The best of who you are

You can make a real difference just by being you. You can change the world for the better simply by being your authentic best.

You don't need flowery, sophisticated wording to add value to the discussion. By simply and sincerely saying what's on your mind, you can contribute profound truth.

The dreams that you have are yours because they give you a reason to perform at your best. In so doing, you add your own splendid threads to the rich fabric of life.

There is no one else who sees the world in exactly the same way as you. Express your opinions, express your perspective, express your vision and you'll offer great, unique value.

You'll never be satisfied following someone else's dream. Real fulfillment comes from accomplishing the things that are most meaningful to you.

In your unique perspective you'll find a lifetime of value. Be the best of who you are, and raise your whole world higher.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2008 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.

As you dance with life

What is it about this day that you love? What is it about this moment that you treasure?

There is something within your life that compels you to know and experience even more of life. What is it, at the heart of things, that drives you so?

What makes it so wonderful to float peacefully on a calm sea under the warm sun? Why does the beauty of a distant mountain peak touch your heart so profoundly?

There is a reason why you have opinions about a wide range of matters large, small and in between. There is a guiding purpose at the heart of each sincere choice you make.

As you dance with life each day, your steps follow a rhythm that stays true to the genuine person inside, no matter what else may or may not happen. Though you interact intimately with all that is around you, something within you is apart from it all, relishing the experience.

Breathe deeply the sweet, fresh air of being. And keep dancing, as each unfolding moment brings a brand new verse of the song you've always known.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2008 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.

Deeper desires

What you think you want is usually not really what you want. Most of the time, what you think you want is merely a clue, a hint, a pointer to what you truly desire.

Every purpose within you has countless avenues for expression. There's no need to abandon the purpose if just one or two of the many possible expressions don't work out.

When you feel that you want something, challenge yourself to find the deeper desire that's responsible. Ask yourself why, and be completely honest with your answer.

If you pursue life's fleeting, superficial wants, you're setting yourself up for disappointment, even when you get what you want. Instead, take the time to understand your deeper desires, and you'll find countless ways to bring real, meaningful and lasting value to life.

The more deeply you connect to a desire, the more options you'll have for fulfilling that desire. When your conscious desires align with your true purpose, you will always find a way.

When there's something you want, ask why, again and again until you uncover a purpose so authentic that it cannot be denied. And when you do, you'll also see that your desire has already begun to be fulfilled.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2008 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.

Thankful for it all

Think today of how good life can be. And you'll see that life's true goodness comes not from what you have, but from how much you value and appreciate it.

There is no end to the possibilities for richness and fulfillment in your life. There is no limit to what you can make of whatever you have.

Consider what you are able to be thankful for, and you'll discover something wonderful and empowering. You can be thankful for it all.

Look back and you'll see that the pleasures and the pains have both pushed you forward and given you countless opportunities for real growth. You've been supported by the good things you do have and inspired to reach for those things you do not yet have.

The triumphs have given you joy and the disappointments have strengthened your determination. All of it has enabled you to more richly fulfill the beautiful, genuine person you are.

Treasure all that is around you, whatever it may be, and open yourself to the positive possibilities. Be truly thankful for it all, and every day is even more rich and fulfilling than the day before.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2008 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.

Decide and commit

Be truly decisive by acting on your decisions. Decide what you will do and then get started on it right away.

The sooner you take action the more you'll accomplish. Once you decide to do it, begin immediately.

Commitment is more than just a mental exercise. It's not a commitment until you back it up with action.

Once you have invested some effort, the goal is no longer a vague, far-away concept. You have begun to make it real.

When you start by immediately taking action, you're naturally going to continue taking action. Put momentum on your side right away, and you immediately have a powerful ally.

Make your decisions real and present in your life, and give them the energy they deserve. Act on them right away, and truly make them happen.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2008 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.

A grand adventure

Don't back away from life just because it gets difficult. Instead, jump into it more fully.

Don't slow down just because the road upward becomes steep. Speed up and get that extra momentum to carry you forward.

There's no good reason to let the challenges get you down. Choose instead to be energized and motivated by them.

Life is a grand adventure. You wouldn't want it to come too easily.

You have all sorts of wonderful skills and abilities. Relish the opportunities to put them to the test and to make them even stronger.

Live with passion and purpose and the resolve to handle whatever may come your way. Never stop discovering how much more you're able to do.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2008 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.

Head start

Don't worry that someone has a head start or other advantage on you. Just let it be, and make it an even greater reason to push forward.

Instead of comparing your position or performance to others, put your energy into improving what you do. Instead of worrying about what you don't have, make the very most of what you do have.

For what you do have is plenty. Because you can find a way to make effective and creative and productive use of it.

Some people have certain advantages, and other people have other advantages. That's what makes life rich and interesting.

Find your own advantages and make full use of them. Even what seems to be a disadvantage can be a true advantage when you look at it from a positive perspective.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2008 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.

Why you must

If you wish to get something done, stop telling yourself why you can't. Begin telling yourself why you must.

Of course there are obstacles to every achievement. Yet you can work through any obstacle when you have a clear and compelling reason to do so.

Zero in on that reason. Make it your priority to keep that reason ever present in your thoughts.

Though the challenges may be powerful, you can always make your purpose even more powerful. Keep telling yourself, again and again, why you must.

Make a solid connection between your actions and your purpose. That will cause your effectiveness to soar.

Remember always why you must. And you will.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2008 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.

Catch yourself

The moment you feel yourself slipping, take action right away to get back on track. If you catch yourself quickly, you won't fall very far.

It's great when you can stay disciplined and focused for long periods of time. At some point though, you'll get distracted and stray a little bit off course.

That's not the end of the world. Don't beat yourself up just because you've momentarily lost your focus.

Instead, give genuine thanks for how far you've already come. And then step right back on to the path you've set for yourself.

Being disciplined doesn't mean being perfect. Remember that what really matters is what you choose to do right now.

Even if you slip back one step for every two steps you take forward, you'll still be moving steadily ahead. Catch yourself, get back up, keep going and you'll get there.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2008 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.

Let life flow

Life will flow easily and gracefully when you simply allow it. Choose right now to simply allow it.

Allow the problems to come and then allow them to go just as quickly. Peacefully accept the disappointments and you'll have no trouble with peacefully letting them go.

Accept the joys without worrying about clinging to them. They will always be with you if you simply let them be.

Stop fighting against what is, and you'll clearly see how to make the most of it. Welcome each new experience and you'll quickly find the value it brings.

Leave the worries and anxieties behind, for they add nothing to your life. Be at peace, and you will feel the fullness of your power.

Allow the rich abundance to flow naturally and unhindered through your life. And delight in the fulfillment that is yours to create.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2008 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.

A small adjustment

A small adjustment in your approach can make a big difference in your results. Explore your alternatives and you'll discover a path to improved performance.

Sometimes, doing a task at a different time of the day can cause a major improvement in your effectiveness. Or perhaps doing things in a slightly different sequence will make the rewards more rewarding.

If you're already getting it ninety-nine percent right, work on that other one percent. It can make all the difference in the world.

No failure is permanent and no failure is a complete failure. Learn from the portion of the effort that went wrong, change it, and recombine it with the part that went right.

Rarely is it necessary to throw out everything you're doing. Instead, look for ways to fine-tune your efforts until you get the results you desire.

Be curious, be objective, be creative and be flexible. A little bit of change can put you over the top.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2008 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.

A higher standard

If things are not working well for you where you are, raise yourself to a higher place. Choose to raise your standards.

Consistently expect more of yourself and you will get it. The quality of your life is driven by the quality of your standards.

Are your efforts not bringing the results you seek? Then find a way to improve, enhance and expand those efforts.

Yes, you can do it. There's always room for improvement, and with each little improvement you raise your standards and become more effective.

Don't fall into the trap of blaming the economy, the weather, other people, or cruel fate. Step up from where you are to a higher place, and commit to making a better life for all those around you.

Align yourself with your highest, most authentic purpose. Life will always meet your standards, so raise those standards high.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2008 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.

Conditions change

Conditions change all the time. What you could depend on yesterday, might very well be gone today.

What once worked so well for you, will eventually fail to bring the results you seek. So when conditions change, you have the valuable opportunity to change along with them.

Life by its very definition is always changing. People who make the most of life are those who expect the changes, welcome them, and find the positive possibilities in each one.

When you see changes occurring, instead of making a judgment make a careful observation. You cannot stop the changes that are already taking place, so your best strategy is to find the opportunities that are embedded within them.

And those positive opportunities are most certainly there. Rather than being fearful of the changes, be curious, and you'll see the hidden value in those changes.

You can count on the fact that the world will continue to change. And you can always choose to take the actions that will make those changes be for the better.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2008 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.

Exactly

Don't just generalize about what you wish to achieve. Don't just have a vague idea about where you would like to go.

Tell yourself exactly what you expect of yourself. Make your goals vivid, clear and precise.

Whether you are traveling around the block or across the ocean, your destination is always a single, specific point. The only way you can reach that point is by clearly and unambiguously defining where it is.

The same is true for every destination you seek to reach, whether it is a place, a person, an object or a set of conditions. When the goal is clear and specific, filled in your mind with all the color, the texture, the sounds and the feelings, you'll surely be able to work your way there.

Success is largely a matter of deciding upon every little detail of what you wish to achieve. For each detail you envision provides you with an additional pathway to your goal.

Know what you seek, and know it with richness and precision. For that's exactly what you'll achieve.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2008 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.

Get on with life

Some people are not going to like you no matter what you do or what you say. Get over it and get on with life.

Some of your efforts are not going to bring the results you were after. Accept it and find another approach.

Occasionally you'll be distracted and knocked off course for a while. On a regular basis, life will have its disappointments.

Those disappointments and distractions do not have to stop you. In fact, you can choose to let them inspire you and to push you forward.

No matter what has just happened, you are free in this moment to act with positive purpose. Whether the past has worked in your favor or not, the future is yours to create as you wish.

Life is too important to waste it feeling sorry for yourself or beating yourself up. Get up and get on with life, and make it match your highest expectations.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2008 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.

Today's purpose

What is your purpose for this day? What have you chosen to do with the minutes and hours of this day, a day that is already flowing into your life?

When you give each day a specific purpose, at the end of each day you'll have a specific accomplishment. In addition to having a day that you can look back upon, you'll also have real, lasting value that you can carry forward.

Today is full of countless possibilities. Giving the day a purpose will enable you to fulfill the exact possibilities that align with that purpose.

This day is rich in energy. With a clear purpose, you can harness that powerful energy and channel it into something that will make a difference for your world.

There are dreams that you long to achieve. Today is your opportunity to move solidly toward them.

Give today a purpose -- a rich, wonderful, meaningful purpose. And live life at its best.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2008 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.

Substance of success

The fruits of success are often displayed out in the open for everyone to see. The real work of success, however, takes place behind the scenes.

It's easy to think of a successful person as being lucky. Yet good luck comes to those who work day after day to make it so.

Behind every magnificent accomplishment, there is real, difficult, sustained effort. Behind every so-called overnight success, are thousands of late-night hours spent honing a craft or skill or profession.

Instead of seeing the fruits of success and being envious, look beyond to all the work that has taken place behind the scenes. See the work of success and be joyous, for the opportunity to make a difference is available to you, too.

A life of success is not about having the outer rewards, for they are little more than tokens. The substance of success is in the effort, and anyone can choose to make any amount of effort.

The desire for a particular goal is really the desire to go through the process of making that goal real. Give in to that deeper desire, and make success a part of you.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2008 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.

The path to true happiness

What is the path to true happiness? How far must you go to find happiness?

You need not go very far at all. For happiness is always inside you, ready whenever you are.

No object, no person, no circumstance will make you happy. You are always happy when you decide to be.

The good things in life do not cause happiness. It is precisely the other way around.

Allow happiness to flow out from you, and the good things in life will surround you and fill your world. Choose to be happy, with no conditions imposed upon that happiness, and you'll create the ideal conditions for your life.

Happiness is a beautiful gift you can give yourself no matter what. Give it freely and it will change your world.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2008 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.

Lift up

Do you want to experience a burst of energy that nothing can take away from you? Then lift up someone else.

Focus on helping another person, and your eyes will open to new and powerful possibilities. Give of yourself to others, and you'll end up with even more to give.

Every great achievement goes far beyond the achiever. In fact, the value of any achievement is based on how many people it positively affects.

Get in the habit of making a difference for others. Every day provides you with ample opportunities to do so.

Every person has real and unique value. Respect and celebrate that value by connecting with the goodness of each person you encounter.

Lift up others and you lift up your world. Lift up your world, and you'll find it a wonderful place to be.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2008 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.

Amaze yourself

Once you're up and running, keep going. Once you've worked to establish some momentum, make the most of it.

Don't stop when you've done just enough. With a little extra effort, you can achieve so much more.

You've spent a lot of time and effort getting to where you are. If you stop now you'll have to put even more effort into getting started again.

Keep going until you've far surpassed what you expected to do. Surprise and delight yourself with how much more you can get accomplished.

When you've already done what's good enough, that puts you in a great position. It's more effective to reach higher when you're already moving higher.

Momentum is an unstoppable force. Once you've got it, keep using it, and keep going until you're amazed at what you've done.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2008 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.

The little annoyances

When you let the little problems get you down, then you give the big problems the power to overwhelm you. When you constantly complain about things that don't really matter, you compromise your ability to successfully handle the things that do matter.

Whenever your day gets interrupted by an unexpected annoyance, you have a choice to make. You can let it poison your whole attitude, or you can actually use it to make you more positive and powerful.

Decide to laugh at the little problems, and to see each one as an opportunity for growth. Every minor annoyance that you quickly and successfully handle will strengthen your confidence.

That strong confidence will be extremely valuable when a major problem comes along. Even more importantly, that same confidence enables you to reach whatever goals you set for yourself.

If you're already in the habit of moving forward through the little challenges, that momentum will serve you well when the big challenges arrive. Every small problem provides you with a way to increase your positive momentum.

A day that is filled with little annoyances is a day that is rich with opportunities for real and lasting growth. Welcome those opportunities with a smile, and one by one they will make you stronger.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2008 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.

Work and enjoy

You never have to choose between work and enjoyment. You can do both.

You can choose to do work that you enjoy. You can also choose to enjoy whatever work you do.

The work you do enables you to create value. The work you do while enjoying yourself enables you to create immense and highly meaningful value.

There is a reason why you have chosen to do the work you do. Explore that reason, connect it with your deepest purpose, and you'll find a way to enjoy whatever the task may be.

One of your most persistent driving desires is to make a difference. Enjoy the fact that you have the opportunity to work at things that will indeed make a difference.

Work with enjoyment and gratitude. Not only will your work bring rewards, you'll also find that your work is itself a great reward.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2008 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 yourself a deadline

Give your goal a feature that will vastly improve its chances of being fulfilled. Give your goal a deadline.

A deadline provides a firm boundary for your efforts, yet it does not limit or constrain those efforts. On the contrary, a deadline will focus your efforts toward a single point, giving them more power and practical effectiveness.

Without a deadline you can exhaust yourself and still not arrive at any meaningful accomplishment. A deadline compels you to prioritize and to expend your best efforts in the most meaningful direction.

With a deadline, you are constantly reminded of how valuable and precious your time is. You're able to see resources and opportunities that would otherwise remain hidden.

A deadline encourages you to do the best you can with what you have. And that's a skill that reliably leads to great accomplishment again and again.

Give yourself a deadline. And get the job done sooner rather than never.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2008 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.

Leadership

The most effective form of leadership is born out of the sincere desire and proven ability to make a positive contribution. Those who lead best are those for whom leadership itself is not the primary aim.

True leadership is not embodied in a position or title. True leadership arises from an exemplary life of making positive, valuable contributions that inspire others to do the same.

The most successful leaders have no interest in telling others what to do. Successful leaders are those who promote and support conditions in which each person can act with effectiveness and experience fulfillment in his or her own special way.

Great leaders are not those who claim to have all the answers or to solve every problem. Great leaders lead by example rather than by proclamation.

To be a leader, be a shining example. Do precisely that which you would lead others to do, and do it spectacularly.

Leadership at its best enlarges upon the sincere and productive efforts of the leader. Make those efforts the best they can be, and they'll result in true, effective leadership.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2008 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.

State of focus

To be highly effective in what you do, enter a special state of being that you can create with your own intention. Enter a state of focus.

In this state, trivial outside events do not have the power to distract or annoy you. You simply accept them, move past them, and continue working on what's truly important to you.

In your focused state, there is no hesitation or worry about getting it wrong. You move ahead with steady, persistent efforts, knowing that even the mistakes will lead to learning and improvements.

Always with you in your state of focus is a clear and authentic sense of purpose. The energy to keep going and to keep focused comes from remembering why.

When you are focused you are curious, flexible, and open to new ways of creating value. At the same time, you're able to keep yourself solidly on track toward the specific goals you have chosen.

Enter a peaceful, powerful focused state. And make good things happen for your whole world.

-- Ralph Marston

Copyright (c) 2008 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.