Magnified thoughts

Your thoughts are more powerful than you can ever realize. For there is a part of you that faithfully puts each thought into action without question.

Your thoughts affect every part of you in ways much too numerous to ever keep track of. Each thought sets off a cascade of responses within you that cannot be stopped.

What you think, affects where your life goes. For each thought is magnified and manifested through the whole of your existence.

Positive thinking empowers much more than your thoughts. Negative thinking can dismantle every part of your life.

You always have a choice of what to think. When making that choice, always remember each thought has great power that continues long after the thought has passed from your consciousness.

Though thinking does not make it so, thinking makes you make it so. What you think becomes what you live.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2009 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 3,000 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Creative living

Creativity is more than just making stuff, and more than just making stuff up. Creativity is expressing, in all sorts of ways that have no limit, what it means to be alive.

You can be creative in such a way that the whole world celebrates your creativity. Or you can be just as creative in ways that only you will ever know.

Being alive is being immersed in an ever-expanding set of possibilities. Being creative is giving your own special meaning and purpose to those possibilities.

Creativity is a special kind of magic. It produces more value than it consumes.

When you are stuck, creativity will move you forward. When the goal seems completely out of reach, creativity will open up a way there.

In all you do, find new ways to be creative. Creativity is one of your most valuable skills, so put its power to work every chance you get.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2009 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 3,000 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Changing conditions

Accept, adjust, act and evaluate. It's a great strategy for successfully handling changing conditions.

When something that previously worked no longer works, accept the fact that things have changed. Embrace the new reality of what is, so you'll have the power to work with it.

Adjust your approach based on what you see. No matter what has happened to change things, there is always value to be found and always a way to utilize that value.

Go ahead and take action. Your new approach may or may not work, and the way to know for sure is to move forward with it.

Evaluate the results you get. Learn from what went wrong and from what went right.

The world is constantly changing, and new possibilities are being born every moment. Accept what has changed, adjust to it, take action, learn, and keep going until you get the results you seek.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2009 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 3,000 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Negative assumptions

Negative assumptions drive negative experiences. Negative assumptions can become so thoroughly familiar and ingrained in your thinking that you don't even realize they're there.

Assumptions guide your perceptions, and your perceptions determine the way you respond to each situation. It's important to make sure those assumptions are not working against you.

When you come upon a situation that seems negative, challenge yourself to explain to yourself why you consider it to be negative. There's a good chance that you'll discover your own assumptions are making it worse than it really is.

When you assume that something is distracting, or painful, or annoying, it will be. Yet you can significantly change things by letting go of the assumption, or by choosing a more empowering one.

Just because you've always assumed something, does not make it always true. Make the effort to be more aware of your assumptions, and challenge them.

With a new set of assumptions, the same old situation could be completely different. And you'll suddenly see a whole new world of possibilities.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2009 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 3,000 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

What you can create

Eventually and reliably, the fear of loss creates the reality of loss. That's because when you focus on your fear, you give energy and fulfillment to that fear.

The moment you begin to feel the fear of loss, stop. Take that powerful energy and redirect it.

Instead of obsessing over what you could lose, imagine what you can create. Visualize the magnificent details of the best outcome you can imagine.

When your thoughts are completely filled with positive purpose, there is no room for fear. Direct the power of your mind toward what you desire.

Create a believable, realistic scenario that takes you from where you are to where you would most like to be. Expand on it again and again with rich detail.

You'll encounter very real opportunities to bring your vision to life. Instead of focusing on fear, focus on your best possibilities, and as you do you'll make them happen.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2009 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 3,000 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Simply being

In just one moment of simply being, is enough unique richness to echo for a thousand lifetimes. Open your mind, your heart and your senses, and feel the warm, peaceful treasure.

Beyond desire, beyond need, is the beauty that is always here. Gently settle into the all-encompassing abundance.

There is a great fortune that is already yours. To touch it and make magnificent use of it, just be truly thankful for this moment you have in which to be.

What you are tempted to worry about is nothing compared to what you have and what you can do. The limitless abundance of being is here and now, today.

Feel fully the incomparable feeling of life in all its endless variety. Ride the delightful, refreshing waves of possibility.

In this beautiful moment, you are. Here, now, live your great fortune.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2009 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 3,000 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Chosen feelings

The situation does not create the feeling. You create whatever feeling you wish to feel in each particular situation.

Why are some people happy and other people sad in the same circumstance? Because that is how they have chosen to be.

When you respond the same way often enough it becomes a habit that you follow without even thinking. In this way your feelings come to seem automatic, even though they never have to be.

The way you feel was at some point a conscious choice. And you can choose to change, or let go of, or expand what you feel, or to create an entirely new feeling.

The connection between the moment and the feeling is made by you. Always, you can feel the feelings that serve you best, the ones that pull you toward true and magnificent fulfillment.

Your feelings profoundly influence the life you experience, and those feelings are yours to choose in any moment. Choose the ones that give real power to the purpose that lives within you.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2009 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 3,000 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

To do this day

As soon as it begins, take control of your day. Decide in detail what you intend to do and commit to making it happen.

If you sit around and wait for events and circumstances to pull you along, you'll end up getting nothing accomplished. If you have no firm and resolute plans, you'll waste all your time on meaningless distractions and interruptions.

Certainly unexpected situations will come up that require your response. Yet you can choose to respond from a position of power and control, rather than from a position of weakness and ineffectiveness.

Decide what you will do with this day, and get busy doing it. Make a difference, establish a positive momentum, and get your goals accomplished.

Time is here, right now, for you to use. Transform the passing time into lasting value by making effective use of it.

This day is filled with great possibilities. Choose certain, specific ones, and make the effort that will make them happen.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2009 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 3,000 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Always moving

By its very nature, life is dynamic. That makes it impossible to truly stand still.

If you're not moving forward, you're falling behind. So every day, in some way or another, take action to move your life forward.

Just a small improvement, just a subtle positive step, is infinitely preferable to doing nothing. Always, there is some little something you can do to better your life and your world.

What can you do right now to solve a problem that's been frustrating you? What step can you take in the next few minutes that will bring you closer to the accomplishment of an important goal?

There is something you can do, and those small efforts quickly add up as time goes on. So instead of complaining that you can't get it all accomplished at once, do a little bit, and then do it again.

Always, your life is filled with energy, and is moving in one direction or another. Harness that energy, align it with your highest purpose, and proceed constantly in the direction of your dreams.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2009 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 3,000 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Each person

Always remember, when you interact with someone else, that someone is a person. The recipient of your email, or the voice on the phone, or the individual waiting behind you in line, is a person

Each person you encounter has hopes, dreams, joys, pains, problems, abilities, interests, things to do and opinions. Though you may or may not agree with or like that person, it serves you well to be respectful and understanding.

The people in your world add great richness to your life. Take the time and care to treat them not as numbers, not as transactions, not as one-dimensional objects, but as real, living people.

Treasure your interactions, and give your full attention to them. Nurture your relationships, and continually build them with love.

Take notice of, acknowledge, appreciate and accommodate not only the people you know, but also those people you don't know who cross your path. Sincerely value those around you, and you'll add great value to your life.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2009 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 3,000 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Out of desperation

When you're desperate to do something, the best thing to do is to wait. Wait until you can transform the desperation into a more positive force.

Decisions made out of desperation are weak and ill advised. Acting out of desperation will very likely magnify and extend your desperate circumstances.

Step back from the situation. Take the time and care to change the negative energy of desperation into a compelling, positive sense of determination.

Do not focus on running away from the way things are. Instead, put your attention and energy into creating the life you want to live.

Whatever you most intensely and consistently hold in your mind, you will manifest in your life. So keep your mind filled with positive, meaningful visions.

If desperation takes hold, know that you can quickly, naturally and effectively transform that desperation. Transform it into commitment, determination and the positive actions that will make your world even better than before.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2009 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 3,000 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Give more

Give more than is expected of you, and you'll get much more than you expect. Rather than obsessing over how little you can get by with doing, focus on how very much you can get done.

If you set out to cheat life, it is you who will be cheated. When you set about to get something for nothing, what you end up with is nothing worth having.

Instead, go ahead and give all you can to the effort. Then find ways to give more.

Fulfillment is not in the getting. Fulfillment is in the creating, and doing, and giving.

Fulfillment in life comes from making a difference. When you have an opportunity to make a difference, do so generously and with abandon.

Within every highly successful person is an unquenchable thirst for adding value to the lives of others. Keep finding new ways to give more than you can imagine, and know the joy of true and lasting success.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2009 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 3,000 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Successful habits

Whatever you do again and again turns into a habit. And your habits have a profound effect on the quality of your life.

Look honestly at what you do each day. What things are moving you forward, and what things are you doing that keep holding you back?

Your actions are yours to control. And your habits are yours to develop or abandon.

Though habits rarely come or go overnight, you can indeed choose and control them. Add an empowering habit, or get rid of a destructive one, to dramatically improve your life.

Even a small positive habit will make a big difference. Because each time you do it, you steadily add more power to it.

Think of what you can do, beginning right now, to add a habit of success to your life. And watch as that small success, done again and again, turns into plenty of big achievements.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2009 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 3,000 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

What it takes

Just because you seem to be at a disadvantage is no reason to give up. Instead, resolve to push forward with consistent, focused effort.

Those who achieve are not necessarily the smartest, or the wealthiest, or the best connected. Those who achieve are those who are the most persistent.

Your level of commitment over the long term is a much bigger factor than any relative advantages or disadvantages that may exist when you first start. Choose where you would like to go, and keep making the effort until you get there.

Be willing to do what it takes, and you can achieve whatever you wish. Instead of worrying about where you are when you begin, put your energy into making steady progress.

If you can take one step and then another, you'll get where you choose to go. So take the first step right now, and then begin working on the next one.

You owe it to yourself to live life at its best. Now is your opportunity to make that life happen.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2009 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 3,000 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Authentic and unique

You are unique. So think like it, act like it, and make the most of it.

Breakthroughs do not come from following the crowd. You are capable of truly great achievements if you will simply and authentically and passionately be you.

Why would you let anyone else define who you can be and what you can do? Those are decisions that are best made by you.

You have something valuable that no one else has. You have the unique perspective of being you, of seeing the world in a way that cannot be duplicated.

You have dreams that are yours alone, hopes, passions, things that interest you, things that make you laugh and things that make you cry. They all combine to create outstanding opportunities for fulfillment.

In all you do, richly express the wonderful, unique person that is you. And find joy in seeing your greatest achievements flow from your most authentic and unique efforts.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2009 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 3,000 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Forward in time

Time moves forward, and you cannot go back to the way things were. You can, however, make your world even better than ever.

You can take the goodness you've experienced in the past, and express that goodness in new ways. You can move beyond the pains you've known, with increased wisdom and determination.

You can build upon the successes. You can also learn much from past mistakes, transforming that knowledge and experience into greater effectiveness.

Time rearranges the circumstances of life. And yet time cannot diminish the purpose and the values that live at your core.

As time moves you forward, make use of the opportunities that surely come with each unfolding moment. Focus on how you can transform the best of what has been, that still lives within you, into rich, meaningful new value in the present.

Joyfully welcome each new day, and each new moment in time. As you grow stronger and more purposeful with every experience, the best is yet to come.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2009 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 3,000 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Be real

The world will often discourage you from giving love. Give love anyway.

Many times, despite your best efforts, you will not be understood. Keep giving it your best anyway.

The treasures in life are not what you get back. Those things are only shadows of life's true value.

The real treasures are what you're able to give of yourself. And as long as you give authentically, from the heart, with the best you have, it doesn't really matter what comes of it.

It's nice to be acknowledged and respected and understood. Yet even when you're not acknowledged or understood, there is still great value in doing what you know is right, what you know is best.

Smile a peaceful smile to the depth of your being. Be real, and know that all is well.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2009 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 3,000 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Achievement beyond achievement

What's the path to extraordinary achievement? When you're finished, keep going.

Don't settle for doing just enough. Get yourself excited by the opportunity to do more.

Fortune favors those who transform fleeting time into lasting value. Time is coming your way right now, so use it to do something wonderful and worthwhile that exceeds even your own expectations.

And what exactly would that be? Whatever you can dare to imagine.

Practice thinking with no limits and you'll find yourself living with no limits. See great value in the obstacles and challenges, and you'll find yourself joyfully thankful for the opportunities they bring.

Go beyond what you know you can do, and suddenly you'll know you can do much, much more. Life is truly great because you can make it even greater.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2009 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 3,000 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Source of goodness

Be good to yourself by seeing and connecting with the goodness in life. Look on the bright side, and make it brighter.

Nothing is gained by feeling sorry for yourself. Nothing is gained by spreading misery or despair.

Sure, life has its troubles. Yet the great thing is, you don't have to let any of those troubles get to you.

Give your energy and awareness to the best possibilities of the moment. You can make something good happen today, so by all means do it.

Offer a healthy dose of joy to your situation. Feeling positive will take you much further than any alternative.

Be the brightest source of goodness in your corner of the world. Choose to feel great and truly you'll do great things.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2009 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 3,000 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Value in the changes

Seemingly out of nowhere the world can change, and those changes can sometimes be very difficult. But don't let those changes fill you with resentment or fear.

Instead, let the changes ignite your determination. Let them spur you to be more creative, more purposeful, and more focused on what's truly important.

When circumstances change, there is great challenge. And with that challenge comes great opportunity.

With each change, new positive possibilities are born. Put your energy, your awareness and your creativity into figuring out what those possibilities mean for you.

One thing you can always count on is that the world will change. And even in the difficult changes, there is value to be found.

Be ready and willing to uncover that value, and to make the most of it. And no matter what happens, you'll always have the ability to get where you decide to go.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2009 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 3,000 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Valuable experience

You are filled with valuable experience. The things you've done and learned and seen and lived through have left behind a unique and powerful substance of experience that is yours alone.

What a shame it would be for all that to go to waste. It is yours to make use of, yours to build upon, and yours from which to grow.

By making this present moment count, you also make all the past moments count even more. You cannot live in the past, yet you can continue to draw upon the value you created there.

Right now, you can benefit greatly from the things you've already done, whatever they may have been. By tapping into the value of your experience and doing something positive and productive with it, you extend and expand upon that value.

Use this day to invest the your wealth of experience into effective action. That investment will immediately begin to pay dividends.

Take action, and let your valuable experience guide that action. Get value from the past and use it in the present to create an outstanding future.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2009 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 3,000 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Add value

There is always a way to create value. Success belongs to those who see the opportunities and take the actions that create new and useful value.

Whether the situation is gloomy or bright, there is always a way to add more positive value to it. With vision, commitment, focus, persistence and sustained effort, opportunity turns into achievement.

The world changes quickly, and tactics that once were successful may no longer be as effective. Yet there are new and exciting opportunities for achievement being created every day.

Real, solid value never goes out of style. There is always work to be done and there are always problems to be solved.

Where there are challenges to be overcome, there is opportunity. And the world is filled with challenges.

Decide to meet the challenges, to solve the problems, to offer real improvements, and to change life for the better. Get in the habit of adding value, and you'll be in the habit of creating success.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2009 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 3,000 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Reasons behind the reasons

Look for the reasons behind the reasons. There is some reason for everything you have chosen to do or to be.

Behind each reason is another reason that drives it, and a whole string of reasons, reaching to your very core. Dig deep enough, and connect with your most treasured purposes.

The more clearly you know who you are, the more elevated your perspective becomes. Develop a solid understanding of your very own fundamental reasons why, and you'll find multiple opportunities for moving forward.

When you're in touch with your purpose, you'll find that many of the external things you see as necessities are not really necessities at all. The less you need, the more abundant and fulfilling your life will be.

Know why you do what you do, and you'll understand how to do it more effectively. When there is authentic passion driving your actions, those actions get results.

Where there is a real and meaningful reason, fulfillment naturally follows. Find your deepest reason why, and activate your most powerful abilities to make it so.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2009 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 3,000 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Start doing

Are you stuck trying to figure out how to get started? Stop over-thinking the situation and start doing something about it.

The first step will show you what the next step must be. Take action, and whether it brings the desired result or not, it will definitely bring you more insight into how to proceed next.

Plan your approach, but don't let the planning stop you from doing. Taking action will give you the most realistic perspective.

If you're not sure which way to go, pick one way and find out what happens. You'll know soon enough, and will be able to adjust your strategy accordingly.

Don't waste time agonizing over what might or might not work. Instead, invest your time in effort that will enable you to know exactly what works.

Get busy, get going, and get to work on making it happen. Start doing your dream, and step by step you'll find the way to its fulfillment.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2009 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 3,000 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Simple pleasures

When you place too many conditions on your enjoyment of life, there is no enjoyment. You can end up working so much to get the conditions just right, that there's no time left to really enjoy yourself.

Let go of the need to have everything just so. Simply and fully enjoy being where you are.

In every moment there is beauty. Rather than striving to make that beauty into what you think it should be, just enjoy it as it is.

Happiness is not something you must prove. Find enjoyment in simply letting it flow.

Instead of working to do happy, be happy. See that the possibilities for joy are far greater than anything you could ever contrive.

There is plenty of joy to be lived in this moment. Let the uniqueness of the moment help you discover new ways of tasting life's real pleasures.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2009 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 3,000 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.

Find a way

Don't believe those who tell you that it can't be done. Refuse to be stopped by those who say it's too late, or not practical, or too early, or not workable.

Listen carefully and thoughtfully to their advice, and then find a way. Look realistically at the challenges, and then begin working through them.

What may appear to be an unyielding obstacle when you're standing still, will begin to give way when you start moving forward. Focus not on what is pushing against you, but focus instead on the purpose that is pushing you to get it done.

Remind yourself again and again of why you must. Hold your head high and keep your eyes on the goal.

Conditions will change, and so can you. Some routes will be blocked, and you have the flexibility to discover alternate ways to get it done.

Decide that you will accomplish what you have chosen to accomplish. Know that there is a way, and step by step, you will find it.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2009 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. From The Daily Motivator at http://greatday.com where you will find an archive of more than 3,000 positive messages plus books, CDs, motivational videos and more. Permission is given to post online only if this entire notice is included.