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Cheryl was bursting with happiness. She finally discovered her true talents after months of searching, and she felt a renewed sense of purpose that invigorated her from the inside out. Cheryl had a lot of work ahead of her, but she was bursting with joy at the thought of taking a new direction. She showed up at work bright and early, and everyone she came across noticed the change. Joy looked great on her! People asked her if she got a haircut, a makeover, a face lift, liposuction—each comment was funnier than the one before. The simple fact was that Cheryl was bursting with happiness. She found joy, and it made her look radiant. No amount of plastic surgery could have done a better job than the makeover she gave herself from the inside out.
Are you finding the joy in your life? Don’t despair if you’re not quite there yet. Sometimes it takes a little practice. Start with small things. Do old black-and-white movies make you happy? Then rent one tonight. Do you enjoy babysitting your niece or nephew? Call up your sister and make plans to do that sometime very soon. Do you like to cook? Get in the kitchen and get busy. Don’t underestimate the power of joy. You don’t have to wait for it to come. You can make it happen as often as you want.
If you had a chance to experience even a little bit of joy every day, wouldn’t you take it? What’s stopping you right now? You can make the conditions right. You deserve to have overwhelming joy in your life. It’s the best make up.
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During the last several days, you’ve been reading a lot about joy and work. The best way to combine the two is to strive for excellence. When your work reaches the definition of excellence, it is of such high quality that it is exceptional. It is not the norm. You stick out in a crowd.
That is exactly what you want when you strive to achieve your dreams. Your ultimate goal is not to make a lot of money. That is a byproduct. The definitive prize is to achieve excellence. You want to shine brightly in this world, and you will when you learn how to do something very well. Let’s go over the basic steps on your path toward excellence. They are the following:
1. Find your passion.
2. Work very hard at learning how to do it extremely well.
3. Experience joy in the excellence you have achieved.
Money and fame will come later. If you find joy in working very hard on your passions in life, then you will be making a contribution that is worth recognition and reward. Write down these three basic steps and stick them on the mirror in your bathroom. Ask yourself if you are adhering to them every day.
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Every single tool you need for success is already within you. You have everything you need. The greatest deterrent to success is the limitation you place on yourself. You are not small. You are not unholy. You are a unique gift, and no one possesses your particular talents. It is imperative that you stop selling yourself short and start accepting your brilliance.
Find a quiet place today and take your journal with you. Write about your gifts. Close your eyes and visualize the power you hold within you. The tools for success are not hidden somewhere out in the universe. You don’t need to go on a long expedition to find them. They are inside of you at this very moment waiting to be put to work. It is so incredibly important to realize and accept that simple fact. You don’t have to wonder if you’ve got the goods to be a success. You do. So you can stop asking that question. You have the answer.
Your task now is to take action. Don’t put off your achievements because you are unsure of yourself. Honor the peace, wisdom, and joy that are part of you already. Find out today what you can achieve by using the gifts you already possess.
