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.

IT'S NOT EASY

Disciplining yourself is difficult. Being truly committed is difficult. Making decisions is difficult. Following through on your promises is difficult. Staying focused is difficult. Doing work is difficult. Planning, organizing, leadership, persuasion, personal development, learning, teaching -- they’re all difficult.

The ingredients of success are difficult. They involve real effort and sacrifice. They’re often tedious and tiring. And yet, they lead to a very positive outcome -- the achievement of something worthwhile, the fulfillment of your possibilities, success and accomplishment.

While the requirements for success are indeed difficult, they do end in success. The alternative is regret, and regret never ends. So today you have a choice. You can do the difficult work, make the tough decisions, follow through on your commitments, and by so doing you bring yourself closer to success. Or, you can avoid all that and lead yourself down the path to never-ending regret.

When tomorrow comes, how will you look back on today -- with gratitude and satisfaction, or with regret. The choice is yours.

30 INSPIRATIONAL SONGS THAT KEEPS YOU MOTIVATED FOR LIFE

Music is an amazing thing. The right inspiring lyrics, or motivational songs can give you a kick in the backside; provides a quick pick me up to motivate you to accomplish your goals; or just a reminder about appreciating the beauty of the world that we live in and provides that little lift that we occasionally need. Here is a list of 30 inspiring songs that will help you to stay the course and go for it. A full youtube playlist of these 30 songs are at the bottom of this article alongside a list that you can make a copy of so that you can add and remove songs.

30. Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You) – Kelly Clarkson

“What doesn’t kill you makes a fighter”.  This song, performed by the American Idol Season 1 winner helps you to evaluate your life when something hasn’t gone your way. Learn from it and come back fighting so that you can reach the next level.

29. Don’t Stop Believing – Journey

“Don’t stop believin’. Hold on to the feelin’”. Remember when you started something new? How it felt? It’s not always going to be smooth, but remember what motivated you to start off, or how that relationship felt like at the beginning and strive to reinvent it.

28. Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell

“Don’t you know that there ain’t no mountain high enough. Ain’t no valley low enough, ain’t no river wide enough. To keep me from getting to you, baby”. Whatever your baby may be, it’s your goal. There may be obstacles on the way, but you can overcome them to reach that goal.

27. Save the World – Swedish House Mafia

“Who’s gonna save the world tonight? Who’s gonna bring you back to life?”. It’s down to you, motivate yourself to do what it takes to bring some activity back.

26. Skyscraper – Demi Lovato

“Go on and try to tear me down. I will be rising from the ground”. If you are seeing obstacles blocking you, you can circumvent them and build back up. Life has it’s ups and downs and it’s up to you to build strong foundations so that you can continually build your own skyscrapers.

25. Get up Stand up – Bob Marley

“Get up, stand up: don’t give up the fight!”. It’s not over yet.

24. You’re Beautiful – James Blunt

“But we shared a moment that will last ’til the end.”.  When those moments happen, treasure them and remember them. You may need it one day to keep you going.

23. It’s My Life – Bon Jovi

“It’s my life. And it’s now or never”. We only have one life, why procrastinate on the things that matter?

22. Beautiful – Christina Aguilera

“You’re beautiful. No matter what they say”. There’s something beautiful for someone in almost everything. Don’t focus on the negatives, focus on the positives.

21. Tubthumping – Chumbawumba

“I get knocked down, But I get up again, You’re never going to keep me down”. Persistence is important, take those setbacks into your stride. You’ve probably heard this inspirational song on countless sports shows. That’s how effective it is.

20. Where is the Love? – Black Eyed Peas

“Take control of your mind and meditate”.  Focus on your objective, don’t waste your energy on the things you can’t control.

19. You Gotta Be – Des Ree

“Listen as your day unfolds. Challenge what the future holds”. Set your goals for the day and accomplish that challenge

18. We are the Champions – Queen

“And bad mistakes I’ve made a few I’ve had my share of sand kicked in my face - But I’ve come through”. We’ve all had bad days where everything feels like its on top of you, but think about how you’ve traversed through it and how you have learned from those lessons.

17. Not Afraid – Eminem

“We’ll walk this road together, through the storm. Whatever weather, cold or warm”. Not everything needs to be done alone, sharing your support to someone can help make their day.

16. Walking on Sunshine – Katrina and the Waves

This is just a great feel-good song.

15. Harder, Better, Faster – Daft Punk

“Work it harder, make it better, do it faster, makes us stronger;”. Working smart increases your output. Focus on doing it smart.

14. Human – The Killers

“Close your eyes. Clear your heart”. We’re all human, sometimes we need to take a bit of time to reset so that we can move on.

13. Lust For Life – Iggy Pop

“I’m worth a million in prizes”. Whatever motivates you, find that vigor that makes you feel like a million dollars.

12. Remember the Name – Fort Minor

“This is ten percent luck, twenty percent skill, Fifteen percent concentrated power of will ,Five percent pleasure, fifty percent pain”.  Focus and work hard, it’s not going to be plain sailing, but if you want to reach your destination, you need determination.

11. What a Feeling – Irene Cara

“first, when there’s nothing but a slow glowing dream”. All your goals start from somewhere. Keep your eye on the goal.

     

10. Imagine – John Lennon

“You, you may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one”. Figure out what your dream is and strive for it.

 

9. Perfect Day – Lou Reed

“Just a perfect day, problems all left alone”. Take a break from your problems and take some time to enjoy yourself.

8. Teardrop – Massive Attack

“Most faithful mirror. Fearless on my breath”. Take a look at yourself and see if you’re heading in the direction you want. Make course corrections without fear.

7. Don’t Worry be Happy – Bobby McFerrin

“In every life we have some trouble. But when you worry, you make it double”. Bobby McFerrin’s inspirational 80′s song reminds us that everyone is worried about something, and we need to take time out to have some happy time.

6. Always Look on the Bright Side of Life – Monty Python

“If life seems jolly rotten, There’s something you’ve forgotten!”. Focus on the positives.

5. Here Comes the Sun – The Beatles

“Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting”. Even if progress is slow, progress is still being made.

4. Beautiful Day – U2

“It’s a beautiful day. Don’t let it get away”. Celebrate your victories and achievements, no matter how small.

3. Lovely Day – Bill Withers

“When the day that lies ahead of me. Seems impossible to face”. Life sometimes seems impossible, but there is always a way, you just haven’t though of it yet.

2. Stand By Me ~ Ben E. King

“No I won’t be afraid. Oh I won’t be afraid”. That challenge may seem daunting, but don’t be afraid it. We have to overcome our fears and comfort zones to progress.

1. What a Wonderful World –  Louis Armstrong

“The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky”. Life is not in black and white, there is so much color out there to keep motivated for life. This song is terrifyingly inspirational when you consider how long this song has lasted.

A SAD ILLUSION

It has created untold strife for centuries. It has been the cause of hatred, anger, violence and countless wasted lives. It is the illusion that one person can profit from another’s misfortune.

How can you possibly gain from hurting another? That other person is just as much a part of your world as you are. When you seek to hurt another, any appearance of a gain is far outweighed by the reality of the loss. If you seek to profit from the loss of another, it focuses you on the negative. That negativity, no matter where it is directed, becomes your own heavy burden. You cannot hurt another and avoid hurting yourself in the process.

Lasting fulfillment comes from being creative, not from being destructive. The creativity and positive energy you put forth come back to you many times over. So do the hurt and destruction. Which would you rather get back?




#BringBackOurGirls

WITH LOVE

Put no demands on love, and love will bring you much. Give love away, and it will be yours in greater and greater abundance.

With love, what was weak will grow strong. With love, what was impossible becomes real.

Love can find the beauty and value in even the most desperate situation. Love will bring hope where nothing else can.

Though love cannot be explained, it can never be denied. Love has its own reality that transcends the most oppressive limitations.

Love elevates what it touches to a higher dimension. When love is present, fears are calmed, wounds begin to heal, and joy is gloriously within reach.

Love, not because there is a reason, but because there is the possibility. Love, and you will know what you cannot understand.

FOOLISHNESS

Just because you appear foolish, doesn’t mean you are. In fact, some of the most brilliant, creative people can often appear to be quite foolish at first.

Anything that’s out of the ordinary can seem foolish. Yet the way to make real progress is to go beyond what’s ordinary and expected.

Don’t live in fear of looking foolish. Because you’ll discount your best ideas before you even have the chance to explore them.

There’s nothing to be gained by proving how ordinary you are. Instead, find the great value in your own uniqueness and let that value freely flow from you.

There is so much of your own special creativity and innovation within you. Don’t hold it back out of worries about what other people might think.

Let your words and actions be true to the unique, authentic person you are. And if others see you as foolish, that’s just their own foolishness.

COURTESY AND RESPECT

It takes no more effort to be courteous than it does to be rude. And yet courtesy can bring so very much more value into your life, and into the world around you, than rudeness ever will.

Every time you interact with another person you have a valuable opportunity. You have the opportunity to treat that person with courtesy and respect. Even when you disagree, you can still be courteous and respectful about it.

Does everyone deserve to be treated with courtesy? Probably not. But that doesn’t really matter. Because the courtesy and respect that you exhibit toward others says more about you than it does about them.

Be genuinely respectful and you’ll be respected. Be truly courteous and you’ll win the admiration of others. Every interaction is your opportunity to earn the respect of others. Think of all the people with whom you come in contact on a daily basis, and just imagine what an impact your commitment to courtesy and respect could have.

Courtesy and respect toward others will cost you nothing and yet they can powerfully improve every relationship. Use them liberally. With them you’ll uncover some of life’s greatest treasures.

THE MIRACLE THAT IS TODAY

Open your eyes, open your heart, and see the miracle that is today. Feel how good and powerful it feels to be alive.

You don’t have to wait for some distant, imagined time before you can relish the sweet, profound experience of being fully alive. Because right now, today, in this place, in this situation, the miracle of your life is here for you to live.

No day is really ordinary, because each day comes with its own bundle of unique treasures. No moment is useless or pointless, because every moment is filled with priceless possibilities.

Remind yourself how truly fortunate you are to be you. Look beyond all the distractions of superficial things that come and go, and feel the awesome power of life that exists within you.

Imagine the most amazing, fulfilling thing you can imagine. And realize that you have the ability to make it real, through the power of your life.

Today there is more hope, and there are more possibilities for fulfillment, than ever before. Because today you are here to bring the best of life to life.

LIFE'S GIFT

You cannot avoid effort, for avoiding effort is itself an effort. What you can do is to make your efforts count for something, something as grand and magnificent as you can imagine.

Life will ask something of you each and every moment. The more willingly and graciously you give what life asks of you, the more positive value you’ll receive as a result. That which life asks of you is also life’s gift to you. Those places where you spend the most effort, where you give the most of yourself, are the places where you’ll realize the most value.

Sadly, too many people miss out on the best that life has to offer when they attempt to avoid challenge and discomfort. By so doing they end up making their lives even more challenging and even more uncomfortable.

Life is persistent and generous in providing you with plenty of nourishment and opportunity. So the challenges will continue to come your way until you’re ready to make something truly grand and meaningful out of them. Give what life asks, promptly and enthusiastically. And you’ll experience the very best that life has to give.

MAKE NEW JOY

It is great to treasure the joys of the past. When you do so, those joys will always be with you, bringing new pleasure each time you think of them.

But don’t get so dependent on past joys that you neglect to make new ones. Instead, allow the joys you’ve previously experienced to inspire you to make even more.

Circumstances have surely changed, and you’ll never again have the exact same joyful experiences you had before. However, you most certainly can create new, original joyful memories to treasure.

Be thankful about all the great times you’ve known. And be willing to make more great times with this day, with this moment, wherever you may be.

Don’t limit the possibilities for joy by assuming that the new joys must be just like the previous ones. Continue to open yourself to new, creative options for adding richness and fulfillment to life.

There are plenty of ways, right here and right now, to bring fresh joy to life. Treasure the joys of the past, and make some new ones today.