The All New, & Improved, You

www.BringingHopeAndHappiness.com

CHAPTER 1: THE FOUNDATION

The loftier the building

the deeper the foundation must be.

Thomas a Kempis

In construction, a foundation must be built strong enough to resist adverse conditions. Often it may give, but it must never fail. All foundations aren't built the same. They have to be adapted to their environment. If the soil is weak, with low bearing capacity, the footer has to be built wider, so that the load will be spread out over a greater bearing area. Reinforcing steel rods, known as re-bar, is used to increase the tensile strength of the concrete. Sometimes large rocks that can't be removed will require the footer be stepped up to avoid the obstruction. Sometimes there may be a harsh environment, and the footer must be laid lower than frost level to withstand the stresses of cold winters.

In T.A.N. & I.Y. sometimes your foundation must be adjusted. Due to various constraints (e.g. finances, disabilities, etc), your foundation wall might also be adjusted. A minimum of masonry blocks might be used, leaving only a crawl space. Other times, many blocks are used, leaving a high basement that will be utilized for many purposes. The important thing is, you will need to make decisions concerning how strong a foundation you will want, so that you can set goals to reach the level you desire.

This program was designed to recreate a new YOU, not to create a DIFFERENT person. It does not matter who you are, what you do for a living, where you live, or your financial status. You must decide for yourself what your priorities will be. Don't feel you must abandon where you are the happiest to find happiness elsewhere. You should always work within yourself for that is what will bring you true happiness (Remember, as the great Bard of Avon said "…and this above all, to thine own self be true").

The truth of the above statement was confirmed by a survey called The World Database of Happiness. This was prepared several years ago by Ruut Veenhoven through Erasmus University in Rotterdam, and took into consideration the fact that we all have an inherit desire to be happy, and not just free of suffering. It was based not upon levels of success of wealth, but rather upon the degree to which a person feels happy. In his survey, the USA, with all of our resources, quality of life, high financial rewards, and opportunities, barely made the list of the 10 happiest industrialized nations. The European countries of the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark, Ireland, Belgium, and Great Britain, were among the top nine.

Who was first?

ICELAND!

Happiness is unrepentant pleasure

Socrates

Since the days of the early Greeks, humans have searched for just what it takes to make them happy. Philosophy was sprung from man's desire to find a higher level of satisfaction. The contradiction of having an abundance of land, gold, servants, and possessions perplexed the early Greeks if it did not translate into happiness. It seldom seemed to, as reflected in the large numbers of Greek tragedies presented in the early arenas. So, for 4000 years, we have learned the old adage Money can't buy happiness is very true.

A leading expert in happiness is American Professor Martin Seligman. He stated that his main mission is to cheer-lead and help to build the scientific infrastructure for finding out what makes people happy as opposed to suffering less. I think one of the most beneficial parts of his research has been in identifying three types of happiness. He describes these as follows:

The Pleasant Life which is the joy that comes from eating, drinking, sex and entertainment. (This reminds me of the decadence of early Corinth, where huge fortunes were spent on the temple prostitutes and the lavish parties.)

The Good Life which derives from enjoying things you do well. (This reminds me of early Athens, with its great philosophers.)

The Meaningful Life which consists of devoting yourself to something you believe in. (This reminds me of early Troy, with its dedication to beauty and justice.)

Seligman points out we must determine which of the three our happiness is based upon, and warns us that for our happiness to last, it should be based upon combining the latter two, the Good and Meaningful Lives. Be sure to visit Seligman's website listed at the end of the chapter to explore the strengths you possess.

Perhaps one of the greatest American examples of one who combined the Good and Meaningful lives was Dr. Russell Cornwell. Dr. Cornwell went from being a successful lawyer in Boston, to a successful pastor in Philadelphia. When a young man came to him wanting to become a pastor, but lacking the funds for a college education, Dr. Cornwell decided upon a path that would combine his already Good Life with a Meaningful Life. This decision led to the creation of one of the greatest institutions of higher learning in America, Temple University. It was founded in response to the need for higher education for deserving students in the Philadelphia area who could not afford college on their own.

Even as a lawyer, Cornwall could never have afforded to found a prestigious university on his own. He certainly could not have after leaving the legal profession for the ministry. But he developed a plan. He drew upon one of his resources. He recalled a tale that had been told to him 14 years earlier while he was riding in a camel caravan along the valley between the Tigris and Euphrates River in what was then Mesopotamia and is now Iraq.

He traveled over the country, speaking to audiences and civic organizations. He gave over 6,000 lectures to millions of listeners on the lessons to be learned from the true story of Acres of Diamonds. Using this tale as an analogy of the opportunities that awaits each and every one of us, Dr. Cornwell raised several million dollars to found Temple University.

This principle of finding your diamonds within your own world is revealed in the following story:

Acres of Diamonds

An Old Persian farmer owned a very nice farm with fertile fields and ripe orchards. He earned a comfortable living, and he was happy with his life. An ancient Buddhist priest told him of vast riches that were being made by farmers who were finding diamonds on their property. He immediately sold his farm, packed his belongings, and set out to find and buy a farm with vast deposits of the sparkling diamonds. The farmer traveled over all of Asia and parts of Europe looking for his Acres of Diamonds. Finally, all of his money was spent, and he was now in rags, without any of the riches he once knew. While standing destitute on the shore at Barcelona, Spain, he threw himself into a tidal wave, ending his elusive search for his riches.

Meanwhile, months earlier, back at the first farm, the new owner was walking over his newly acquired land when he found a beautiful black stone flashing in the stream. When held in a certain light, the stone reflected all the colors of the rainbow. He brought it home, and placed it on the mantle. A few weeks later the same priest returned to the farm. The priest saw the rock, and nearly fainted. To his amazement, the farmer was told that the stone was in reality one of the largest diamonds ever discovered. The farm turned into The Great Golconda Gold Mine, the most productive diamond mine in history. The Crown Jewels of European royalty came from this mine.

The first owner did not recognize that the rough, dark colored stones strewn along the stream banks were raw diamonds, before they were cut and polished. He had sold more riches than he could ever imagine, wasting his life looking elsewhere.

So don't waste your time running from one Get Rich Quick scheme to another. One thing we all have in common is that we use less than 5% of the full capacity of our brain. Like the raw diamonds, our brain is our richest resource. First it must be processed, and then it must be polished. Use your time to polish your own resources instead of trying to make yourself into someone that you aren't.

I am not saying you should not improve yourself, for this is what our program is all about. But just remember, it’s not where you come from, it is where you are going. It has been said that character is like the foundation of a structure, it is hidden below the surface. The strengthening of your character will then determine the ability of your foundation to withstand stress.

I think we all should have something in our past that we can re-visit when we need a good slice of humble pie. When I was fifty-two, I returned to the little four-room ramshackle house, just outside of Danville, Virginia that my parents, two sisters and I shared when I was born. Many people would be ashamed for it to be known they had lived in such a shanty, but it just reminded me that we can become what we believe. My father had just returned from World War II, and this was a new beginning for our family. My mother was very frugal, and she made do with what we could afford, until we could afford better. She refused to go into debt, and saved until she could pay cash. Our parents sacrificed because to them, their Acres of Diamonds were two daughters named Carol and Edna, and a son named Jerry. I keep a photo of this house on my desk. I look at it often to tell me where I came from, and the supportive parents and sisters who helped me get where I am today.

So each of us, regardless of who we are, where we are, and what we are doing, are standing in the middle of our own Acres of Diamonds. Don’t feel you must go to the end of the earth to find your treasure. Look today in your back yard. Then start mining!

If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost;

that is where they should be.

Now put the foundations under them.

Henry David Thoreau

Every morning when you awaken, ask yourself, "What can I do today to make myself All New & Improved?" Then spend the day completing those tasks.

When you go to bed at night, ask yourself, "What did I accomplish today in making myself All New & Improved?". Use this time to reflect upon what improvements can be made and to thank God for the blessings that He showered upon you that day.

Never be satisfied with your growth. As my favorite speaker, Zig Ziglar always said, When you're green, you're a growin', but when you are ripe, you're a rottenin'.

Never be satisfied with your knowledge. You have often heard that knowledge is power! Actually, we should say The utilization of knowledge is power! Applied knowledge is the first step taken on the long journey toward success. Your diamond is unimpressive in its raw state; it must be polished to be of value. Just as you should regularly exercise your body to improve it, so also you should exercise your brain. I am fully convinced that research will prove that the effects of Alzheimer's will be delayed by regularly performing mental exercises. Crosswords are great for maintaining mental agility, but the best I have personally used are the Lumosity Brain Training Challenges.

Your goals are the road maps that guide you,

and show you what is possible for your life.

Les Brown, American speaker

At every level of this program, you will need to set goals. It is estimated that fewer than 3% of adults have written down their goals. Completing this step can quickly move you into the top 20% of the population, into the category shared with other successful people. Goals are your roadmaps. Without one, you might eventually find your destination, but after many wrong turns and lost time. Remember, when you don't know where you are going, then any road will take you there. The road to success is lined with many tempting overlooks, so don’t get delayed by pulling over to the side of the road and wasting valuable time. There’s nothing wrong with slowing down to smell the roses, but don’t fall prey to halting your progress to watch those roses grow.

The best way to remember the steps in setting goals is to remember that goals should be SMART.

S for Specific.

Your goal should not be a generic statement, but rather a positively stated specific definition.

e.g. I will have a total net worth......

M for Measurable.

Your goals should be quantified, that is a number should be shown that can be used to trace your progress.

e.g. ....of $1 million.....

A for Accountable .

You must realize that you must be totally responsible for achieving your goal, and not dependent on others, although you can, and should, maximize your potential by utilizing the services of others.

e.g. ........by maximizing the use of my own resources and that of my network to increase my current net worth by 10% annually.......

R for Realistic.

You must realize what limitations are outside your possibilities, that certain laws or constraints may eliminate you from achieving these goals.

e.g. through the presentation of 12 seminars a year.

T for Time-related.

In order to be able to track your progress, you must have a time line to work toward. If not, you will never be accountable.

e.g. I will achieve this goal by January 1, 2025

So a S.M.A.R.T. goal might read:

I will have a total net worth of $1 million by maximizing the use of my own resources and that of my network to increase my current net worth by 10% annually through the presentation of 12 seminars a year. I will achieve this goal by January 1, 2025.

Remember! Success is not a destination, it is a journey. Earl Nightingale described it as the progressive realization of a worthy goal. He also told us that all we need is the plan, the road map, and the courage to press on to our destination. So seek your successes daily. Some days they will be minor, some days they will be major. Regardless, they will all leave your footprints on the road of success. And yes, you will have some non-successes along your journey. But never, ever, take your eyes off your path toward success. There will always be a stone, or hole, or even a so-called friend waiting to trip you up. Stay on the alert!!

Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that

will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation.....

St. Augustine

The foundation should be well planned, for it is the first key to a successful house. You might be tempted to hurry through the construction. You might search the world over for the most expensive materials to build the structure. You might bring beautiful teakwood from the forests of the East Indies, fine marble