STEP 1: CHECK YOUR ID

Increasing Self-Awareness

There is something in every one of you that waits and listens for the sound of the genuine in yourself. It is the only true guide you will ever have. And if you cannot hear it, you will all of your life spend your days on the ends of strings that somebody else pulls.

Howard Thurman

None of us are defined by our circumstances, nor are we defined by how other people perceive us. It is up to each one of us to define ourselves, and that is a life's work.

Each of us has the ability to lead a dynamic life by pursuing our unique goals and dreams. There are no limits to what you can accomplish when you know who you are and have faith in what you can do.

Stedman Graham

My contemplation of life...taught me that he who cannot change the very fabric of his thought...will never be able to change reality, and will never, therefore, make any progress.

Anwar Sadat

At some point in our lives, most of us need help in overcoming whatever it is that is holding us back, whether it is racism, sexism, elitism, or any of the obstacles that stand between you and your dreams and aspirations.

Self-knowledge is where success begins. The first step in developing fundamental self-awareness is to examine the things that influence your behavior, both those that hold you back and those that push you to pursue a better life. This understanding gives you the power to change and control your behavior in a more positive and effective manner.

SG

Somehow I can't believe that there are any heights that can't be scaled by a man who knows the secret of making dreams come true. This special secret, it seems to me, can be summarized in four c's. They are curiosity, confidence, courage, and constancy, and the greatest of these is confidence. When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestionably.

Walt Disney

If you want to create a vision for your life and then follow that vision, you must have confidence. You have to feel that you deserve success. People with positive self-images believe in themselves, in their abilities, and in their power to control their own lives. You gain confidence by concentrating on the talents and attributes and personal history that make you special and unique.

SG

We cannot afford to settle for being just average; we must learn as much as we can to be the best that we can. The key word is education -- that's knowledge -- education with maximum effort.

Bill Cosby

You must acquire the knowledge, training, and skills to find solutions to the life problems you encounter and to find the process for success. You develop competence by slowly building upon your skills, first in one area and then another, through hard work and perseverance.

SG

Plant the seeds of expectation in your mind; cultivate thoughts that anticipate achievement. Believe in yourself as being capable of overcoming all obstacles and weaknesses.

Norman Vincent Peale

You must feel capable of defining, creating, and controlling your life. You can do this by working on your self-discipline, by making a list of personal goals and objectives. Start with something small, do it, and then challenge yourself to do something else. As you master each of these small goals and objectives, over time you will work up to much bigger ones, proving to yourself and others that you have the power to control your life.

SG

Opportunity is limitless. Where there is an open mind, there will always be a frontier.

Charles F. Kettering

When you have a sense of your own identity and a vision of where you want to go in your life, you then have the basis for reaching out to the world and going after your dreams. Most of those who succeed in achieving their goals do it by creating an environment for opportunity. They open themselves to positive change by becoming positive, energized people. They believe in themselves, giving others cause to believe in them.

SG

Copyright © 1998 by Stedman Graham