soon, I was off to college at the University of South Carolina. I worked almost continuously through those years and took my virtues to the job place. I found myself in a setting where the status quo ruled. Its certainly easier in the short term to follow the lead; however, leading the pack at the workplace provides far greater returns in the long run.

Standing out and shaking up the system takes courage or simply a set of convictions that disregards the consequences. This is why leading in life is critical. When you place yourself in the drivers seat you are less beholden to peer-pressures which may lead people astray.

Throughout these years my love for flying never ceased. I worked to learn and that correlation always seemed to get me through the tougher days. After graduating with a Bachelors degree in an area unrelated to flying, I returned home and finished the flight ratings required in order to call myself a professional pilot. I was now getting paid to give sightseeing tours up the Hudson River and around the Statue of Liberty. It was a tremendous feeling being right back where I started 10 years earlier yet so much further ahead. I was now getting paid for every one of those coveted flight hours necessary for advancement, how ironic, I felt?

Another crucial lesson learned during this phase of my life was how two steps back could lead oneself miles ahead. I left that wonderful job at Allaire Airport and gambled on a new venture at Teterboro Airport in North Jersey. I made less money and added one hour to my commute each way. Many thought I was crazy, but I was looking beyond tomorrow.

For the next 6 and one half years, I participated in a niche market in the business aviation world. I flew organ transplant teams around our country in Lear jets, King Airs, and Barons. It was hard work; we were often called into action at the last minute and it was typically midnight. Years later I would be rewarded for those efforts in a far greater way than just my pay. More on that treat soon.

The challenges that forced my cohorts and I in this last position codified that work ethic learned as a paper boy years earlier. One of the lessons there taught me that we are continually growing and every action or inaction we participate in affects our future. We mustnt look at each day as just any day. Every morning we wake up is another opportunity to better ourselves. Rarely will anyone of us remain stagnant; were either moving a head or behind in life. We make these choices everyday and all day.

After just nine years in the aviation industry I had yet again reached a pinnacle. I have taken a job on a Challenger jet flying a Fortune 200 company and its proprietors around the globe. Those early paper route dollars that I invested in flight training have come full circle. Delivering The Star Ledger has broadened my horizons in the literal sense. My world had in fact shrunk that afternoon at age 13, when I took my first flight and my first flight lesson.

To help drive this point home, as to how each action we take today lends to our successes or failures tomorrow, let me tell you about my high school prom date. Edie was one of the more unique individuals attending Manasquan High School during my years there. I quickly noted something special about her. At the time of our senior prom, she had a boyfriend from another school. Because of those circumstances, I was certainly not looking short term when I asked her to be my date for that event. I was looking far into my future and recently that has paid off for me as well. On May 5th of this year Edie and I were married in Manahawkin, NJ; my high school sweetheart is now so much more and forever.

Now, as promised, the reward worth so much more than a paycheck. About a year ago I found myself at a wake for my friends grandmother. At this wake I was introduced to the parents of a 6 year old boy. I was expecting to meet these folks because I knew their son had been given a personal tour of Giants Stadium a couple of years prior, compliments of the Make a Wish Foundation. We had some mutual friends in that football organization. As I spoke with the boys parents, I was less interested in the NY Giants and more interested in what their child had endured to warrant the attention of the foundation.

The Father told me that his son Stephen had received a heart transplant in early 2001. As they were asking me about the NY Giants, I persisted with the questions about his sons heart. Well, as it turned out, at about midnight in early 2001, my copilot and I flew to Bradley International Airport in Connecticut and retrieved Stephens heart. Confirming the details of the missionafter the wake made me very emotional.

This was the closest I had ever been to realizing the fruits of my labor. About two weeks later, we all gathered at little Stephens house and enjoyed the Super Bowl together. Stephen told me after a couple hours, Thank you for my heart.

Now, in conclusion, Im no different than anyone else in this room. The only privilege I had growing up was my parents blessing on the myriad of desires I came home with each week. They thankfully had the courage themselves to let me take things to their conclusion. Well, Im still reaching. When I fly along at 41,000 feet and I gaze out into the stars at night, they just dont seem so far away. Each and every one of those stars seems to be inviting me towards it. I know there is something behind each one and the more stars that I can look behind, the more confident I grow. Harness each and every day you live and before you know it, youll be leading life, not simply living it.

Thank you all very much for allowing me to share some of the things I have learned about life in my first 34 years.

William Stephenson has been publishing inspirational articles on the internet for years. Read more from William at William D Stephenson.com or learn about another of his interests at All Posters Prints, Note Cards, and Free E-cards.

Article Source: PLJMagazine.com