Creating a Better Life

Don’t Dig Up Your Bamboo Plant!

While listening to the Zig Ziglar “Inspiring Words of Encouragement” podcast the other day, I came across a story he told about the bamboo plant (listen to “The Power of Self Talk” dated 6/11/07).

Apparently, after it’s planted, a bamboo plant can take years to being to show any signs of growth above ground. It needs to be cared for and watered during these years, but no evidence of it’s growth witll become apparent for a long, long time.

But once it pokes itself above the ground… look out! It soon becomes one of the tallest and strongest plants in existence.

Human beings work in much the same way.

Unfortunately, when a person first learns about and accepts ideas like the Law of Attraction or Deliberate Creation, it seems to them that once they start thinking positively all good things will start to come to them.

But all that’s happened at this point is a seed has been planted.

And for some of us, that seed has been planted in a garden that’s a real mess!

I know it was for me.

And I also know that it may take years for that seed to fully take root before any real evidence begins to poke it’s head above ground.

Or it could be tomorrow.

Either way is OK. I’m not going anywhere, so there’s no reason to go digging up these beliefs that are serving me so well in my daily life just because I’m not seeing the full blown shoots that I’d like to.

Do you want to dig up your goals, your plans, and your dreams because you haven’t yet seen any evidence of their manifestation?

Or do you want to continue to water them, to feed them, to work on them below the surface?

I don’t care if you forgot to water them yesterday, or for a week, or even if it’s been years since you’ve given them any care.

Our dreams don’t die, no matter how long they’ve been neglected.

Start watering them again… now.

And then be patient.

Keep on taking care of them.

The outside evidence will come.

Just remember the bamboo plant when you start thinking that nothing’s going on.

Because there’s one thing I can guarantee:

If you are doing the watering, then your dreams are doing their growing.

Pointers To Resources For Your Better Life #6

Reborn magazines, podcasts from a motivational master, and planning to succeed in 2008… welcome to the 6th edition of Pointers To Resources For Your Better Life.

Success Magazine Lives!

Karen Lynch of Live The Power let us know that the famous Success Magazine will be making a comeback in 2008. I’m pretty jazzed about this - as a fan of Napoleon Hill, W. Clement Stone, and Og Mandino, it’s really neat to see the magazine making a comeback.

Zig Ziglar Podcast

Classic Zig audio and video from Inspiring Words of Encouragement. If you haven’t ever heard Zig Ziglar before, I think you’re in for a treat. Here’s a link to one of my favorites - The Story of the Biscuits - which includes an inspiring story about encouraging others.

See Your 2008 Now

One of the top suggestions from people who have enjoyed success is that we see it, act it, live it, and be it before we achieve it. Here are a couple of exercises that might help you to do that.

Vickie of Contemplate This suggests that we write up something from the perspective of the end of 2008. I joined in, and it really was powerful. My wife even said that it was her favorite piece of my writing - I guess doubling a guy’s income really does make him sexier .

To add in some visuals that your subconscious can really soak up, you can set up what’s known as a “Treasure Map” or “Vision Board”. Lorraine Cohen of Powerfull Living has published an in depth article explaining the process of creating a treasure map (and shares her finished product). After you’ve finished with yours (or before you’ve started if you want more tips), check out Edward Mills’ Vision Board 2008 Invitational and display your future for the world to see! I’m committed to getting mine done well before Edward’s deadline (January 14th) - I hope you’ll join me!

Make it a great week!

[ image credit: marcin krawczyk on stock.xchng ]