I remember a young lady who went to work for a company immediately after graduating from college. She seemed extremely talented but unbelievably timid. She was assigned to a division-level marketing department where she assisted in the production of advertising and collateral material. Her supervisor associated her shyness with a lack of technical and conceptual skills. As a result, she was never included in brainstorming or planning sessions. The supervisor thought she was best suited to simple graphics layout and paste-up. Frustrated that her talents were squandered on simple tasks, she applied to the corporate marketing department. The vice-president reviewed her resume and transferred her without interviewing her at length. His concept of the young lady was positive and assigned her to a series of important, key projects. She performed magnificently. A few months later, the original supervisor was in the vice-president’s office admiring the new corporate ad campaign. The project consisted of television and radio commercials, full-page ads for national publications and complete press kits. The supervisor asked, "What kind of a Madison Avenue rain-maker worked this kind of magic?" The VP replied, "This was all completed by that young lady you sent me. That was the best move I ever made!" This is but one example of the dozens of cases I can document where individuals were literally hobbled by low or incorrect expectations. In many instances, the mind set of a co-worker or supervisor can restrict an employee’s ability to become an excellent performer. This cause-and-effect model applies to all aspects of our lives. The neighbor’s young son asked if he could mow my yard. I told him I would talk to his dad first. The father said, "I don’t think he can handle a mower. I never let him near mine. Go ahead if you like." I assured him I would watch his son closely and be certain he could handle the equipment safely. The boy not only knew how to handle the mower, but did such a good job, I asked him to help each week. His dad was amazed. "I never would have guessed," he said. "You should have given him a chance," I suggested. by : Bruce D. Zimmerman, Source Unknown

Read the original:
You’ll Get Exactly What You Expect

It’s nice to know that you’re secured with that someone. That even if the rain is pouring hard and the sky is almost dark, he’ll never leave you just so you won’t feel alone. Even if his friends had left him (and even if he has to be somewhere else) he’d still stay by your side, just so you won’t feel alone. It’s so good to know that you have someone who’ll be willing to help you cope up in every frustrations you’re having. Every depressing moments, every down moments, every self-worthless-realization moments, he’d be there, not because you want someone to be with you, but because he wants to be with you. It’s great to know when a person appreciates every little thing you do. Even a smile would mean a lot to him, just because you own that smile. And that even if no words are expressed as long as the eyes understand, you’d be able to communicate, just like that. It’s overwhelming when a person tells you that he loves you for who you are. He may not have an answer when you ask him why, but really, he doesn’t have to have reasons for loving you. It’s more grateful to know that someone is grateful to have you. We don’t choose the people who enter our lives, so it must be luck that you have that person, then you have to be thankful. It may just be coincidence or fate, but whatever the reason is, you have to be thankful in having him the same way he is thankful for having you. It’s a wonderful feeling when you’re on the verge of giving up the things you’ve worked hard for, someone isn’t just helping you carry the weight on your shoulders, but he carries it on his own because he’d also be in pain when you are in pain. And then you’ll realize, trials would all be worth it as long as you have him, not because he would do things for you, but because you gather all the strength you need, in him and his love. It’s a superb feeling when one is willing to take the risks just so you’ll be happy. Unselfishness rule in him just so happiness would take over you. It’s a nice feeling that when you’re apart, and days seem to be long, that person misses you. Yes, you might feel bad about not being with each other, but knowing that you feel the same way would drive those blues away, thinking, you’d fight over that feeling because you’re looking forward to seeing each other, and that’s something to be happy about. It’s a great feeling when he wants to be with you because of the happiness you have when you’re together. That even if corny jokes and senseless stories are told, it won’t matter as long as you’re together. It’s a lovely feeling when someone thinks about your future, with or without him. He cares and he cares enough to think of you and what you’ll be someday. But of course, he also wants to be in it someday. It’s a nice feeling when you can be who you really are with that person. No pretentions, no lies, no hypocrisy, because he accepts you for who you are. You can be funny, you can be embarrased, but it won’t matter coz it doesn’t matter to him. Trust and faith in each other keeps you alive. And it will always do. It’s good to know that you have someone who’ll not have the intentions of breaking your heart. Instead, he would be willing to mend it, picking up the broken pieces of your heart that your past love have scattered in the ground. He may not be able to put the pieces back to where they really belong, but you shouldn’t mind, because he had repaired that heart of yours, and he fixed it in his own way. He loves you in his own way, not the way your past did. He fixed your heart in a different way, to keep you from feeling the pains of your past heartache and to make you feel, the love, that he’s unselfishly giving. It’s a great feeling when that person has every effort to let you feel what he feels for you. Because of the distractions, you may not hear him shout it to the world, but as long as you feel it, his efforts has paid off, big time. And when you feel the same way too… He’d feel as if he’s the luckiest person alive. … when in fact, you’re more blessed to have him.

Original post: 
It is…

I came across this little story and thought you may like to read it. I’m sure the writer will not mind…

If something is not working… doing more of it, ain’t gonna help
Let me tell you a personal story. When I was a kid (5 years old) – I began my training as a classical pianist. Yes, you are probably surprised, but I was one hell of a piano player. When I got to middle school and went to band class, there was no piano option. So, they gave me a clarinet. And, I just couldn’t play the damn thing. I hated it! And my next door neighbor hated it even more! (as they heard it through the walls and I was TERRIBLE!) I practiced and practiced and I was still terrible! BUT I had more musical training then anyone else in my class, so why couldn’t I succeed and shine? I should have been BETTER then everyone else in the class! BUT I was playing the wrong instrument! One day, before class my music teacher heard me playing the piano in the corner of the room and said “WOW you are a great piano player, why are you so awful with the clarinet?” And my only response was its just NOT the instrument for me! So, when you are “playing an instrument” that is just not RIGHT FOR YOU – there are only two choices.
1) You can keep doing what your doing and either FAIL MISERBLY or be mediocre (and as Seth Godin says – mediocre is invisible and that just sucks!)
2) Or, you can CHANGE the instrument that you are playing and give yourself a chance to finally succeed.
Its that simple. I am NOT SAYING THAT YOU SHOULD QUIT. What I am saying is that maybe you need to look at how you are applying (and trying to profit)

Howie Shwartz - http://www.imleadership.com
© 2009 IM Leadership and AI & JS Enterprises. Inc. All rights reserved.

Article by Zen Habits contributor Jonathan Mead ; follow him on twitter . If you want to wake up happy on a daily basis, you have to own your own time . You have to be the one that dictates what you do and when you do it . Otherwise, you’re at the mercy of your owner boss. You may think that you should be grateful for your job, and you should. But when it comes down to it, you’re not going to hit a ceiling of happiness and purpose if you’re not working for yourself. (I know there may be a few exceptions, but let’s be honest, they are exceptions .) There’s no getting around this . But working for yourself is a scary idea, right? No one to tell you what to do every day. No one to say when you can go to the bathroom and when you can eat lunch. No one to tell you what to wear or who to talk to. Taking off the leash is frightening when you’ve worn it for so long. Here’s the clincher, here’s the real mind-blower: Most of us don’t even think we have leashes around our neck at all. Most of us think that we’re in control. But we’re not. Let’s take a look at how this typically breaks down: Steady paycheck? Check. Benefits? Check. Comfortable routine? Check Free paper clips?  Check. Meaning? Rarely. Purpose? You mean that unintelligible corporate mission statement? Security? Not really. Freedom? Asking for permission is not freedom. Do you really think you have job security? You have no control over whether your company goes under. That is not job security. So what’s the difference between a renegade and the average cubicle citizen? It’s mindset. It’s astonishing that this makes difference between the people that end up being “lifers” at a company (by default), and gives up on their dreams vs. those who steer their own course and live their dreams. What’s the gap between dreams being fantasy and reality? Obviously, it’s a matter of action. But, what makes the free man take action where the cubicle citizen recoils? This is the question that has been burning in my mind for some time. This mindset makes the difference between success and near certain failure. We all have these traits in us; it’s just a matter of cultivation and practice for them to become fully expressed. Here are the seven things you can do now. 1. Reclaim your mind. This might seem a little strange, right? Who would think that they don’t own their own mind? The truth is that most of us live with partially free minds. We act on our intentions as long as our comfort zone is not violated. We rebel when the risk is minimal. In order to reclaim ownership of your mind (and stop renting it out) you have to demand of yourself nothing short of a completely free, unadulterated mind. Underline this in your mind: “I won’t let anyone else have control or dictate the contents of my mind. Only I have that power.” 2. Put yourself on auto-response. The ability of the leader to take action, despite not having a clear course, is a highly coveted skill in the entrepreneurial world. A leader takes action while others wait around for the situation to become more favorable. He has the “auto-response” of “I’ll figure it out.” When faced with a tough decision, or unclear path, he takes action instead of waiting for orders. The more you’re able to take action despite having all the facts, the faster you’ll get results. You’ll adjust your course when you make mistakes and ultimately get there much faster than the person waiting around for the perfect plan to materialize. 3. Think holistically. All of our decisions are interconnected. A choice in our health could create an improvement in our productivity. A shift in our spiritual practice can cultivate a calm state, where your focus increases. A move toward working for yourself will dramatically impact your freedom of time and movement, and greatly improve your happiness. All of our decisions are interconnected and a smart renegade knows this. She tries to make high leverage holistic decisions that will have a ripple effect across all aspects of her life. Think holistically. See how the changes in all areas of your life impact each other, not just in business, but in the areas of health, fitness, finances, mental/emotional and spirituality. 4. Question authority. Too much skepticism will make you unbalanced, and will honestly probably turn you into a conpiracy-theory nutcase. A healthy amount of skepticism, on the other hand, is essential to working intelligently. One of the oldest living renegades, Siddhartha Gautama (also known as the Buddha) once said, “Do not believe anything that you’ve been told, unless it agrees with your own common sense.” The same advice applies 2,000 years later. Listen to yourself first, before you listen to the experts. Test before you assume. 5. Focus on interdependency. We all have certain communities of people or tribes that we naturally connect with and are attracted to. Seek out these people, help them, start conversations with them. These are the people that are most likely to identify with you, therefore the most likely to also support and promote your work. Find a way to connect with influential leaders or members of your tribe today. Whether it be through sending them a message on twitter, contacting them through their blog or emailing them directly. And if you can, try to get one of these people to mentor you. It can’t hurt to ask and you’ll be surprised at how genuinely helpful some of these people can be. 6. Defrost your passion. If you’ve been stuck in a cubicle-farm for some time, or have been in a less than ideal work situation, you’ve probably given up hope on some level. Being surrounded with people you’d rather not work with, grey walls, no windows and bad coffee tends to dampen your spirits. This dispirited condition may have progressed so far that you have trouble remembering what it’s like to be excited about your life. That’s got to change. It’s time to reconnect with what you’re truly passionate about and wake up to the possibility that you can start making your own rules. Life doesn’t have to be a struggle of paying your dues with the occasional bit of fun. Realize that you don’t have to live in the way you think is required. 7. Be ridiculous. There’s obviously a certain societal value to being practical. But what’s easily overlooked is the value of being highly impractical. You have to be willing to take risks, and keep your head in the clouds to be a successful trailblazer. You have to strike a balance between having roots (practicality) and wings (innovating). Realize that all major revolutions in the world were first seen as crazy, ridiculous and absurd. If you want to innovate, you’ll have to accept that the majority of the population will view you as a lunatic. You secretly know, though, that your level of lunacy is quite possibly your most valuable skill. Working for yourself forces you to grow One 0f the coolest things about entrepreneurship is that it’s one of the biggest catalysts for personal growth. Starting your own business is one of the most meaningful rights of passage you can go through. It will challenge you. It will make you question yourself and force you to get really clear about your purpose and what you want to contribute. It boosts your confidence and your intelligence. But most of all, it makes you feel proud of yourself at the end of the day. I feel so passionately about this that I created a manifesto called the Liberation Revolution - Time to Cut the Cubicle Umbilical Cord. It’s a wake up call to help you reclaim ownership of your time. To help you figure out a way to gain the courage to say Dear Boss: You’re Fired. Click here to download the FREE manifesto This article was written by Zen Habits contributor Jonathan Mead of Illuminated Mind . To learn more about how to not ruin your life, grab a subscription to Illuminated Mind.

Go here to read the rest: 
Cut the Cubicle Umbilical Cord: The Seven Traits of the Free Man

A lot of emphasis has been put on the winter solstice of 2012 as a point of transition, but like the moon that is full three days before and three days after the actual full moon, we have already entered this significant time. The ancient Vedic texts called this time the Kali Yuga, a time when humanity has reached the depths of selfish materialism. I don’t think there is any doubt that we are seeing this unfold before our eyes daily…and yet still most people seem oblivious to the tremendous changes that are taking place. It has been determined that on the solstice of 2012 the Earth will come into precise alignment with the galactic center. What this means exactly is up for debate. However, one thing that is becoming clear is that there are going to be significant fundamental changes to our lives and the way we live. I’m beginning to look at this time as a moment of opportunity for consicous evolution. It is there waiting for those who are ready for it while everyone else will be caught up in the fear and chaos of the changes. Now, more than ever, it is imperative that we get our own house in order. We need to have our physical body in a healthy state - srtong, flexible and free of chemicals and poisons….and we need our mind calm, clear and able to react to whatever situations we are presented with… Most importantly, we need to open our hearts and reconnect with the Earth. For to long we have taken from her for our selfish needs without acknowledgement of the lifeforce energy she provides us. The Earth will survive for millennia to come, if the human race is to continue to have a purpose on this planet we need to get our act together. We have passed the time for debate about whether climate change, overpopulation and depleted resources are real problems. If you think that we will soon be returning to unlimited economic growth, rampant expansion and magic technological breakthroughs that will end our dependency on fossil fuel…nevermind.

Here is the original: 
transformational alignment