The Present by Spencer Johnson

.. Some lines picked from the book ..

You Already Know
What The Present Is.

You Already Know
Where To Find It.

And You Already Know
How It Can Make You
Happy And Successful.

You Knew It Best When
You Were Younger.

You Have Simply Forgotten.


Note: When you are fully engaged in what you are doing your mind doesn't wander and you are happy. You are intent only on what is happening at that moment.

The Present
Is Not The Past And
It Is Not The Future.

The Present Is
The Present Moment!

The Present Is
Now!

Note: Being in the Present means focusing on what is happening right now! It means appreciating the gifts you are offered every day.

Even In The Most
Difficult Situations,

When You Focus On
What Is Right
In The Present Moment,
It Makes You Happier,

And Gives You The Needed
Energy And Confidence
To Deal With
What Is Wrong.

Note: Pain is the difference between what is, and what you want it to be.


Being In The Present Means
Tuning Out Distractions

And Paying Attention To
What Is Important Now.

You create Your Own Present
By What You Give
Your Attention To.

Note: To fully embrace The Present you must do more than just live in the present moment.

It Is Hard To
Let Go Of The Past
If You Have Not Learned
From The Past.

As Soon As You
Learn And Let Go
You Improve The Present.

Note: Only two things can rob you of the joy of The Present: your negative thoughts about The Past, or your negative thoughts about The Future.


Anytime You Are
Unhappy In The Present
Or Feeling Unsuccessful,

It Is Time To
Learn From The Past
Or Plan For The Future.

Look At What Happened
In The Past.

Learn Something
Valuable From It.

Use What You Learn
To Improve The Present.

You Cannot Change The Past,
But You Can Learn From It.

When The Same Situation Arises,
You Can Do Things Differently
And Enjoy
A More Successful Present.

Note: The only way to make The Future better than The Present, other than to get lucky, is to plan for it. Planning for The Future reduces fear and uncertainty, because you are actively taking steps toward future success. You know what you are doing and why you are doing it.


No One Can Predict
Or Control The Future.

However, The More You Plan
For What You Want To See Happen,

The Less Anxious You Are
In The Present,

And The More The Future
Is Known To You.

Note: Think of the three parts of The Present as a tripod supporting a camera: Living In The Present; Learning from The Past; and Planning for The Future.


Picture What A Wonderful Future
Would Be Like.

Create A Realistic Plan
To Help It Happen.

Put Your Plan Into Action
In The Present.

Note: Living in The Present, learning from The Past, and planning for The Future is not all there is. It is only when you Live with Purpose and respond to what's important about The Present, Past and Future, that it all has meaning. Living with purpose means not just knowing what to do, but why.


How You Respond
Depends Upon Your Purpose.

When You Want To Be Happy
And More Successful
It Is Time To Be
In The Present Moment.

When You Want The Present
To Be Better Than The Past
It Is Time To Learn From The Past.

When You Want The Future
To Be Better Than The Present
It Is Time To Plan For The Future.

When You Live And
Work With Purpose,

And Respond To
What Is Important Now,

You Are More Able To
Lead, Manage, Support,
Befriend, And Love.

Success Is Becoming Who You
Are Capable Of Being.

And Progressing Toward
Worthwhile Goals.

Each Of Us Defines For Ourselves
What It Means
To Be Successful.

Three Ways To Use Your Present Moments

Be In The Present
When You Want To Be Happy And Successful
Focus On What Is Right Now.
Use Your Purpose To Respond
To What Is Important Now.

Learn From The Past
When You Want To Make The Present Better Than The Past
Look At What Happened In The Past.
Learn Something Valuable From It.
Do Things Differently In The Present.

Plan For The Future
When You Want To Make The Future Better Than The Present
See What A Wonderful Future Would Look Like.
Make Plans To Help It Happen.
Put Your Plan Into Action In The Present.

10 Effective Ways To Stay Motivated

There are times when you feel like you are on a roll, and nothing can get you down. And then there are times when it seems that the road to success is filled with nothing but boulders and gaping potholes. It is on this rutted road that you need motivation the most.

Motivation comes from within. You might be inspired by achievements of others, but, to go far in life, you need to feel charged and determined to achieve your goals.

Try these tips on how to be self-motivated to get your work life back on track or to keep going top speed on your career path!

1. Be confident. If you don't believe in yourself, why would anyone else? We all have something we are good at. Have faith in yourself and try to work on your niche skills. Drive the fear of failure far away from you. Remember, what doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger!

2. Be clear. Fuzzy, undefined goals are difficult to focus on. How will you proceed when the path seems all foggy? Request your manager for defined, measurable objectives and tasks.

If your manager is not very forthcoming, take some initiative and work with him until you have clarity about your role and what you will be appraised on, at the end of the year. Self-motivated people work best with clearly defined objectives in life. Even if the targets seem a little hazy, house-bred motivation can come in real handy!

3. Work on yourself. Nothing works better as a power shot of motivation than the knowledge that you are good at what you do! Be on top of things at work. Identify your weak areas and get them out of the way. Enroll in courses that will raise your market value and also your motivation levels. Getting a few certifications and qualifications in your functional skills will definitely instill a great deal of confidence.

4. Take criticism positively. Even though the other person has no such intentions, turn all negative criticism into a positive driving force. Failure is a state a mind. If you think you can succeed, you will. Always think positive. That way, instead of brooding over past disappointments, you will route your frustration into positive energy required for working harder. It works like magic.

5. Look out for challenges. If the current job demotivates you, not to worry. Be open to try out new things if your present role has become too boring to continue even a day more. Talk to your seniors to redefine your role to optimise your capabilities. Establish your reputation as somebody who is not scared to take on new challenges in life.

6. Be persistent. Most things may not work out right the first time. This just means that you need to try harder. However, ensure that you set your heart on goals that are really important to you and will help you progress in life. Save your efforts for things that matter. Do not waste your energies on peripheral things.

7. Keep the company of successful people. Try to surround yourself with confident people who are driven and high on life. Read books that fill you with optimism. Put up motivating posters and quotes on your workstation that will spread positive energy and drive away any depressing thoughts. Look around for successful people and try to emulate them. Find out what makes them tick and include that in your working style.

8. Celebrate life. If something doesn't shape up like you thought it would, it does not mean everything else is doomed as well. Do not feel stressed; high stress leads to low motivation. Take active interest in things happening around you. Live your life well. Continue to have faith in yourself and get involved in things that give you happiness. That itself will generate enough motivation for you to glide over waves of setbacks.

9. Start today. List all that is important for you to achieve your goals. Divide long-term goals into smaller milestones and celebrate each accomplished goal. Procrastination is a killer so keep it at bay.

10. Keep dreaming. Lastly, do not forget to keep dreaming. Dream big! Let your dreams fuel your desire to get closer to your goals. Write your dreams for yourself in a diary or a journal and constantly refer to them so that you do not forget or lose sight of the objective.

Remember, "Motivation is all about how high you can bounce when you hit absolute rock bottom."