Creating a Magnetic Vision

"Our vision and focus act like a magnet that attracts and connects the pieces together."

• John Assaraf
  

Creating a Magnetic Vision

Like hundreds of thousands of others, I had come without knowing exactly what to expect. We were all being drawn together as if a huge magnet had sent out waves to pull us in. This was the last leg of a long journey that had begun the day before. We were standing on an elevated platform of the Metro Station at New York and Florida. Somehow our three families, one from California, one from Indiana, and one from Utah, knew why we were there, even though we were complete strangers. We exchanged greetings on the platform through introduction and boarded the train together.

By the time we got to the stop at Foggy Bottom on 23^rd Street the train was full to capacity. When we got off the train it was clear that the station was full, almost beyond its capacity. The crowd was polite and gentle as we made our way up stairs and escalators toward the exit. Together, we were like water gurgling from an underground spring toward the surface running down sloping 23^rd Street toward the Potomac River.

As we flowed down the street I kept looking around at all the people. We were all different. There were old people, young people and people in between. Some were struggling with the walk while others glided along. The look of some surprised me and others looked exactly as I expected.

What I didn't expect was the almost uncontrollable surge of emotion as we walked onto the Mall near the Lincoln Memorial. Just as we stepped near the Memorial there was an erupting cheer that enveloped the entire National Mall and everything surrounding it. I felt a tears well up in my eyes and then begin to slide down my face. They simply added to the sea of people around me.

We walked toward the Washington Monument looking for a spot to sit and participate in the program. We participated in repeating the "Pledge of Allegiance" and then sang the National Anthem. I had to choke out the words because I was so touched. I have never before participated with so many people in these rituals. It was an amazing experience.

It was the perfect example of the power of vision. Why else would so many different people come together from all across the United States? We all held one thing in common. It is faith and hope in the principles expounded in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of The United States. This one common vision of the "American Experiment" had brought us all together and was connecting us in a way none of us had ever experienced before.

That's what clear vision does. It takes one's thoughts from thinking into reality by directing focus and emotion so they will act as a vacuum between what we want and where we currently are. "We know from natural law that nature fills a void or gap in the fastest and most efficient was possible.

So, when we're fully engaged and emotionalized in our clear vision, we emit a frequency from our brain and heart that penetrate and permeates all space and time." John Assaraf once said to me.

There isn't a more graphic proof of this principle than the more than 500,000 people I spent the weekend with. And if you want to see it work in your own life you simply need to create a carefully crafted vision of your life inside your brain and make it more real than the current results in your outside world; then and only then will the universe begin to present its riches to you in the way of your dream.

Just remember that your clear vision is the seed of your new life. Write it down and give it emotion. That way it will be planted within your heart so you can harvest it as soon as possible!

Small Defining Moments

"I'd rather pay $7.50 than $6.00."

• Mark Olsen
  

Small Defining Moments

There have been lots of defining moments in my life. Many of the most eye opening are age related and would appear to be insignificant interactions. Here's one of the first examples I can remember that happened almost twenty-five years ago.

It was a Saturday night and my wife and I went to out for the evening to see a movie. We had an enjoyable time. The movie had ended. We were walking through the lobby when I realized I needed to get some change so I took a quick detour to the snack bar.

I walked up to the young woman at the counter and asked her if she would be so kind as to give me some change for a twenty-dollar bill. I hadn't seen this girl before and knew nothing about her. She knew nothing about me. When I handed her the money, she reached out and took it as she said, "Babysitting money, huh?" I knew then that I didn't look like the young, dashing man of my fantastic dreams. I looked like someone's father!

Since then I've endured years of everyone I meet responding to me with a quick, "Sir;" a title I once thought reserved for knights or "older, distinguished gentlemen."

Oh! Wait a minute! I guess I'm now one of those older gentlemen! I'm a slow learner!

But, one of the benefits of being an older gentleman is that I know lots of other people of the same vintage. I was conversing with my friend's Mark Olsen and Kim Fish a couple of days ago about this very subject when Mark talked about being at a famous restaurant. He was ready to pay his bill and was standing at the cash register; I mean "point of sale computer!" When the young woman said, "that'll be $7.50."

Mark began to get his money ready when she said, "No, wait. I forgot to give you your discount."

He described his confusion (no, not Alzheimer's) because he didn't know to what discount she was referring. Then said she, "It's $6.00; I forgot to give your Senior Discount."

Mark then said to Kim and me, "I'd rather pay $7.50 than $6.00!" Then we, all three laughed.

Later, as I reflected on this, I realized that it's the smallest of things; the smallest of statements that can affect us in big ways. It's still true that the big moments loom large, but it's also true that seemingly smallish things can have huge implications.

As we age, thousands of small things all add up to our maturity, wisdom and experience. It's our ability to integrate them into our whole that will determine who we are at any one moment. Perhaps Mark showed me who he really is by being surprised at the discount being offered!

He doesn't view himself as old or all used up! He views himself as a man with lots of life to live. He's a man creating his future with confidence and enthusiasm. He's a man ready to create his greatest success in business and relationships yet. He's defining his life moment by moment just like everyone else, no matter what their age.

If you can remember just this one small thing, this one approach to life, then you'll live a life filled with wonderful definition and memories.

Merging Your Past, Present and Future

"Sometimes I feel as if I've been left alone."

• Merridy Bagley
  

Merging Your Past, Present and Future

I sat back and listened as Merridy talked about the history of her land and its relationship to her mother. As she talked, I thought back to the times I had spent with her mother and a flood of warmth came rushing into my body. She was a woman with an oversized heart and a hearty sense of humor.

One day we sat laughing as she described the practical jokes her own mother had played on her and her children Merridy and Jeff. It was so funny I had tears running down my face and I could hardly sit in the chair. It's no wonder that Merridy misses such a delightful part of her life. But then I thought about that delight in more detail.

What does it really mean to be alone? What role do fond memories play in our concept of being alone? Would I feel more alone if I didn't have any wonderful memories to course through my body? Can a person feel complete and fulfilled without the physical presence of another? Perhaps these are questions best left to each individual to answer, but I wanted to talk with you about a principle I call "Merged Presence."

If a person did nothing but spend every waking moment thinking about the past then we would say "they live in the past." That would mean that their present life doesn't really exist and that would be a shame. Sometimes as people age they fall in to this trap. Still, a person should remember the past and use it to improve their present.

A person who lives in the present, who has learned valuable lessons in the past, can live more wisely than someone who lives without a foundation based on experience and relationships. Both of these bring richness to the present. The trick is to unite these essential seasoning elements into life so they don't become an impediment to new growth.

One must understand that combining the past and the present is a process, and that the success of any process is subject to art and the ratio of ingredients used. It's like using a recipe. So, here's a recipe you can try; if you'll remember that individual taste varies so you may need to do some tweaking.

First, always use fresh ingredients. Make sure you're always living your life with a zest for what comes to you in the present. If you open your eyes and accept the beauty around you, then you'll enjoy each moment. Second, blend your present with the experiences of your past, while selecting fond memories of important relationships to treasure up within your heart. Third, allow the emotions of warm relationships to leaven and make your present more interesting and exciting. Finally, enjoy your own combination of the past, present, and future while remembering that each provides separate, essential ingredients and you'll never truly be alone.

A Round Table Life

"Everyone around this table is family."

• William Young
  

A Round Table Life

I sat at a round table for lunch on Friday in a most unlikely spot. It was in the office of a high-speed machine shop in the middle of a large industrial park. I was invited by my friend William "Bill" Young, the owner of the company. We weren't the only ones there.

All of Bill's employees were there. There were eleven of us in all at the big round table. And, I looked across the table at each one of them, only to marvel at their uniqueness and difference. Still, we were the same. All of us humans covered in skin and filled with bones; each one also working with Bill in some way.

It wasn't until Bill began to speak that I really noticed the significance of the table to his words. "These lunches are so we can communicate well. As we grow this company we need to make sure that we have good communication so we can be successful. So let's go around the table and each one of you can say anything you want." Bill said.

That's when I saw the round, plastic table as something different. It was then that it reminded me of one of the most famous legends of British history; that of King Arthur and his knights of the round table. Arthur represents a man who was the epitome of good against evil, light against darkness, and that eternal, never-ending struggle between what is right and that which is wrong. It is a tale of a group of men all working together for the good of their kingdom. Bill was the same; he wanted to make sure that all of the people who work for him were also working, with him.

"Not everyone here knows everyone yet, so be sure you tell us about yourself so we can all get to know you better. The better we know each other, the better we'll be able to work together." Bill continued. "We're all family here."

When I heard those words, I knew that Bill had discovered the "Principle of Inclusion." It didn't matter that we had different colored hair, skin and eyes. What mattered to him was that we had decided to be included in his life and venture. He is one of the best examples of inclusion I've ever seen.

Bill sees the benefits of his philosophy every day. He has a growing business and he's surrounded by people that have taken ownership of his business with him. Perhaps most importantly, he is encircled by friends with whom he shares life. Here are five things I've learned from my experience with Bill that I thought you might want to think about:

First, Bill only works with people who want to work with him. Second, he includes the people that work with him in the vision of his business. Third, each person is accountable for their responsibilities to everyone participating. Fourth, everyone participates in helping the others grow professionally and personally. Finally, everyone has a sense of belonging to their combined venture and life.

It's that sense of belonging that appeals to every person ever born on this planet and we can all have it if we'll just live a life of inclusion. Will you create a round table life? Who will you include at your table of life today?

 

Heartfelt Generosity

"I knew you'd hassle me so I was ready!"

• Marlene Maag
  

 

Heartfelt Generosity

 

It was an early Saturday morning, but I was gratified to see lots of my friends working at full speed. Truck after truck pulled in to the parking lot where we were setting up. Each truck was filled with donated goods. Some of the trucks even pulled trailers packed with even more goods. I was amazed.

Though the site was amazing to me, what amazed me more was that so many people had banded together of their own free will. We had been working for weeks to plan this event and now the results were plain to see. The location, goods, talent and time had all been combined so we could raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

I arrived a little later than I had planned so everything was well underway when I arrived. And after some time had passed my friend Marlene came walking up. As she approached, I couldn't help but feel a little devious and have some fun at her expense since she had been the genesis of everything around us.

"Nice you could come!" I said.

"I knew you'd hassle me so I was ready for you!" She quipped.

She had gotten up at 4:30 a.m. that morning to begin the day's event and then left for a few minutes to go and teach a class. Now she was here to give the rest of her day and evening! But she was also here to give one more thing that would go unnoticed by all of the people who would come and participate in this huge yard sale; unbridled generosity.

There's a difference between generosity and forced giving; it's the contrast between hope, love & charity and compulsion. As I looked around at my friends during the day that difference was clear. They were all smiling, happy and peaceful. They were giving of themselves through their heart. Now I think I understand how the common saying, "heartfelt gift" came in to being.

Living a heartfelt life means surrounding yourself with people who have the desire to make a difference in the lives of those around them and then acting. Each individual makes the determination to take action and to work together. The results of this individual freedom are unmatched and can't be duplicated in any other way.

You can experience the unmatched joy of living a heartfelt life if you'll just take four small steps. First, make the decision to be a beacon of faith, hope and charity. Second, surround yourself with others who choose to live by this principle. Third, select a cause to champion and finally, commit a little time each week to take action.

I've found that doing a little bit over a long period of time makes a much larger impact than trying to do something huge just one time. So make sure you give yourself plenty of room to let your heart grow into this principle. Start today!