As someone who subscribes to the power of self, I have an abundance of self-help and positively uplifting books, doctrines, posters and photos surrounding my desk here at the office, which coincidentally is the spare room in my home.

Behind me is my bookcase. It's bursting at the seams with quality material I can use. It doesn't have just self help information stretching it to the brim, but also a high balance of business paraphernalia too. All of this material has been either useful or a godsend to me at one point or another.

Beside my favorite self-help books that live on my desk in full view the whole working day is a photo stand 5" x 7". The picture within shows a lighthouse at the top of a precipice. Immediately below is a sheer drop. A thin film of mist covers the waves breaking into the rugged sea level terrain.

The view from the lighthouse is a clear pinkish sunset stretching out as far as the eye can see. It invites the legitimate question - what's out there at the end of the horizon?

Underneath the photo is the caption "Belief. The Future Belongs To Those Who Believe In The Beauty Of Their Dreams". This stares at me every day. Some days I don't notice it, but it's always there. Each day the meaning becomes more and more indoctrinated into my thought patterns and way of life until it is an integral part of what I do. This was able to happen, as I always believed in the power of the message. It also helped that I was willing to do what I needed to think that way. Captions such as this are everywhere. Since they are everywhere, many don't hold them as high in importance as they perhaps could. They become pretty pictures with a nice meaning and little more. Of course, if you believe that's all they are then you are right. After all, we are exactly what we believe and think.

You may even know the inspirational photo and caption I am talking about. Incorporating these messages into your routine is one of the best methods you can adopt to slowly change your thinking and give your goals & ambitions momentum. You will find that doing this will lead you away from liking the mere idea of believing in the power of your dreams. Instead, you will honestly believe you have the power and capacity to make and shape the future that you ultimately would like to carve out for yourself. This gives your confidence a kick. You will start thinking more about what it is you'd like to be doing rather than what you think you should be doing. You will become more capable. Your ideas and creativity will reflect this. You are planting the seeds for your future.

This has everything to do with what personal development really is. You develop yourself to where you create an abundance of opportunity within your existence and open your eyes to possibilities that you previously knew little about.

The future really does belong to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. It will take courage to look at your dreams as more than just dreams. Give them plenty of food, water and oxygen and they will develop into something more concrete that you can work with to design the life and the lifestyle, which you so richly deserve. As you do this, the view will become clearer. Doors will continue to open paving the way for a more fulfilling adult life. Make it happen.

Ideas for success

Darren

© 2001 All Rights Reserved Darren Roberts
Subscribe to Darren's popular "Success and Self-Motivation" Weekly publication, "AAvenues 2 Your Success" and receive for free his new E-Book "How To Build A Healthy Attitude". Subscribe at http://topliving.com/.