Expectation has brought me disappointment. Disappointment has brought me wisdom. Acceptance, gratitude and appreciation have brought me joy and fulfilment.
It is wiser to love who you are than what you want.
All the tools, techniques and technology in the world are nothing without the head, heart and hands to use them wisely, kindly and mindfully
If you're jealous of someone else it simply means you have not come to a true acceptance and appreciation of yourself.
Beware trying to iron out all your quirks, perceived flaws and doubts. It's often these things that help you find strength, compassion, empathy for others and heart.
When you fall short of your goals and dreams ask yourself is it your mindset, perspective, expectations, effort, approach, acceptance, company or a blend of these that needs to change.
Champions realise that defeat - and learning from it even more than from winning - is part of the path to mastery.
There is no greater prize than a quiet, peaceful mind.
There is no shortage of external inspiration. Open your eyes and look and you'll be dazzled by it. But it's nothing if you fail to see the magic, wonder and potential that resides within.
You are not who you think you are. You are not who they want you to be. You are not merely your colour, class, gender - and so on - these are quite narrow things. You are not the ideas you are given and gather. You are not what you own or lay claim to. You are not even your life story - for that changes through time, perspective, emphasis and many things. You are what resides before, between and beyond all these things." - R. Ogunlaru
There's no beauty without difference and diversity. Love unconditionally.
Inspiration may come from many places but motivation - the love of life, daily drive and the will to thrive - that must come from you from within
Choose your counsel, company and companions wisely: beware seeking wise words of advice from a fool or expecting informed opinions or decisions from the ignorant.
Your words, thoughts, intentions and actions today are your best hope, comfort, building blocks and insurance for tomorrow. But it is now alone that is guaranteed – tomorrow is a dream, a maybe a potential gift. It’s now - not tomorrow - where happiness and fulfilment live...awaiting your discovery. It’s all this that will make each extra day that may arrive extra special and rich.
In business, sport, entertainment and beyond an idea is worth next to nothing. The energy, effort, passion, talent, tenacity, strategy, resilience and resourcefulness to see it through and make something of it is worth everything.
I've found that trying to be like everyone else, do what others do and follow others 'guaranteed path' to 'so-called success' never really works for me. I have found my best strategy is to authentically be me, listen within and follow it....and then to treat and connect with others - wherever I can - personally, personably and individually.
Only the foolish would think that wisdom is something to keep locked in a drawer. Only the fearful would feel empowerment is something best kept to oneself, or the few, and not shared with all.
Before you chase success, status, power, wealth fame or love; first fall in love with yourself - for the person you'll be if and when you get there is still the same. Success will be a painful path and an empty trophy without self acceptance, self worth or if littered with self hate.
Any fool can break something, criticise someone and tear things apart. It takes a far more skilled, wise and kind soul to build something, nurture someone, fix things and help others thrive over time.
Sometimes you learn, grow and give far more when your back's against the wall.
You only ever have three things: 1) your self, wellbeing and mindset 2) Your life network, resources and resourcefulness 3) Your reputation and goodwill. Treasure and tend the first. Value, support and build the second. And mindfully, wisely ensure that the third (your life current and savings account) is always in credit.
Don't waste your whole lifetime waiting for the perfect life when there's a perfectly good one within and right in front of you.
A rich life is lived from a giving heart not a selfish mind.
There are two powerful fuels, two forces; motivation and inspiration. To be motivated you need to know what your motives are. Over time - and to sustain you through it - your motivation must become an inner energy; a 'motor' driving you forward, passionately, purposefully, wisely and compassionately... come what may, every day. Inspiration is an outer - worldly - energy that you breathe and draw in. It may come from many places, faces, spaces and stages - right across the ages. It is where nature, spirit, science, mind and time meet, dance, play and speak. It keeps you outward facing and life embracing. But you must be open-minded and open-hearted to first let it in and then let it out again. Together - blended, combined and re-entwined - motivation and inspiration bring connectivity, productivity, creativity and boundless possibilities that is not just 'self' serving but enriching to all humanity and societies...just as it should be.
During my life journey I've discovered an interesting thing once you stop seeking outside you discover what already resides within.
A Star is always a star no matter what stage they are on or at
Advances in technology can be empowering, progressive and enriching. History has shown this across civilisations and societies. But it has also shown, and the present and future will continue to show, that it is foolish, risky, flawed and folly without us raising our individual and collective consciousness and mindfulness to accompany it - to ensure we use it shrewdly, kindly and wisely.
A free spirit is not bound by this, that, matter, materialism or opinion. They sing, dance and flow on the wind - for they are at one with it. They are nothing and everything - void and expanse. Even space and time does not confine or define them. For they are pure energy itself.
You will never get the best out of anyone professionally unless you understand what motivates and makes them tick personally - as a human being
Despair and disappointment are the parent of countless inspired, inspiring, triumphant creations
It's is not enough just to follow your heart. Use it in every breath and in each step. Meet and greet everyone with it. Put it into all you do, every dish you eat and all you create. Then your life and those of those you come into contact with will be truly rich - beyond material and transient things.
A few simple tips for life: feet on the ground, head to the skies, heart open...quiet mind
Sometimes it's important to dare to dream - small or big - like Mandela, Gandhi, Winfrey, Obama, Malala and Dr King. From Einstein to Hawking - the skies no limit. From Ali to the Williams sisters - through trials and talent find the champions within. Like my mother did to raise great kids. Like the one or many who run with this. Like the unsung heroes in every city and village. Like the kind of heart and selfless healers. Like every act of kindness you ever did and received. Like the human spirit beyond class, colour and creed. Like every soul who has raised our consciousness. From one to all - love IS all we have and need.
Just because a door appears closed it does not mean that it is locked - nor that it will not open with the right heart, call or touch
When you feel that others are lacking and failing ....first assess the skill, style, quality, results, mindset, support, professionalism and spirit with which you yourself play the game.
The tragedy about history - personally and globally - is that while we may learn it we rarely learn from it.
If you must walk in someone's shadow make sure it's your own
Enlightenment is not about attaining an ultimate level of intelligence or intellect. It is regained by shedding all the ideas, illusion and binds thrust on you and that you then so readily accrue.
Intelligence is just one dimension of ability. Don't limit yourself to it. Open up to instinct, intuition, creativity and thus possibility
A quiet mind is the quickest and biggest step to a peaceful world.
If you are going to judge others it is wisest to do so individually not collectively and on your own direct experience of them personally. But first - and throughout - examine yourself closely. Blurred vision can often occur due to the lens, perspective and perceptions of the viewer projected onto the object that it sees. Be wary of taking to the judges seat. Above all meet at treat yourself and everyone else mindfully, compassionately with humanity.
We are one at the root - we just part at the branch
Success is a trophy, a title, something gained, attained or retained. Fulfilment, true happiness, contentment.... bliss is the gift of the self-realised. That is the real prize.
See money – currency - as the flow of energy and giving that cycles between you, others and me. Now let it flow kindly, fairly and mindfully.
We spend so much time trying to change others – in part – because we do not deeply believe in and embrace ourselves as we already are. And so more often than not we do not learn to trust and utilize our gifts and power whole-heartedly enough to pursue and fulfill our own passions, purpose and possibilities.
The only way to change someone's mind is to connect with them from the heart.
To truly motivate others 1) discover what their motives, desires & drivers are 2) genuinely connect with and support them from the heart.
There's a difference between disclosing that which is only your business and hiding away from the world and not seeing, shining and sharing your magic.
Is your life story the truth? Yes, the chronological events are true. Is it the whole truth? No, you see and judge it through your conditioned eyes and mind - not of all involved - nor do you see the entire overview. Is it nothing but the truth? No, you select, share, delete, distort, subtract, assume and add what you want, need and choose to.
Don't spend your life believing a story about yourself that you didn't write that's been fed to you - that simply you've accepted, embedded and added to. Let the story go and there beneath is the real you...and your unique gifts, heart and path that await you.
In leadership, life and all things it’s far wiser to judge people by their deeds than their speech - their track record rather than their talk” – Rasheed Ogunlaru
The secret of winning any prize is knowing that your own treasure and potential is equal to it... and worthy of it.
Every great athlete, artist and aspiring being has a great team to help them flourish and succeed - personally and professionally. Even the so-called 'solo star' has a strong supporting cast helping them shine, thrive and take flight.
Don't expect others to hand success to you. Create it - with heart, energy and enterprise - and you'll make it come true
The human mind and what we've achieved with it is remarkable. But it does not come close to what we can do, be, see and heal with our hearts
Compassion is even more powerful than courage. Sure, with courage you can conquer a world - but only with compassion can you heal and build it.
It is one thing doing what you love for a living. It is another thing doing what you love with love
Funny how in a material world full of pundits and economists obsessed with assets and liabilities -personally, economically and globally - few speak about the greatest of all these…YOU.
The internet and online communication is the window into your world - but real life, in person communication / connection is the door.
In the long run most short cuts are flawed - especially on journeys to 'so-called' success
You are what resides before, beyond and between what you think so do not be consumed by thought. It is only a fragment of your magic.
Stop looking outside or at others for that which you seek of yourself.
Role models are only of limited use. For no-one is as important, potentially powerful and as key in your life and world as you.
It is not blindly pushing your own agenda that will really create rich opportunities in your life, career, business – and in the world. It’s is your ability to understand, appreciate, anticipate, address, add value to that of others that will.
Your job is to do your job with all your heart to the best of your ability. Life will go it’s own merry way at it’s own pace. But if you do then you – and life – will be the richer for you being here.