The Big Five

In Africa, people on safari talk constantly about the Big Five animals. They focus all their time and energy on seeing and experiencing them. It's like a personal pilgrimage. The Big Five consist of the African elephant, Cape buffalo, black rhino, lion and leopard and was originally named by hunters for being the hardest animals to catch on foot. It's now a term tourists use and aim to see when going to the beautiful South African bush.

My Message:

I've always loved the idea behind The Big Five, "the hardest things to catch on foot"... We know this for a hunter but what about you, what is your big five? The five things you most want to do, see, or experience in your lifetime.  The five things so powerful to you, that if you experience them before you die, then you will feel that your life has been a success by your own personal definition. A lot of people feel as if they are adrift in the world. They work hard, but they don't seem to feel as if they getting anywhere worthwhile. One of the reasons that they feel this way is that they haven't spent enough time thinking about what they want from life, and haven't set themselves formal goals and personal targets. It's now your time to create your big five ambitions for life. Think about them, write them down and do everything in your power to achieve them. After all, would you set out on a major journey with no real idea of your destination? Probably not!

May you have an Awesome week!

Darren Zwiers

"All successful people men and women are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect, and then they work every day toward their distant vision, that goal or purpose." ~ Brian Tracy

Believe What You Feel

From "Tuesdays With Morrie" by Mitch Albom

On this day, Morrie says that he has an exercise for us to try. We are to stand, facing away from our classmates, and fall backward, relying on another student to catch us. Most of us are uncomfortable with this, and we cannot let go for more than a few inches before stopping ourselves. We laugh in embarrassment. Finally, one student, a thin, quiet, dark-haired girl whom I notice almost always wears bulky, white fisherman sweaters, crosses her arms over her chest, closes her eyes, leans back, and does not flinch, like one of those Lipton tea commercials where the model splashes into the pool.. For a moment, I am sure she is going to thump on the floor. At the last instant, her assigned partner grabs her head and shoulders and yanks her up harshly. "Whoa!" several students yell. Some clap. Morrie finally smiles. "You see", he says to the girl, "you closed your eyes, That was the difference. Sometimes you cannot believe what you see, you have to believe what you feel. And if you are ever going to have other people trust you, you must feel that you can trust them too – even when you're in the dark. Even when you're falling".

My Message:

Putting trust in others can sometimes be very difficult. At times it sounds easy but in practice it can be very scary. One of the reasons why we tend not to trust people and give them the slightest benefit of the doubt is based on previous experience. Yes, if a person has done something wrong to you before then you have every right be wary, but if this is a first encounter you should be open to new possibilities. There are still good people in the world; you just need to give them a chance. When you meet someone for the first time, if it's in business or even on a date don't form any negative thoughts about them. Just because someone looks a certain way does not mean he/she is what you perceive them to be. As the story suggests "Sometimes you cannot believe what you see, you have to believe what you feel." Master this and you will open your world to a whole new channel of possibilities.

May you have an Awesome week!

Darren Zwiers

A man who trusts nobody is apt to be the kind of man nobody trusts. - Harold MacMillan

In The Same Boat

Two men were out on the ocean in a boat. One of them began drilling in the bottom of the boat, and the other, aghast said "What are you doing? Stop drilling!".  The first man replied: "It's all right, I'm only drilling on my side".

My Message:

This story has a deep message for us to learn. In this life we are all pretty much in the same boat. Every good or bad action we do has a consequence that will impact those around us. It is these consequences that will either sink or keep the boat afloat. While some of us are doing good deeds and bringing out the best in others, other people are damaging and sinking the boat we share. It is important to be the one who is keeping the boat afloat and not the latter. It is your role to assist people and encourage them to be effective individuals, find ways to show them how their part in society contributes to their mission in this world. We are all looking for a leader and we will keep searching until you stand up and make your positive mark. Let's keep the boat afloat by teaching others not to sink it.

May you have an enriching week!

Darren Zwiers

"Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success". Henry Ford