Taking action Archives - Page 6 of 12

“Think positive” is a meaningless catchphrase

February 3, 2019 by Zero Dean

“Think positive.” No. Think intelligently. Just because “think positive” is a nice thing to say doesn’t mean it’s going to do you any good.

You can be the kindest, most positive person in the world, but unless you’re actively working towards a goal or fulfilling a greater purpose, you will likely find yourself drifting further & further from places you truly want to go. Without a strategy, “Think positive” is a meaningless catchphrase. In order to have any significant impact on your life, your positive thoughts must be accompanied by actions that push you in a direction you want to go.

Waiting won’t make you better

December 31, 2019January 30, 2019 by Zero Dean

Waiting to do things that require skills won’t make you better at those things. Only doing those things will. Stop waiting for the perfect time and wishing you were better and begin to get better from experience.

Want to write a book? Start writing. Gain a skill? Work at it today.

Be a most valuable person

January 10, 2019 by Zero Dean

By their very nature, the most valuable people in your life provide you with something of value. And it’s wonderful. Now recognize that you have this same power to provide value to others & not just to people you know.

BeKind

— Zero Dean (@ZeroDean) January 10, 2019

You can’t work for your future while living in the past

January 4, 2019 by Zero Dean

If you’re not willing to take risks to get what you want, then you’re not very likely to get it. More often than not, one has to let go of things as they are in order to reach for the way they want them to be. You can’t work for your future while living in your past.

— Zero Dean (@ZeroDean) January 5, 2019

A sentence on a page

January 3, 2019 by Zero Dean

If you’re not where you want to be in life, always remember that what you’re feeling is just a sentence on a page in an entire book that makes up the story of your life. And the general feel & outcome of your story is written with the actions you take on a daily basis.

— Zero Dean (@ZeroDean) January 3, 2019

If you want to be remarkable

February 4, 2021January 2, 2019 by Zero Dean

There are over 7 billion people on the planet. If you want to be remarkable you have to do more than simply exist. Working on being consistently kind compassionate openminded & taking personalresponsibility for yourself and your impact on the world is a good place to start.

— Zero Dean (@ZeroDean) January 2, 2019

When humanity makes you want to crawl under a rock

December 26, 2018 by Zero Dean

The times that humanity makes you want to crawl under a rock are not the times to remain quiet and do nothing. They are precisely the times that people are needed to leadbyexample with acts that demonstrate the best of what we all have to offer.

— Zero Dean (@ZeroDean) December 26, 2018

Complaining vs Encouragement

December 28, 2020October 25, 2018 by Zero Dean

You can be someone who looks for and complains about what they don’t like — or you can be someone who looks for and encourages the things they do like. One of these things will nearly always leave you feeling better than the other.

You can wish that more people did a certain thing — or you can actively begin showing appreciation to those who already do. And once again, one will nearly always leave you feeling better than the other.

The fact is, how we approach and seek to overcome problems can leave us feeling better or worse. Combating a negative situation with more negativity is rarely effective. But seeking ways to fight negativity in a positive and empowering way often is.

Encouraging the types of things and behaviors we want to see more of not only leaves us feeling more empowered than complaining does, it helps set a positive example for others to follow. This, in turn, helps to create more of the type of people and behaviors we want to see more of and less of the type of people and behaviors we don’t.

Encouragement is extremely powerful in that it not only nurtures the people you give it to, it nurtures the very thing you are encouraging. And this, in turn, brings into the world more of what you would like to see.

• • •

And remember:

1. It’s ok to show appreciation for things that you feel should be or are relatively common. People love recognition for the good things that they do.

You can thank someone for returning their grocery cart to the carousel
You can thank someone for cleaning up their mess in a public place
You can thank someone for holding the door for someone else
You can thank someone for any positive action you see them perform

2. Perception isn’t always reality. Just because you think someone appears successful or isn’t the type of person (or company) that could use positive feedback doesn’t mean your assessment is accurate. When everyone assumes their feedback won’t be significant to the people (or companies) they give it to, few people provide feedback. So instead of the perception that someone is being buried with praise, the opposite is true.

The point is, always take the time to show meaningful appreciation for the things that you like regardless of how “liked” you think they are.

Silent appreciation is easily confused with silence.

Related:

A way forward

October 22, 2018 by Zero Dean

Always seek ways to make progress in some area of your life even when you come to a standstill in another. Often, the key to making progress on one path can be found by making progress down another.

There is nearly always a way forward even if you have to take a step back to get there.

Opportunities await those willing to put in the effort.

Keep going.

Related:

The path to one’s goals isn’t linear

Diminishing the effectiveness of negativity

August 18, 2017 by Zero Dean

In a world of negativity, every positive act you perform, no matter how small, not only helps to set a good example, it helps to diminish the effectiveness of those who spew hate and negativity.

If you want to do some good then literally do some good. Make a positive difference in someone’s life. Do the things you wish more people would do.

What you do for people and the moments and memories you help create can literally change a person’s life (including your own).

It’s OK to be concerned, angry, and upset about the state of things. It’s OK to speak out against hate, intolerance, and injustice. It’s OK to stand up for what you believe is morally right. Just be sure that when you do so, you do it in a way that has a positive impact and doesn’t just add to the negative energy that you oppose. Convert your positive (or negative) energy into positive action. Lead by example by performing actions that you can be proud of no matter how you are feeling.

Make sure children and adults alike can see that there is far more to the world than the things that get shown in the news. That there is far more good in the world than hate. And far more people wishing to create something beautiful than those who wish to destroy it.

Some people may be beyond reach, but there are still countless individuals of all ages and all walks of life in the world that could use the guidance of your good example.

Don’t ever let your disapproval for anyone or anything turn you into someone you don’t want to be.

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