Three Questions by Leo Tolstoy

One day it occurred to a certain emperor that if he only knew the answers to three questions, he would never stray in any matter.
What is the best time to do each thing? Who are the most important people to work with? What is the most important thing to do at all times?
The emperor issued a decree throughout his kingdom announcing that whoever could answer the questions would receive a great reward. Many who read the decree made their way to the palace at once, each person with a different answer.
In reply to the first question, one person advised that the emperor make up a thorough time schedule, consecrating every hour, day, month, and year for certain tasks and then follow the schedule to the letter. Only then could he hope to do every task at the right time.
Another person replied that it was impossible to plan in advance and that the emperor should put all vain amusements aside and remain attentive to everything in order to know what to do at what time.
Someone else insisted that, by himself, the emperor could never hope to have all the foresight and competence necessary to decide when to do each and every task and what he really needed was to set up a Council of the Wise and then to act according to their advice.
Someone else said that certain matters required immediate decision and could not wait for consultation, but if he wanted to know in advance what was going to happen he should consult magicians and soothsayers.
The responses to the second question also lacked accord.
One person said that the emperor needed to place all his trust in administrators, another urged reliance on priests and monks, while others recommended physicians. Still others put their faith in warriors.
The third question drew a similar variety of answers. Some said science was the most important pursuit. Others insisted on religion. Yet others claimed the most important thing was military skill.
The emperor was not pleased with any of the answers, and no reward was given.
After several nights of reflection, the emperor resolved to visit a hermit who lived up on the mountain and was said to be an enlightened man. The emperor wished to find the hermit to ask him the three questions, though he knew the hermit never left the mountains and was known to receive only the poor, refusing to have anything to do with persons of wealth or power. So the emperor disguised himself as a simple peasant and ordered his attendants to wait for him at the foot of the mountain while he climbed the slope alone to seek the hermit.
Reaching the holy man's dwelling place, the emperor found the hermit digging a garden in front of his hut. When the hermit saw the stranger, he nodded his head in greeting and continued to dig. The labor was obviously hard on him. He was an old man, and each time he thrust his spade into the ground to turn the earth, he heaved heavily.
The emperor approached him and said, "I have come here to ask your help with three questions: When is the best time to do each thing? Who are the most important people to work with? What is the most important thing to do at all times?"
The hermit listened attentively but only patted the emperor on the shoulder and continued digging. The emperor said, "You must be tired. Here, let me give you a hand with that." The hermit thanked him, handed the emperor the spade, and then sat down on the ground to rest.
After he had dug two rows, the emperor stopped and turned to the hermit and repeated his three questions. The hermit still did not answer, but instead stood up and pointed to the spade and said, "Why don't you rest now? I can take over again." But the emperor continued to dig. One hour passed, then two. Finally the sun began to set behind the mountain. The emperor put down the spade and said to the hermit, "I came here to ask if you could answer my three questions. But if you can't give me any answer, please let me know so that I can get on may way home."
The hermit lifted his head and asked the emperor, "Do you hear someone running over there?" The emperor turned his head. They both saw a man with a long white beard emerge from the woods. He ran wildly, pressing his hands against a bloody wound in his stomach. The man ran toward the emperor before falling unconscious to the ground, where he lay groaning. Opening the man's clothing, the emperor and hermit saw that the man had received a deep gash. The emperor cleaned the wound thoroughly and then used his own shirt to bandage it, but the blood completely soaked it within minutes. He rinsed the shirt out and bandaged the wound a second time and continued to do so until the flow of blood had stopped.

At last the wounded man regained consciousness and asked for a drink of water. The emperor ran down to the stream and brought back a jug of fresh water. Meanwhile, the sun had disappeared and the night air had begun to turn cold. The hermit gave the emperor a hand in carrying the man into the hut where they laid him down on the hermit's bed. The man closed his eyes and lay quietly. The emperor was worn out from the long day of climbing the mountain and digging the garden. Leaning against the doorway, he fell asleep. When he rose, the sun had already risen over the mountain. For a moment he forgot where he was and what he had come here for. He looked over to the bed and saw the wounded man also looking around him in confusion. When he saw the emperor, he stared at him intently and then said in a faint whisper, "Please forgive me."
"But what have you done that I should forgive you?" the emperor asked.
"You do not know me, your majesty, but I know you. I was your sworn enemy, and I had vowed to take vengeance on you, for during the last war you killed my brother and seized my property. When I learned that you were coming alone to the mountain to meet the hermit, I resolved to surprise you on your way back to kill you. But after waiting a long time there was still no sign of you, and so I left my ambush in order to seek you out. But instead of finding you, I came across your attendants, who recognized me, giving me this wound. Luckily, I escaped and ran here. If I hadn't met you I would surely be dead by now. I had intended to kill you, but instead you saved my life! I am ashamed and grateful beyond words. If I live, I vow to be your servant for the rest of my life, and I will bid my children and grandchildren to do the same. Please grant me your forgiveness."
The emperor was overjoyed to see that he was so easily reconciled with a former enemy. He not only forgave the man but promised to return all the man's property and to send his own physician and servants to wait on the man until he was completely healed. After ordering his attendants to take the man home, the emperor returned to see the hermit. Before returning to the palace the emperor wanted to repeat his three questions one last time. He found the hermit sowing seeds in the earth they had dug the day before.
The hermit stood up and looked at the emperor. "But your questions have already been answered."
"How's that?" the emperor asked, puzzled.
"Yesterday, if you had not taken pity on my age and given me a hand with digging these beds, you would have been attacked by that man on your way home. Then you would have deeply regretted not staying with me. Therefore the most important time was the time you were digging in the beds, the most important person was myself, and the most important pursuit was to help me. Later, when the wounded man ran up here, the most important time was the time you spent dressing his wound, for if you had not cared for him he would have died and you would have lost the chance to be reconciled with him. Likewise, he was the most important person, and the most important pursuit was taking care of his wound. Remember that there is only one important time and is Now. The present moment is the only time over which we have dominion. The most important person is always the person with whom you are, who is right before you, for who knows if you will have dealings with any other person in the future. The most important pursuit is making that person, the one standing at you side, happy, for that alone is the pursuit of life."



Leo Tolstoy

It's time to stay in the "NOW"

Have you ever wonder how you got to work or the store or to the end of the day? Well, it is usually on auto-pilot. It's because you are not focused on being in the "NOW" the present moment, staying fully aware of what is going on. Dr. Robert Anthony talks about this in The Secret Of Deliberate Creation-if you want to know more about this amazing program there is a link above to give you all the details. Staying focused on the "NOW" and being happy in that moment is where your true power comes from. If your stuck and just going through the motions in life, I encourage you to take a serious look at understanding "The Secret Of Deliberate Creation. Not only do you get one of the best, if not the best programs available today to change your life. You get e-copies of his amazing books. Don't take my word, seek and you shall find... Enjoy it...

“Nitty-Gritty Reasons” by Jim Rohn

“Nitty-Gritty Reasons” by Jim Rohn

'Bonus Soul Starter'

'Bonus Soul Starter'

If You Learn Just One Thing From Reading A Book…

If You Learn Just One Thing From Reading A Book…

'Soul Starter'

'Soul Starter'

The Art of Influence

Okay if you want to grow in life you must read and put what you read into action. This week was all about the parable. I read 3 different ones, and all were outstanding in their own right. Today were going to talk about "The Art of Influence, Persuading Others Begins With You." I love this story about a graduating college student who gets to spend a few days with a billionaire. His grandmother was the billionaires nanny when he was a teenager. He is so excited that he gets to learn lessons about life from a billionaire. This is a great book that just needs to read. It's an very easy read and you will loved it. This book is hard for me to review only because it is so good. I will give you one excerpt from the book that hit home with me. "For now, know this. If you want to attract people of vision you have to be a person on vision. If you want to attract people who are passionate, you have to be passionate. If you want to attract people who are fair and honest and positive, you need to be fair, honest and positive." So you can see with messages like that this book should be added to your library if you are serious about growing. Enjoy this one, Way to go again-Chris Widener.
www.chriswidener.com

Giving is the Secret...

I just finished reading two of the best books ever written. Okay, so I'm a little biased.... they just happend to touch me in such a profound way. The books are called "The Go-Giver" and "The Go-Givers Sell More". I bought "The Go-Givers Sell More" first not knowing an even better gem exsisted. As I was reading and getting more excited with every page I knew that I had to read "The Go-Giver". I read half of it in the book store before buying it and finishing it at home. So much wisdom in 132 pages of pure gold. The testimonials for the books come from great people. I want you go and order a copy for yourself and buy 5 more to give away to your best friends and maybe some not so close. The go buy "The Go-Givers Sell More" and digest that one and give those away as well. I believe your life and the lives of others will change "FOREVER" Go read it for yourself and then post what you think. Apply what you have read and I think you will be amazed how simple it is to be successful. Thank you to Bob Burg and John David Mann for writing two amazing books. I really appreicate you and just wanted to share.

Power to the Entrepreneur

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American Chronicle | Primerica Independence Day

American Chronicle | Primerica Independence Day

Watch out for the Gotcha's

I highly recommend the book Whale Done! The Power of Positive Relationships, by Ken Blanchard. It shows us why we must accentuate the positive and not the negative. It's written in story form and based on how killer whales are trained at Sea World. When you are trying to train a killer whale you don't really want to focus on what they're doing wrong. They focus on staying positive and rewarding them with food and affection when they complete the right behavior. So why do we as people always want to find faults? Stroke our own ego, and make us feel better. Why do adults love doing that to their children? Just think about this for a minute, if your Child had the strength and size of a killer whale would you treat them the same? I don't think so.... so why do we? If you want to change behavior, start focusing on what they are doing right. The littlest thing will make the difference. How many times have you crushed your child's spirit? Stop reading this right now and go find your quite place and think about all the times you crushed your child's spirit and you will remember I can assure of that. Ok, I'm glad your back and I sure you feel bad. Good news, you can fix that by finding all the times you can say well done. The book called it Whale Done, get it. So start finding the good in everything and watch how much easier your life becomes. Think big and you will live big by finding the good in everything.

You are what you think!

Over the past year I have read several books on the subject of how our mind works. What I have found out is that most people choose to live with the herd. What do I mean by that? People don't think on their own, they follow the crowd and forget why they even do what they do. Ask anybody why they go to work. Answer to earn a living. How many people are actually following their passion in life? Not too many, most fell into the work their doing and have not figured out how to get out of it. A recent survey stated that over 50% of Americans hated what they did and hated who they worked with and who they worked for. So why is this so, because people have chosen  to sit and veg in front of the TV. The late great Jim Rohn said that formal education will get you a job, and self-education will make you a fortune. So how do we take control of our minds? First, you need to stop reading the newspaper. Second, stop watching the local and national news. You are now thinking how do I stay informed, trust me on this, you will have plenty of people watching and reading for you. When something important happens somebody will ask you if you have heard about such and such. You will feel much better when you do this and your attitude will change. The news is designed to be negative and to draw you in, it serves no purpose. So go to your local library and pick up a book to improve yourself. Just think how much you can change your life with self improving. In my next post I will give you some suggestion on what to read..... Okay, here is a classic must read ..... Think and Grow Rich .... By Napoleon Hill... So throw out the news papers, turn off the TV and Read to Grow... To your Success