If you'd like to add new depth of meaning to your life, and give your energy level a boost at the same time, then read on. There's a great idea that seems to have gone out of fashion for a while, and that's really too bad, because it's an idea that helps give meaning and purpose to life. It can also do wonders for your energy level, relationships, and self-esteem. That idea, in a word, is "service."

To be more specific by "service," I mean the act of doing something to assist or benefit someone else without any expectation of… >>>

Yesterday, we talked about "corporate disasters" and the resiliency required to pull through them. Today, I'd like to talk about the most important component in a successful recovery - affirmations.

As you may know, affirmations are simply present-tense statements of fact - about the future. Affirmations are usually most effective when they are personal, but you cannot beat an organizational affirmation that has total buy-in from everyone. "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts," so to speak. It becomes the organization's "vision" for tomorrow, and leads you through to success.

For yourself personally, you must believe that… >>>

Have you ever thought about what it takes to bounce back from life's downturns? Today, let's talk about how to handle those inevitable setbacks that occur from time to time.

No matter how hard we may try, life isn't perfect. Every day cannot be sunny, our relationships with others cannot always be smooth - and let's face it, sometimes work is more of a pain than a pleasure. However, it is how we react to those less-than-perfect situations that show us how far we've grown as human beings.

Since most of us spend a significant portion of our lives at… >>>

When you think about the people you know who have integrity, do you count yourself among them? What does it mean to be a person of integrity? Well, first and foremost, integrity is about truth. And truth is the greatest force we have for personal and planetary well-being.  

No bomb, no hatred, and no prejudice can match the strength of truth. In troubled and uncertain times, truth is our most powerful friend. When we stand for truth, we are confident, whole, and energized.  

Throughout history, every great philosopher and religious leader has tried to teach us the same lesson -… >>>

These days, more and more people are aware of the connection between self-esteem and illness. In 1985, my wife, Diane, was stricken with cancer. For many people, that would mean a death sentence. The doctor tells them they don't have much hope, they start telling themselves they're going to die, and friends and family treat them like they're not long for the world. It's only natural that their body gets a strong death message. Next thing you know, they're going downhill fast.

When we got the news about Diane's cancer, it was a shock, but we went right into action.… >>>

Have you ever been faced with a challenge in life, one that really pushed you to your limits? 

Most of us have. But let me ask you, how did you feel when you came out on the other side? I'll bet you felt relieved, but I'll also bet that you felt stronger, tougher and more capable, too. 

In an old favorite of mine, "The Inner Game of Tennis," author Tim Gallway pointed out that when you want a really good game, you look for an opponent whose skill level is equal or superior to yours. Gallway said that, "It's no… >>>

Positive thinking is certainly a powerful thing, but positive expression is equally important. Many people, especially marriage partners and parents of small children, seem to believe that the best way to get somebody to change for the better is to consistently point out to them what they are doing wrong.  

These authority figures criticize, day in and day out. Eventually the people they are talking to become frustrated and often start to feel angry, because they see that nothing they say or do has any positive effect, and sometimes things even get worse.

Has this ever happened to you? If… >>>

What would the world be like if there were no negativity? Do you have difficulty imagining such a place? These days, I wouldn't be surprised.

Can you imagine a world in which there was no negativity? Now, I'm not talking about a world without legitimate sadness or anger. But I am talking about a world in which there were no put-downs, no belittling of self or others, no withering remarks, no free-floating hostility, no power-tripping, no insults, no bigotry or intolerance. 

That's a pretty tall order, isn't it - even to imagine such a place? So let's back it up… >>>

Do you think happy people are blind to reality? Or, do you think they see things that the rest of us miss? 

I think the answer may include a little of both, but I also think that, in the final analysis, people are happy because they make up their minds to be. Let me explain what I mean.  

Most happy people aren't blind to the pain in the world, but because they have chosen to be happy, they don't focus their attention on it. They don't let the cruelty and injustices that are undeniably present in the world rob them… >>>

It is getting to be that time of year again. I received my first graduation announcement just last week. I would like to say a few words to young people, heading into "graduation season," about education and about being successful after they graduate from school.  

Regardless of your field or interests, education by and of itself is not going to be enough to get you where you want to go. I know many of you have done a lot of work in school and you want to reap some rewards for that work. But the rewards that you earn, both… >>>

Is it hard for you to deal with criticism? Does it make you feel worthless or angry?

How you respond to other people's criticism depends to a great extent on how critical you are of yourself. If you were raised by critical parents, who caused you to believe that making mistakes was shameful, you probably have a hard time when other people criticize you, now that you are grown.  

That's because you have internalized your parents' critical voices and have developed a harsh critical voice of your own. When your self-esteem is low, it's especially painful to be criticized by… >>>

How many things are there in your life that you really should be doing? If you made a list of them, how long would it be? Let's talk about the "shoulds" in your life.

If you made a list of all the things you think you should be doing, how long would your list be? It could look like, "I should lose weight. I should be nicer to my sister. I should find myself a better job. I should read a lot more. I should pull weeds." 

Why don't you try making such a list? And when you're done, for… >>>

What is the one thing that determines, more than anything else, the quality of your life?  

Some people say, "You are what you eat," but I say, "You are what you think." Now, this is not really "new" news. This is one of the great universal truths, handed down over the centuries by poets and philosophers and by almost every great religious leader the world has ever known.  

We move toward and become like what we think about, and our present thoughts, more than anything else, determine our future. So it is important to learn to control your thoughts because… >>>

We talk a lot about positive thinking on the Winner's Circle daily e-mail. Seeking to be positive and optimistic are valuable allies in keeping depression away. But is it possible to be too positive? Let's look at the idea of overdoing optimism. 

Positive thinking is definitely a good thing, but when it comes to being positive, can you overdo it? Can you have too much of this particular good thing? Of course you can. I know plenty of people whose reckless optimism got them into trouble, and I'll bet you do, too.  

These are the folks who borrow too heavily,… >>>

Are you an option thinker? Can you adapt to setbacks and see alternative solutions to problems? Let's talk about the importance of option thinking today.

One of the marks of successful individuals is the ability to move on to another option when the one they are trying doesn't work out. They are successful not only because they see themselves as problem solvers, but also because their minds hold an array of alternatives. 

When you watch a skillful running back moving down the field in a football game, you are actually seeing a lesson in the exercise of option thinking. The… >>>

Everybody knows that it's not what you say, it's the way that you say it. I think the same thing goes for what you see.

It used to be fair to say that objective reality was measurable and quantifiable. This meant that the true nature of material things could be absolutely and clearly determined. These days however, quantum physics has pretty well proved that there is really no such thing as objective reality.  

Matter, when reduced to its smallest particles, can behave as either particles or waves and can't be classified as clearly one or the other. Things that appear… >>>

How do you like being criticized? Does it make you feel like changing to accommodate your critic?  

Negative criticism is almost always a mistake. I don't know anyone who likes it, do you? It brings you down, makes you feel angry and resentful, and it hardly ever makes you want to change, does it?  

Constructive feedback is a horse of a different color. There's no sting in it, because it is not about your deficient character and it doesn't come at you like an attack. It is designed to give you valuable information and it assumes you care about doing… >>>

If you see something violent in a movie or on TV and you imitate it - who is responsible? This is an interesting question, and one that bears some serious thought.

If a kidnapper imitates something she saw in a movie, are the moviemakers responsible for her actions? Not as far as I'm concerned. If a murderer says he was inspired by something he saw on a TV show, is the TV show responsible? I sure don't think so.  

Now, don't get me wrong. I believe our entertainment media should aim for high-quality productions that improve character and inspire us… >>>

Creativity is a highly valued character trait and I want to give you some advice on how to help children grow into creative adults.  

Creative adults don't just happen. Creative people are usually raised in ways that encourage them to use their imagination while they are still children. But what can parents or grandparents - or any adult vital to a child's life - do if they want to encourage their children's creativity? Well, one way is to help them develop a rich fantasy life.  

Of course, kids need to be able to tell the difference between fact and fantasy.… >>>

Just about everyone agrees that it's a good thing to be responsible, but not everyone agrees about what "responsibility" means. Are you a responsible person? What does it mean to you to be responsible? Does it mean doing what is expected of you? Keeping your promises? Being a good provider?  

Well, all these things are important, but being responsible means more than that. In fact, I believe that we are responsible for absolutely everything in our lives - all the successes, and all the failures, too.  

If you don't accept responsibility for your life, you are likely to just shrug… >>>