The Creator has given us the power to create the experience by means of our imagination, which we are to use to foresee all the good we desire to achieve in our lives. We must visualize positive, creative, prosperous, successful, fortunate, loving experiences, because whatever the mind can conceive, and believe, the mind will achieve.

“Be it done unto you as you desire.”

Matthew 15:28

The happiness of our lives is dependable upon the quality of thoughts we are focused on for the majority of the time.

“Look well into thyself; there is a source of strength which will always spring up if thou wilt always look.”

Marcus Aurelius

Whatever you want to be, you must first see yourself as the one who has it, before you can get it! Whatever you can see yourself being, doing, and having in your imagination, you can be, do, and have in your experience!

Why is that important? Because one must know where the strength is coming from before accessing the greatness! If you want to surpass mediocrity, first you must establish a mindset that will push you beyond the limits of the majority. We are able to control our minds, not outer events, therefore, we must look well into ourselves, because the greatness goes out from the within! Whatever you are in the physical plane has first started as an idea (seed) in the mental plane!

You should be afraid to death less than of life that is not worth living! Gems are polished with friction, men with pain, however, it is never as bad and hard as it seems to be, for we suffer more often in imagination than reality! If you know in your heart what you want out of life, and you made a decision to chase your dreams no matter what, then there remains only one missing puzzle to complete your picture: GOING THE EXTRA MILE!

No great things are created suddenly. The trials we encounter are meant to introduce us to our strengths! If we do not give up, the doors to prosperity and greatness MUST OPEN! No man is free and successful who is not a master of himself!

“It may seem difficult at first, but everything is difficult at first!”

Miyamoto Musashi

As I said, there is nothing outside that can improve us or make us more grateful. Every failure and victory is coming from the within!

“With the right attitude, self-imposed limitations vanish!”

Alexander The Great

Be aware of the enemy that is going to hit you with fear, anger, despair, sadness, and laziness! That enemy is your mind! If you overcome your weaknesses, you can overcome the world. The conditions of our minds dictate and create the conditions of our lives. If you disagree, think of the last time you’ve been “too lazy” to do something of great importance. Now, ask yourself, “Who was lazy? My mind, my body, or my spirit?” Invest your whole self into your dreams, because they were given to you with, and for a reason! If you are not playing at a hundred percent, you are not playing at all!

And do not spoil yourself with excuses, for their only products are more excuses! You either do or not! “I tried” is a delicate way of saying “I didn’t”! Our only limitations are those which we set up in our own minds, or permit others to set up for us! Therefore, the first step towards becoming a “doer” and “finisher” is renewing the mind, because ALL efforts that are planted with a negative mental attitude can bring nothing but misery! The good news is: you have absolute control over it!

GOING THE EXTRA MILE PRINCIPLE: is actually simple, and logical. Remember Rocky I., in which Rocky said: “Adrian, I just want to GO THE DISTANCE, and prove that I am not just another bum from the neighborhood.”? Rocky lost that match, but went the distance, and won our hearts! He served (and is still serving) as an example of a courageous, determined, righteous, tenacious, decisive, and persistent hero. Why? Because he lost? NO! Because he didn’t quit when most of the people would! Success is so simple! DO NOT QUIT!

The real strength is holding yourself together when everyone would understand if you fall apart!

That extra mile can be as simple as waking up 60 minutes earlier every day and writing two new pages for your book (730 pages annually). Do you see? Seemingly insignificant difference makes an enormous difference! So, the next time your mind starts tempting you to give up, to take a rest, or skip a workout, remember my words! Reading articles is not enough! One must apply techniques to harvest benefits!

Remember: a winner never quits, and a quitter never wins!

This article is courtesy of Gemstone. Visit @gemstone on hive for more.