Top 10 principles that I like and live by! (cont)

In my last post, I shared five of the top ten principles that I like and lived with. Today allow me to share the remaining five.

Principle #6. Set goals.

I think setting goals has been belabored by many, if not all, of the motivational speakers I listen to. But only when I really took the effort of setting time to think about my goals in life that I have come to appreciate the exercise. If you have done this and felt it was not working for you then let me tell you that you are not alone. I too felt that way at one time. A time came when I thought setting goals are useless, after all only action produces results. But then as I continue to refine my goal setting methodology and I realized that it is guided action that produces right results and that's where goal setting comes in.

Until now I continued writing and re-reading my goals. And when a goal is achieved I feel a sense of fulfillment, a sense of satisfaction and my confidence increases. This year I achieved 3 major goals and have redefined and refined the other goals to meet worthy objectives.

Principle #7. Getting in debt for uncontrolled spending is really really bad.

It's a shame to declare to the world that I went down in debt. It may not be as massive as the debt of some people I know but the thought of being in debt as a single person is very shameful. I realized I lack the self-control to avoid it. I over spent on things that does not really matter. I am not different from the unwise. I stumbled financially and like a blind man I succumb to the ground of financial meltdown.

What turned things around is when I felt desperate. I was desperate to get out of debt. I was determined to stand up and fight a battle I realize I could win. If there is one thing I really regret this year it is to be in debt. Debt is a burden, a sort of shackle that can bind you and immobilize you.

The good news is I will be out of debt soon. My promise to myself is I will not be in debt for non-business reason. I will tear my credit card if I had to.

Principle #8. Be at peace with yourself.

I think one of the major struggles of a person is peace with him/her self. Some people are confused because they are at war with themselves. And what caused that war? I believe what causes internal conflict is when there is a major difference in personal belief and personal activity. To simply put it, it is when one person believes something but does not follow suit. This inability to follow through personal belief causes psychic damage and emotional conflict. A good example is say a person believes that he/she should be running his/her own business but the person is employed. This simple difference in belief and activity compounds to confusion and internal conflict.

When I realized this I clearly made up mind to identify my personal belief and act in accordance to that belief. In my case, I believe I should pray every morning and connect to God. I feel so disturb when I know I could have prayed and I couldn't follow through. This simple difference really affect my day and ultimately my performance. So I made up my mind that no matter what I should pray every morning. This minor re-alignment in personal belief added confidence in myself and a sense of fulfillment engulf my senses.

Principle #9. Challenge yourself continuously.

What or who challenges you? Do you wait for others to wake you up from rut or do you find ways to challenge yourself? The truth is many people wait for others to encourage them. Some people wait for others lift them up. But responsible people are self starters. They find ways to be encouraged. They go to places that encourages them to live a higher standards. They read motivational books and listen to audio books to inspire them. Instead of waiting for others to inspire them they look for inspiration.

My challenge to you is to challenge yourself continuously to live in higher standard, to improve your skills, to increase in knowledge, and to improve in performance. This always lead to living a better life and where there is growth, there is life.

Principle #10. Look up.

Are you always looking at your own navel? Always looking at YOU? There is a better way to live and that is to look up. It's not you and life is not all about you. I believe that there is a Higher Power that can fill the emptiness in our lives. I believe that we find meaning in Him and being in Him. This year is a also a year of oscillating faith. My faith in God goes up and down. But then I found that if I live outside of God that I feel empty and useless.

I tried looking up and up and decipher the glory of Him Who Sits on the Throne and an unto the Lamb that was slain. Let me tell you being in the presence of God - there is nothing like it in this world.