achievements. Lift them up. Don’t make up things that aren’t true and fill people with hollow compliments just to complete this task and move on to your own success.
When you really search for the good in others, you end up finding out what is good about you. If you are able to have empathy with another human being, you have the right stuff to be a strong leader, a good friend, and a valuable person to be around.
Your assignment today is to continue to develop your skills in making people like themselves. Practice the delicate balance between compliment, encouragement, and belief in someone or something other than yourself.
50
Fifty days ago, you picked up this book and made a commitment to yourself to become more than who you thought you were. You knew that deep down you had more to contribute to the world, so you chose to explore new avenues of success through these pages. It is time to review your progress thus far.
First, you wrote down your dreams. Then, you took note of the choices you have made so far in life. You practiced a few random acts of kindness, and you took initial steps toward achieving your destiny. You followed those first steps with actions that would lead you toward new and exciting goals.
Next, you reviewed your partnerships and the people you spend time with on a regular basis. You started to define yourself and had fun imagining the impossible. You jotted down your thoughts and ideas in your journal and noted all of the things for which you are grateful. Gratitude was paid forward when you helped someone else.
You conducted experiments by trying something new and searching for your hidden talents, and then you re- examined your goals in life. You cultivated your sense of humor and played with the power of music. You took risks, practiced fearlessness, and seized opportunities. Finally, you paid attention to others and how you could be of service to them.
Congratulations! You have accomplished quite a lot in a few short weeks. Are you still reaching for more? Can you imagine what the rest of the year will hold?
51
In the movie Home Alone, a child’s dream comes true when he thinks his annoying family has vanished into thin air. He is suddenly free to do whatever he wants. He stays up late, eats ice cream for dinner, watches movies that he’s not supposed to watch, messes up his big brother’s room, and tries out his dad’s deodorant and after-shave lotion. He has a wonderful time alone . . . for a few hours.
Then suddenly, the child comes to the realization that he’s just not having that much fun on his own. He misses the love of his family, and he longs for a chance to share his life with them again.
Have you ever wished that everyone would just leave you alone and stop bothering you? Have you ever longed to have everything to yourself, just for one day? Be careful what you wish for.
The truly good things in life are loving and giving. They far exceed material possessions, power, or prestige. Why is that? Have you considered why a simple hug from a friend when you need it the most can completely turn your day around? Have you experienced what it feels like to give to someone who really needs your help?
Your assignment today is to get out your notebook and recall two or three experiences you have had that involve loving and giving. Then journal for a few pages about how loving and giving bring extra meaning to your life. What are ways in which you can add larger portions of those two ingredients to every day?
52
Jo Ann trudged through life. Everything was a chore to her. There were very few things she enjoyed in her day, and her sour mood made that very clear. She believed that life was work—hard work—and the people surrounding her were idiots. Jo Ann felt that she would be successful if she played the martyr and grudgingly fixed everyone else’s mistakes. She knew how to do things right, and that was her claim to fame.
What is life to you? Is it a chore? Is it drudgery? Do you feel grumpy most days? Does it seem to you like the object of your existence is to get through life, not to enjoy it?
