Purpose- Bicentennial Man

President Marjorie Bota: Andrew Martin

Andrew Martin: I've always tried to make sense of things. There must be some reason I am as I am. As you can see, Madame Chairman, I am no longer immortal.

President Marjorie Bota: You have arranged to die?

Andrew Martin: In a sense I have. I am growing old, my body is deteriorating, and like all of you, will eventually cease to function. As a robot, I could have lived forever. But I tell you all today, I would rather die a man, than live for all eternity a machine.

President Marjorie Bota: Why do you want this?

Andrew Martin: To be acknowledged for who and what I am, no more, no less. Not for acclaim, not for approval, but, the simple truth of that recognition. This has been the elemental drive of my existence, and it must be achieved, if I am to live or die with dignity.

Back in the habit again...

Some habits die hard. That’s what they say and, while true, it’s much harder for new habits to be born. It’s too easy to slip back old patterns. Developing good new habits have a distinct disadvantage. It takes time to see the benefits. It’s a long haul type of endeavor. You have to really dig in. You have to try. You have to rely on little more than faith, a belief that this change is going to payoff dividends. You are investing in your future self.
Bad habits on the other hand, bad habits payoff today. They are the fast easy money. Eat, sleep and be merry for tomorrow we all may die. Bad habits are oh so easy to incorporate. Bad habits sell themselves. In contrast to the investment of good habits, bad habits are mortgaging your future self? Perhaps it’s more like a living paycheck to paycheck.

The Customer is Always Right??

Dear Sir or Madam,

You have our sincerest apologies; however, we are not able to grant your request regarding the matter you mentioned. I can understand your reaction given the materialistic, narcissistic / supplicant driven society we live currently find ourselves it. However, I am afraid your behavior in the guise of a rational a human being is purely unacceptable. I hope that you understand that for the good of all humankind, society, and common sense, I will not be granting your preposterous demands. This resolution has been reached based on not the merit of the request, but rather manner in which the request was put forth. Rewarding such behavior runs counter to the greater evolution of the species. I do hope you are able to reflect on this moment and see that perhaps there is a better way to interact with your fellow man. I pray that this message reaches you in the manner that it was intended to; as a concerned, measured response to what can only be described as a vexingly overblown sense of rapacious self-entitlement.



Dictated, not Read,

The Management

Rory Sutherland: Life lessons from an ad man | Video on TED.com

The Quickest Way to Create a New Mindset

The Quickest Way to Create a New Mindset: "

Our Internal Reality

We all want to change our internal reality on some level. The way we think, interpret, react, cope, expect, process, interact and communicate. The way we create our own experiences: good and bad. The way we manage our fears. Or, perhaps, don’t manage them. The way we avoid the big decisions. The way we wait. And wait. And wait. That is, procrastinate.

The way we see ourselves. Talk to ourselves. The way we feel. Our emotions. The way we deal with stressful situations. Or, perhaps, the way we create stress in our world. The way we see the world and us in it. The labels we give things. The meaning we give certain experiences. The way we give away our power. And take it back. The way we look for approval. And acceptance.

The way we beat ourselves up. And make ourselves unhappy. The way we pretend. And act. And deny. The way we continue on with the same unproductive and destructive patterns, habits and behaviours. The way we have the same pointless conversations about the same issues with the same people. And produce the same less-than-desirable results. Forever. The way we do the same things over and over and then curiously wonder why nothing changes. The way we start things we never finish.

Yes, we all want to change on some level. We all want to become a better version of us. To learn, grow, evolve and adapt. That’s why we explore personal development stuff.

So, what is the single quickest way to create internal shift? To change the way we think, feel, interpret, react, cope, expect, process, interact and communicate? Three simple words:

Experience new things.

Do Different to Be Different

When we do things we’ve never done before, there’s an instant and automatic internal shift. Expectations, emotions, attitudes and beliefs (about what’s possible for us) change. The internal shift is simply a byproduct of a new experience. Of doing something we’ve never done before.

Change comes from doing. For the most part, we don’t ‘think’ ourselves different; we ‘do’ ourselves different. So to speak. We need to ‘action’ our way to internal transformation. Which is why the theory of personal development is worthless until it becomes a practical reality. Until the concepts and ideas are turned into behaviours. Some people are theoretical geniuses but practical idiots. They talk a lot but do very little.

Change comes from doing. Which is why an article like this can be transformational or worthless – it all depends on you.

The Runner

For the forty-five year-old woman who runs a half-marathon for the first time in her life, the transformation will be more emotional and psychological (internal), than it will be physical (external). She finishes her event and without focusing on anything other than the physical process, she has gained more confidence, her standards and expectations have changed, she’s less fearful and she’s more excited about her future possibilities. Her new experience has created internal shift.

The Ex-Scaredy Cat

Then there’s the insecure, fearful guy who runs into a burning house and saves a child. In an instant, his default setting is changed forever. He does something that he never thought was possible (for him) and with one brave, selfless action, many of his self-limiting beliefs are smashed. He is empowered. The world is the same but he is different. Therefore, his world is different.

The Graduate

There’s the self-proclaimed dummy who enrolls in university, does the work, develops the study-skills, learns the academic language, passes the exams and gains the degree. She is forever changed. The ability was always there but the confidence wasn’t. Her self-limiting thinking and self-sabotaging behaviours become a thing of the past – as a byproduct of doing something she had never done.

The Traveller

There’s the woe-is-me guy who visits a third world country. He instantly realises that his horrible life in the USA is actually fantastic. And that his lifestyle is actually one of privilege, not disadvantage. He identifies that his self-pitying, negative attitude has always been his problem. Without even looking for it, his experience in another part of the world teaches him to acknowledge, value and appreciate what he has (which is plenty). Nothing changes but everything changes.

The Business Woman

There’s the girl who sets up her own business. She doesn’t think about it, plan for it or talk about it (any more). No, she actually does it. In the first twelve months of owning her own business, she learns and grows more than she has in the last twelve years. The experience changes her.

And Me…

While I am constantly reading and studying, the place I’ve always learned the most, had my biggest breakthroughs and experienced my biggest (internal) shifts was when I stepped out of my over-thinking mind and experienced new things.

If you’re like me (an experiential learner), then perhaps it’s time for you to experience something new? To do something you’ve never done. And no, it doesn’t need to be a major event so don’t talk yourself out of it before you even start. It might be something relatively minor like trying yoga, talking to a stranger, going for a jog, learning an instrument, doing some volunteer work, asking someone out for coffee or even leaving a comment on this site.

Or, maybe you should think about it for a while longer?

Share an experience with us that created a significant internal shift for you.

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Craig Harper (B.Ex.Sci.) is a qualified exercise scientist, author, columnist, radio presenter, television host, motivational speaker and university lecturer. For the past 25 years he has been a leading presenter, educator, motivator and commentator in the areas of personal and professional development. You can visit Craig's blog at Motivational Speaker.FREE eBook – So… You’ve Decided to Get in Shape (Again) Craig's FREE eBook takes 20 – 30 minutes to read, and addresses the REAL getting-in-shape issues based on his 25 years of experience. To get Craig’s FREE eBook click here, weight loss books.

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Every so often

Every so often things go exactly the way they are supposed to. Now, some might argue that everything happens the way they are supposed to. Everything happens for a reason? As a fan of chaos theory, I’ll grant you that. Thats not to say that everything that happens has a purpose. That a longer discussion on causality. But I digress...

Everything happening the way it was supposed to? At thrity-two years of age, I gotta say the jury is still out on that. There are things that I have to believe are supposed to happen that haven’t yet. So do I say “Oh, I guess that wasn’t supposed to be”? Do I hold on ad infinitum believing something will happen, when actuality it wasn’t mean to be? When/if it does happen do I reverse my position or vise versa? The reason I don’t like the idea that everything happens exactly the way is supposed to is that the “what” and “when” are still are unknown factors. Some things do happen, but later than they were supposed to. Some of them happen sooner than we think we’re ready. So, on a long enough time line those people would be correct. I believe there is a certain degree on cosmic coarse correction involved. This universal equilibrium is an ideal that is only clear in retrospect. In the here and now, nothing is guaranteed. You gotta work with what you got and hope for the best.