Wisdom of the Sages: a collection of the best Inspirational Thoughts & Images I’ve published in the last months

Posted on by DieterL

It’s summertime (sorry if you are living in the southern hemisphere), supposedly the time to slow down somewhat, relax and to recharge one’s battery.

And to help you to recharge your soul as well I’ve compiled a collection of the best quotes and images I’ve published on different social media during the last months.

Simply click on the image – and enjoy!

(After opening the slideshow you might want to switch to full-screen to make it easier to read the quotes)

And if you are on one the these social media yourself feel free to connect with me there as well to receive the occasional inspirational quote:

With kind regards,

Dieter

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Value, anxiety, and happier

Posted on by DieterL

Good stuff I found recently:

Value by Dr Allan Hunter

We give “value” to all kinds of things, some times in terms of money, and sometimes in terms of usefulness. Yet I think there is another set of values that we overlook at our peril – we value things by what we had to give up to get them.

My mother, until she died, was constantly worrying about what would happen to all her valuable things in the house. After her death we discovered that even though these things may have cost a lot of money, no one wanted them at the auction.

When she had selected and bought those objects, years before, it was with a view to demonstrating how far she’d come in life. She’d risen above her background to live a rather more glamorous life than her school friends. So, of course these things were valuable. She’d given up her home, her native language, and much of her cultural background when she married my father.

No wonder the objects she bought were so “valuable” to her. They were compensating her for all she’d lost.

THE “LAZY” HABIT OF ANXIETY

Anxiety! It can sprout as fast as mushrooms in a dark room. It seems to multiply in the closets of our minds. So why would we associate the word “lazy” with it?

Lazy thinking? We usually associate speed, racing, activity, hysteria, imbalance, over-functioning, plate-spinning, and other out-of-control activities with anxiety. But not laziness. Active and highly motivated are the attributes that come to mind in a word association with anxiety. Those folks who are anxious are immersed in the thought of failure, so like a scared rodent, they speed up the treadmill.

Yet could it be lazy thinking that prevents anxiety sufferers from pushing against the thoughts that seed this emotional terror?

Lazy thought habits fuel our anxiety. Yes, some have a predisposition to suffer from anxiety more than others. We know that anxiety can be an affliction. All humans have some degree of anxiety affliction. The continuum goes from very little to extreme.

Here’s the point. Continue reading …

Happier

“You are one hundred and ten years old. A time machine has just been invented, and you are selected as one of the first people to use it. The inventor, a scientist from NASA, tells you that you will be transported back to the day when, as it happens, you first read Happier. You, with the wisdom of having lived and experienced life, have fifteen minutes to spend with your younger and less experienced self. What do you say when you meet? What advice do you give yourself?” ~ Tal Ben-Shahar from Happier

With kind regards,

Dieter Langenecker

PS: If you want personal support in uncovering and implementing your life’s purpose visit Personal Mentoring

PPS. For free resources go here

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Ask Dieter June 2013

Posted on by DieterL

This month’s question from my portal “Ask Dieter: Directions
for living a meaningful Life” comes from Peter in Hungary.

How can we understand the universe and our role in it?

Thank you!

Hello Peter!

Thank you for your question!

Let me answer you with a wonderful analogy by Allan Hunter:

Think of it this way: imagine an apple tree. The apples are all different but all similar in basic ways – a bit like us. But you couldn’t have an apple without the twig it grew on, without the leaves and branches, without the trunk and the root system. And even with all those things you need the earth, which is just part of whichever continent you happen to be on, but is part of the planet. Those apples may all look different, but they are, like us, just the most recent expression of the creative power that runs the universe.

That is who you are. That is who we all are, and we’re all connected to everything and everyone else.

And remember this: each apple is a seedpod for the next generation. Just like us.

Our job is to grow and become the best seedpod we can be, in whatever way we feel is authentic.

Live a meaningful life,

Dieter Langenecker

PS: “Ask Dieter: Directions for living a meaningful Life” is a monthly no-cost
program that is open to everyone! Each month, I’ll select and personally respond to one question received via the above “Ask Dieter” page that I feel in my heart will help the most people. (You may choose to remain anonymous if you wish, with our full support.) It is my deep, heartfelt intention that in answering your questions I may provide you with wisdom inspirations that in committed application will set you free. Simply submit YOUR burning question at: www.langenecker.com/askdieter.html

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On Purpose

Posted on by DieterL

Have you ever wondered why some people, despite the challenges they face, their limited educational backgrounds, limited access to resources and seemingly insurmountable challenges turn out to be more successful than their educated counterparts with privileged backgrounds?

Have you ever wondered how they are able to start from scratch, from nothing, with nothing and attain staggering heights of success that their privileged counterparts can only dream about? The answer is simple – they had a different mind-set. It is not the facts or challenges that face us that are important; rather it is the choices we make and the mind-set we choose to have in spite of those challenges that determine success or failure.

I frankly believe that success has little to do with lucky breaks and far more to do with the mind-set of the individual; while I do admit that many a successful people had been in the right place at the right time; I will contend that majority of those who achieved success often started off with very little and “made their own luck” by having the right mind-set, commitment, discipline and hard work. The catch however is that often times, the right mind-set, the commitment and the hard work that yield success just don’t turn up on their own; something else has to bring them alive and that is a sense of purpose.

Developing a sense of purpose has the potential to be a powerful game changer. Taking the time to find out what our purpose is can save us years of misery and failed attempts and propel us towards true success much faster. I often find that when people have not determined their true purpose, they often go from one goal to another without really achieving anything concrete. It is purpose that aligns all of our thoughts, decisions and actions and creates that powerful focal point at which all of our energies can be directed.

A purpose is not simply a mere goal such owning a bigger house, a business, taking a trip overseas etc. A purpose is a goal so big that when it is achieved or in the process of achieving it, it not only changes your own life, but it positively impacts the lives of those around you. An example of such a purpose is leaving behind a legacy that will change the lives of those to come after you, your grandkids for example. I know it sounds like a lofty ideal, given that many of us are caught in survival mode, day in day out with little time to think of ourselves not to mention descendants – but you see therein lies the problem. Unless our lives mean something far greater than us and unless we are aiming for something far greater than ourselves, we will forever remain focused on the small picture.

Many make the mistake of thinking of their businesses or careers as their purpose. By viewing the business or career as the ultimate goal, we place a limit on the potential of that business and ourselves. However, by viewing our business or career as a vehicle to fulfill our greater purpose, suddenly our vision becomes expanded and everything takes on a much bigger picture. The business or career stops becoming the ultimate goal and become a cog in a much larger wheel. By creating a purpose far greater than ourselves, we raise the expectations for our lives and as a consequence, our efforts, beliefs rise in line with those expectations.

So, what is your purpose? Why are you here?

With kind regards,

Dieter Langenecker

PS: If you want personal support in uncovering and implementing your life’s purpose visit Personal Mentoring

PPS. For free resources go here

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Jack Welch, Steven Jobs, Seth Godin. Oh, and success

Posted on by DieterL

Good stuff I found recently:

Steve Jobs explains the rules for success

Seth Godin on “Habits“:

The habit of being easily persuaded by mass media
The habit of doing it right instead of doing it over
The habit of responding to nastiness with nastiness
The habit of failing to trust people who care
The habit of wasting time in meetings
The habit of being on time
The habit of avoiding things that cause fear
The habit of reading ahead
The habit of doing more than promised
The habit of expanding personal knowledge and experience
The habit of skepticism
The habit of close talking
The habit of generosity…

There’s a million habits out there, some good, some bad, all learned.

Every habit (your market, your family, your organization has) was formed because people got rewarded for it, at least in the short run.

The thing is, every habit is changeable with effort.

What it Really Takes to Succeed by Jack Welch

The modern marketplace demands that people possess a wide range of skills. But what core qualities are truly essential to career advancement, regardless of industry or job?The answer could fill a book and it has, thousands of times, if not more. Myriad experts claim that career advancement is a function of everything from extreme self-confidence to extreme humility (or both at once). Still others make the case that big-time professional success derives from more sinister behaviors, such as callous ambition or unfettered narcissism. And then there is the whole “positive thinking” bandwagon, which claims that getting ahead is primarily a function of believing you can. In sum, there’s so much contradictory advice out there about the core components of success that it’s enough to reduce you to a weary sigh of: “Whatever.”Which is just fine. Because we’d suggest that you can’t really manipulate yourself into success with personality tweaks or even major overhauls. In fact, we’d say just the opposite. The most powerful thing you can do is, well, be real. As in not phony. As in grappling, sweating, laughing, and caring. As in authentic.Yes, yes, we know the upper echelon of the corporate world has its share of slick super achievers who appear simultaneously all-knowing and unknowable. They’re cool, poised, almost digitally enhanced in their affect. But such bloodless executives, even the most technically skilled ones, rarely reach the highest heights. They’re just too remote to move people. They can manage, but they can’t motivate. Continue reading …

With kind regards,

Dieter Langenecker

PS: If you want personal support in uncovering and implementing your life’s purpose visit Personal Mentoring

PPS. For free resources go here

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Ask Dieter May 2013

Posted on by DieterL

This month’s question from my portal “Ask Dieter: Directions
for living a meaningful Life” comes from Marisol in Mexico.

Opposite than the “mediocre people”, as James Altucher mentions in his article of the Seven Habits of Highly effective mediocre people, my life has been “successful” in many ways and for a lot of people: During the worst crises I got the dream job for many people, doubled my salary; when things were bad in the company I got an offer to grow, increased salary even when I was pregnant, no discrimination at all. I can work from home sometimes. Besides that part I got my dream job as a teacher in a recognized university, I am also starting my business in something I love AND it is growing! (not yet that much that allows me to leave my job but it is in the correct path). All this seems to be pretty and amazing if we consider that I am less than 30 years old but it doesn’t fullfill me, I wake up tired everyday in the same routine day after day, more than one time a day I wish I could leave everything, take my family and go to a small village to grow my own food or going to do social service to a country in need and teach my child that way of life. Then I go back to my reality and get afraid that that is too radical, that I should enjoy my perfect life because that is what everybody is expecting to do. I think I should be patient to let my business grow and then retire. But I don’t want to be too old to retire, I dislike so much and feel sorry for the people around me that have been doing the same routine for the last 20 years expecting a better time when they can be independent. DEFINITELY I don’t want that. Since my husband is studying I am the only source of income in our starting family. I am too crazy when I think I should run away, hug my family and spend more than 1 hour with them everyday? when I believe I should renounce to a successful life?

Thaaaaank you Dieter!!

Hola Marisol!

Thank you for your question!

I think the key part of your question is the difference between what you really want do and the part where you say: “because that is what everybody is expecting to do”. It seems to me that the major reason why you are torn between these two points, moving (mentally) forth and back is because you have not come to a clear conclusion what is your real true meaning and purpose on this planet. All the answers you have come up so far are half hearted only, so none is giving you real satisfaction (despite all the “success” according to the standard, material definition).

It took me years, not to say decades, to find the right answer for me. And the reason why it took me so long was that my approach was wrong; or at least single-sided; we are brought up to solve a problem by THINKING: analyse the situation, evaluate the options, and go for the most “reasonable” one.

And this way we are reducing the framework of our decision base to a (small) portion – the outside world, which is mainly based on knowledge, logic and material criteria only. And neglecting almost completely the part, which is the real base for any important decision in our life: our own inner wisdom.

I’d therefore suggest a different (and I admit, unusual) way: approach your inner wisdom. It is there, it is just hidden away, allowed to surface only occasionally (ask yourself, looking back in your life: were your most important decisions based on logic or on your guts feelings?). It is only that while we have learned to “manage” the outside world and its resources, we have never learned to do so with our inside resources; even less so to do so consciously.

And how can you do so?

The answer is simple: meditate. (I told you, it will be unusual). Meditation not as a spiritual practice, but rather to reduce the permanent flux of thoughts programmed into our brains by education, culture and society rules. And this way allow your own inner wisdom to surface. With your own answers. Like, what is really, really, really important to you? What can you do with your talents for your own benefit and the one of your social environment?

Because we know that deep down, inside ourselves, we have basically all the answers to the nagging questions.

And as an added benefit, once we allow this inner wisdom to emerge it will also give us the strength to implement it into day-to-day life. Regardless of the opinions of others or the so-called obstacles.

If you have never done meditation you might want to read a recently published excellent book on how to get started: Search Inside Yourself: The Unexpected Path to Achieving Success, Happiness (and World Peace) (Chade-Meng Tan); written in a funny and profound way. And/or e.g. visit zenecagate.ning.com . And/or simply keep your eyes open for anything regarding meditation which will come across your way from now on.

Trust yourself.

Un abrazo and live a meaningful life,

Dieter Langenecker

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The Four Habits that Form Habits

Posted on by DieterL

My daughter wants to work out more, but she has a hard time forming the habit (many of you might be familiar with this problem). From having to get dressed to go to the gym, to actually going to the gym, to the thought of a hard workout … our minds tend to put off the habit.

The solution is exceedingly simple: just do 3 pushups. Or tell yourself you have to walk/jog for just one minute.

Make it so easy you can’t say no.

Of course, most people will think that’s too easy, and tell themselves they have to do more than that. Leo’s advice is for other people! Unfortunately, it’s this mindset that causes people to fail at habits – we think we can do more, despite past evidence to the contrary, and so we aspire to greatness. We try to climb Everest before we’ve learned to walk.

Learn the fundamentals of habits before you try to do the advanced skills. If I could convince people of that, I could get millions to change their habits, be healthier, simplify, procrastinate less, start creating amazing things.

Today we’re going to go over the fundamentals of habit – four key habits to form habits. If you can learn these four habits, you’ll have the foundation to form pretty much any habit.

Habit 1: Start Exceedingly Small

Another common habit that too few people actually do is flossing daily. So my advice is just floss one tooth the first night.

Of course, that seems to ridiculous most people laugh. But I’m totally serious: if you start out exceedingly small, you won’t say no. You’ll feel crazy if you don’t do it. And so you’ll actually do it!

That’s the point. Actually doing the habit is much more important than how much you do.

If you want to exercise, it’s more important that you actually do the exercise on a regular basis, rather than doing enough to get a benefit right away. Sure, maybe you need 30 minutes of exercise to see some fitness improvements, but try doing 30 minutes a day for two weeks. See how far you get, if you haven’t been exercising regularly. Then, if you don’t succeed, try 1-2 minutes a day. See how far you get there.

If you can do two weeks of 1-2 minutes of exercise, you have a strong foundation for a habit. Add another week or two, and the habit is almost ingrained. Once the habit is strong, you can add a few minutes here and there. Soon you’ll be doing 30 minutes on a regular basis – but you started out really small.

Try the flossing habit – try to floss every tooth every night, and see how far you get. You might succeed … but if you fail, try just one tooth per night and see how far you get. Your mileage will vary, but on average most people get farther with a habit when they start small.

One glass of water a day. One extra vegetable. Three pushups. One sentence of writing a day. Two minutes of meditation. This is how you start a habit that lasts.

Habit 2: … continue reading

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Category Archives: inspiration

Wisdom of the Sages: a collection of the best Inspirational Thoughts & Images I’ve published in the last months

Value, anxiety, and happier

Ask Dieter June 2013

Dieter Langenecker

On Purpose

Jack Welch, Steven Jobs, Seth Godin. Oh, and success

Ask Dieter May 2013

Dieter Langenecker

The Four Habits that Form Habits