I felt like I was taking a walk down memory lane this week as I leafed through old files of quotes and stories. I realized quickly why I had saved these file as they were filled with inspirational stories; messages to remind me what it meant to be a person of excellence and a big thinker!
I read one of my old favorites… enjoying it as if I reading it for the first time. That story got me to thinking and asking myself why do we do things? What is our motivation?
Please read the story of the Stone Cutter and see what you think the reason may be. Whether you think you’re just:
- earning a living,
- doing the best at your job, or
- you’re leaving a legacy
this story demonstrates that there is great value in thinking positively and in seeing the bigger picture.
The Stone Cutter Story… One day a traveler, walking along a lane, came across 3 stonecutters working in a quarry. Each was busy cutting a block of stone. Interested to find out what they were working on, he asked the first stonecutter what he was doing. “I am cutting a stone!”
Still no wiser the traveler turned to the second stone cutter and asked him what he was doing. “I am cutting this block of stone to make sure that it’s square, and its dimensions are uniform, so that it will fit exactly in its place in a wall.”
Now a bit closer to finding out what the Stone cutters were working on but still unclear, the traveler turned to the third stone cutter. He seemed to be the happiest of the three. And when asked what he was doing replied: “I am building a cathedral.”
Excellence is not an act but rather it is a habit. The habit is: the work habit. What are your work habits? Do they match your GOALS? A true champion goes to work every day because they simply love what they do and they make work a habit. However, Excellence alone is not enough… true success is coupling Excellence with the ability to see a Bigger Picture.
***************
It does not matter what your circumstances are, what’s important is your attitude and your optimism to make the best of what you have. Don’t focus on what is going wrong or bad around you. Instead lead your life by design not by default. Remember that you cannot stop a truly determined person from reaching their goals. They will go over under and around any obstacle to reach a goal.
Success
There are 4 words that describe the secret of success…
- Think – Think Big and always think about the endless possibilities for your life…
- Believe – Believe You Can accomplish your dream. First believe in yourself. Conviction is when you deeply believe in something. Believe and achieve …. Doubt and do without!
- Dare – It Takes Courage to step out and try something different. I dare you to embrace your greatness and take action on your dreams.
- Dream – Dream Your Dream until it becomes a reality. Never give up. Dare to dream means to go ahead and go after your dreams with courage and conviction to work on achieving them.
The past is yours…. Learn from it
The present is yours…. Fulfill it
The future is yours ….. Prepare for it.
