Raj Daniels

Let’s do some math.

Don’t worry, it’ll be fairly easy.

Okay, are you ready?

Here you go.

0 x 10 =?

Too easy?

0 x 100 =?

Still too easy?

0 x 1,000,000 =?

One more.

1 x 1,000,000 =?

Did you get them correct?

I hope you did.

Do you know the percentage increase from 0 to 1?

If you said 100% then you are correct.

So why all the math?

To illustrate a point.

The difference between action and inaction is the difference between 0 and 1.

If you know anything about cars, then you’ll be aware the first gear that engages provides the most power to the transmission because that’s what’s needed to get the car moving.

It’s between 0 and 1 where you’ll have to gather your power, your courage, and lean into your faith as you take your first step. And your reward for doing so is that your first step will get you moving and provide you the initial momentum you need.

If there’s something you want to accomplish and you don’t take the first step towards it, then there’s literally no chance of you accomplishing it.

And yes, even if it’s the wrong step. Because in many cases you’ll learn even more from being wrong than you will from being right.

So if there’s something you want to accomplish, get yourself in gear and take the first step today. You’ll be 100% farther along than you were yesterday, and hopefully, now armed with just a little additional courage and knowledge, you can take the second step tomorrow.

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When does growth occur?

It’s been shown that in nature the most powerful trees and plants, the ones that are the most resilient are the ones that have had to battle the elements for survival. They have had to bury their roots deep into the ground and essentially hang on through adverse conditions in order to last.

You too are a product of nature and your growth also occurs when you encounter challenges and problems. It’s only then that you’re forced to lean into self-discovery and truly find out what you’re capable of.

Happy and fun times are wonderful, but they’re frictionless, and rarely teach you anything about yourself. And while you might have wonderful memories of the good times, it’s pulling through and facing the challenges that build your character.

It can be hard to view your struggles as your teachers, but if you’re able to do so then you’ll take the first step towards being grateful for them. You’ll realize that the event or experience you’re pushing through is indeed making you into a more resilient person.

Building your character traits of resilience, persistence, patience or any other trait that helps you overcome, or get through challenges is very similar to building your physical muscles. Your muscles have to endure a certain amount of strain and stress that cause them to breakdown in order to rebuild stronger.

So while you might not go through life looking for challenges don’t hide or run from them either. It’s the struggles, the growing pains that will test you and allow you to discover so much more about you that you might never have otherwise known.

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How many lists, processes, routines, and systems have you put in place just to get control of your day?

And even though you have all these techniques in place you still feel at times that things are spinning out of control. You feel as though things are falling through the cracks and you’re dropping the ball.

Your continuous effort to shape the world, to make the world conform to the way you’d like it to be can be exhausting and even demoralizing.

What if you stopped trying to control everything?

Does just the thought of doing so cause you anxiety?

Do you feel your body getting tense at the thought of not having control?

Continuously focusing on outcomes will almost always keep you in a never-ending stress cycle. And no matter how many lists or routines you have in place, there’s rarely a guarantee that things will work out exactly how you want them to. They might get close, but is close good enough for you?

One of the keys to relieving yourself of the stress of control is to be able to detach your actions from outcomes. I’m not advocating for you to give up on anything you’re attempting to accomplish, or that you shouldn’t have goals. What I’m suggesting is that you shift your focus from the end result to the task at hand.

You take action and surrender simultaneously.

The idea of surrender might have a negative connotation in your mind, and it could sound like I’m asking you to give up. And in a way I am, but not on your goals. Only your attachment to them.

Surrendering is not easy, especially if you’re used to the illusion of always being in control, or consider yourself a highly driven individual, but it is possible.

When you surrender, you have the opportunity to experience tranquility. A peaceful knowing that you’ve done what you can, you’ve set the ball in motion, now you observe and see where it lands. And then you can act again.

Try surrendering today. Start with a small task and see how you feel. If it doesn’t work for you, you can always go back to pretending you’re in control again.

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When was the last time you were still, not including when you were asleep?

The reality is that you can never really be still because you have a countless number of processes going on within your body at all times. But you can experience the benefits of consciously standing or sitting still, even if just for a few moments.

Being still for a few moments and experiencing some of the sensations your body is feeling can be thoroughly relaxing and can give you clues. By being still you can begin to learn from your body how you really feel about certain situations and whether to pursue them or not.

Stillness can give you additional perspectives that you might otherwise miss due to constant noise and bombardment of external inputs.

Being still gives you more room. I know this might sound contradictory, because who has time to do nothing? But it’s true. Being still isn’t the same as doing nothing, it’s consciously doing something. It’s allowing you to set your intention and doing what you want to do, rather than mindlessly continuing to do everything.

Almost all ancient religious texts have guidelines about some kind of stillness practice, and even though you might not be religious in the traditional sense, you can still benefit from the recommended practices.

Learning to incorporate a stillness practice into your daily routine can give you a respite from your continuous list of to-dos. Being still can provide you with a sense of control that you might otherwise feel that you don’t have over your life. So learn to be still. You might just be surprised to see how much more you get done.

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How successful are you?

Very, somewhat, not at all?

The answer is, it depends.

If you were the only person on the planet, then you’d never know how successful you were, because you’d have no one to compare yourself to. It’s only when you compare yourself to another can you say whether or not you’re successful.

The only reason you compare yourself to others is because you’ve learned to do so. It was taught to you as a child from your parents, teachers and the media, and now you can’t stop comparing.

Or can you?

First let me be clear, not all comparison is bad. If you use comparison to motivate yourself, then do so by all means. It’s when you compare yourself to others and then view yourself in a negative light when you see what others are doing or have achieved that the problems arise.

The comparison trap can be a hard one to escape from because you’re constantly bombarded with messages of how well or successful other people are, when the reality is that you’ll never really know how well anyone is doing but yourself.

Almost all measures of ‘success’ have been artificially created by society, by the people around you. If you’re fortunate enough to travel to other countries you’ll soon realize that idea of doing well or being successful varies amongst different cultures.

The interesting thing about the word success is that it’s rooted in the word succeed, which means to attain a desired object or end. And I can almost guarantee that according to this definition, you probably have some degree of success on a daily basis.

The most important thing you can realize about success is that it’s an individual journey. It’s how well you do when compared to you and no one else. The sooner you learn this the freer you’ll begin to feel. And once you experience this freedom, you’ll be able to take all the energy you were spending on comparing yourself to other people’s success and invest it back into yourself. I wish you success in doing so.

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How does it feel to be a time traveler?

It must be quite exhausting always living in the past or the future, never quite just existing in the present.

Even right now.

Are you really here reading this, or do you have one eye towards what you need to do next?

Constantly swinging between what’s happened and what’s next doesn’t allow you to truly experience and enjoy what’s now. And now is all you really have.

Time traveling can be fun and even beneficial because you can reminisce and learn from your past, and dream and plan for your future. But then there’s also a downside. There’s the rumination and about what you could have done differently, and the anxiety and worrying about the future.

Making the occasional opportunity to plant your feet and mind firmly in the now, even for just a few moments can provide you with a temporary reprieve from the constant vacillation between past and future. And perhaps even help you establish a strong foundation upon which you can then build your future.

Ultimately we are all time travelers. Our present science tells us that only the animals have been given the gift of truly living in the present. While we as humans experience the anguish and joy of living both in the past and future. But we’ve also been given immense power, should we choose to use it. The power to take control of our minds, even if just for a few moments, to stop time traveling and to appreciate,  to enjoy, to steep ourselves in this moment, right now.

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How much faith do you have in yourself?

Do you have a degree of faith, or do you fully believe that you can accomplish the things you set your mind to?

Is it possible to have faith and doubt yourself at the same time?

Doubt will cause you to have trepidation and soon enough it will manifest itself into fear. And if you’re not careful, your fear will paralyze you and prevent you from moving forward.

Just imagine if a tightrope walker had doubt, even for just one moment? Think about how much faith and self-belief they have to apply in every step they take.

Can you apply the same amount of faith in every step you take?

Now don’t confuse taking a step with getting things right. Many a tightrope walker has experienced a fall even with all the belief in the world.

Having faith does not prevent you from making a mistake or getting things wrong. But it does allow you to move forward with a degree of confidence. And that confidence can help still your mind and your hand as you take on any new endeavor.

So how do you build faith in yourself?

One of the simplest ways is to think about your past accomplishments. Remember that those too were once hurdles you had to overcome, and you were able to do so. You can begin to stack your accomplishments to build your self-confidence and ultimately strengthen your faith in yourself.

Having faith doesn’t eliminate doubt, it will always be lurking, just looking for an opportunity to show itself. Having faith just quiets doubt long enough for you to take the next step. Both doubt and faith are rooted in your thoughts which then become feelings. Ultimately you have to choose which one you give life to.

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Mozart was competent on the keyboard by the age of 5

Anne Frank wrote her diary at the age of 12

Pele was a soccer superstar by the age of 17

Elvis was a superstar by the age of 19

Beethoven was a piano virtuoso by the age of 23

Einstein wrote the theory of relativity at the age of 26

Alexander the Great had built one of the largest empires in the world by the age of 29

J.K. Rowling finished the first manuscript for Harry Potter at the age of 30

Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean at 31

The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur were 32 and 36 when the built the world’s first successful airplane

Edmund Hillary became the first man to climb Mount Everest at the age of 33

Neil Armstrong was 38 when he became the first man to set foot on the moon

Mark Twain wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer at the age of 40

John F. Kennedy became president of the United States at the age of 43

Henry Ford was 45 when the Model T came out

Charles Darwin was 50 when he published The Origin of Species

Leonardo Da Vinci was 51 when he painted the Mona Lisa

Dr. Seuss was 54 when he wrote The Cat in the Hat

Colonel Harland Sanders was 61 when he started the KFC franchise

Ronald Reagan was 69 when he became president of the United States

Nelson Mandela was 76 when he became president of South Africa

These are just a few examples of individuals that have left a permanent mark in history. Now you might not be inclined to pursue what might be considered a grand endeavor, and that’s okay. But if you do have a dream or idea you’d like to pursue, then don’t let your age hold you back.

Yes, there might be certain activities that require a level of agility or fitness that will prevent you from participating professionally, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do them at a leisure or novice level.

Perhaps a good or at least entertaining question to ask yourself is, if you didn’t know how old you are, how old would you be? Not quite as deep as a Buddhist Koan, but interesting nonetheless.

Do your best to avoid getting to the point where you wish you’d have started 10 years ago. And if you are at that point right now, then start today. There’s no point letting another 10 years go by again.

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Are you ready to admit it?

Right now you either thinking, how does he know? Or, admit to what?

Let’s address these questions one at a time.

First, don’t worry. I don’t have access to your mind yet, so any deep dark secrets you have hidden are still safe for now.

Now to address your question about admit to what.

Well, if there’s something in your life that you want to change, then the first thing you have to do is admit it. Admitting shines a bright light on the issue, it brings it out of the dark recesses of your mind and put’s right there on the table in front of you for all to see. If you’re familiar with any of the famous addiction programs, then you know that admitting is the first step to recovery.

Now you might not need recovery in the traditional sense, but if you’re working on changing something about yourself, then to some extent you’re trying to improve. And although recovery and self-improvement aren’t identical, they share similar paths.

Admission is recognition, and you can’t change or solve what you can’t recognize, because only after you recognize can you describe. And once you can describe something then it’s no longer ethereal, it becomes tangible.

So take the first step and admit. Do it out loud if you have too. If you’re brave enough then share it with someone you trust and let them bear witness to your first step towards change. It’s only after you admit can you commit to change.

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Say hello first.

Smile first.

Be grateful first.

Be kind first.

Be respectful first.

Be attentive first.

Listen first.

Be patient first.

Be forgiving first.

The wonderful thing about going first is that you present the other person with an opportunity. It’s almost as though you open a magic door and allow them, or at least give them a safe space to reciprocate.

But what if you go first and the other person doesn’t reciprocate?

So what?

You don’t go first to get.

You go first because that’s the kind of person you are, or at least would like to be.

Going first does take some courage because it can make you feel vulnerable. And the truth is that there are some out there that will take advantage of your vulnerability. But the reality is that those individuals are few and far between.

The best thing about all the actions I suggested you take in the list above is that you have an infinite supply of all of those things.  So no one can really take them from you.

We as a society have created an environment where so many are competing to be the first at something, even at times to the detriment of their fellow humans. And there are times when competition can be healthy. However, if we spend just a little more energy going first, rather than being first, maybe we can make life a little better for all.

So why don’t you go first?

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Today try something different.

During your conversations instead of saying but or no, play the Yes And game.

Here’s the key. Don’t tell the person you’re speaking with that you’re playing the game. Just see where the conversation leads you.

‘Yes And’ is a popular tool used by actors during improv. Yes, And is very simple. In an improv situation, actors are required to accept their fellow actors’ ideas and build on them.

Yes And allows for creative cooperation. It moves you to receive another person’s idea and add to it rather and rejecting it. Very often during conversations you’ll find the instinctive ‘but’ or ‘no’ will shut down a person’s willingness to share their feelings or opinions, and this often prevents true connection with the individual.

Yes And, can also help you personally be more creative not only during conversations but also in life. One of the biggest struggles individuals face is that they disagree with their current reality. They fight against what is, which, if you really think about it, doesn’t make any sense.

If you find yourself disagreeing with reality, then perhaps you should try Yes And. The thought process goes like this. ‘Yes,’ this is how things are up to this point, ‘And’ this is how it could be different from this point on. The ‘And’ allows you to explore opportunities for change.

So whether it’s during conversations with other people or how you’re looking at your own life, keep the ‘Yes And’ in your personal toolbox. Use it to move conversations forward for deeper connection, and to discover possibilities for yourself.

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Which one is better, a rose bush or a tomato plant?

On the surface this might look like an odd comparison, but technically they are both plants. Each one serves a different purpose, although I really don’t know enough about roses and what purpose they serve except beauty, but I digress.

Back to the question of which one is better, and I guess the answer is, it depends on your need. If you’re hungry then the tomato plant is of greater use to you than the rose bush, but if you’re looking to spruce up your living room then roses it is.

Now unless you’re allergic to tomatoes or roses you would have to agree that both are wonderful because of their unique qualities, and that comparing the two is really not a fair comparison.

Secretly I wonder if a rose bush sits in a corner of a garden enviously watching tomatoes ripen and being picked on a regular basis. Sound a little ridiculous? I agree. But so is comparing yourself to others as they bring their unique talents to the world while you frown upon and disregard your own.

Whether you recognize it or not, you have a unique set of gifts and talents which, if you let them, will enable you to fulfill your own needs and serve others. The sooner you realize this, the less time you’ll spend comparing yourself to others and appreciating yourself.

So the next time you find yourself on the slippery slope of wishing you were like someone else, think of the tomato and rose, both bringing their own unique essence and beauty to the world. And you work on doing the same for you too.

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What kind of reminders have you set for yourself in your calendar or planner?

Anniversaries?

Appointments?

Birthdays?

Meetings?

What if you could use your calendar to remind you how to feel?

If you’re the kind of person that plows through the day without stopping, only to wake up the next day to do it all over again then setting reminders in your calendar is an ideal way for you find moments to reset.

You might think that setting reminders to tell you how to feel sounds a little manufactured and that emotions should be experienced naturally, and to some extent you’re correct. But what if you’re in an emotional rut?

What if your emotional status has become more of a habit than a natural feeling?

If you have an exercise routine or hobby, you’ve probably scheduled time on your calendar for these activities. And why do you schedule time? The easy answer is because you want to ensure you don’t miss the activity.

But what’s the deeper answer?

You’re engaging in the activity because you hope that in doing so you will either change or improve upon the person you currently are.

The same can work for emotional reminders.

You can set reminders to practice a moment of gratitude, think about a loved one, smile, or something as simple as taking a deep breath. All of these have been proven to improve emotional states.

Look, I know this might seem like a strange idea, or you feel as though you don’t need a reminder to tell you how to feel. And if you’re the kind of person that’s tuned in to your emotions and are consciously using them to benefit you, then you’re correct.

But if you’re the kind of person that tends to fall victim to your own emotions, then what’s the harm in setting a reminder to smile? Best case scenario is that you experienced a positive emotion, worst case, you smiled. Sounds like a win win to me.

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What’s the most exciting thing you’re going to do today?

Do you have something you’re looking forward to doing, or are you just putting in the time?

What are you doing to add life to your life?

Adding a little life to your life doesn’t have to be something elaborate. I’m not suggesting you take a daily skydive or swim with the sharks, unless of course that’s what you want to do. What I am recommending is that you do something that takes your breath away, just for a moment. That you do something that brings a smile to your face and your heart beat just a little faster.

There’s nothing wrong with the ho-hum monotony of everyday life; it’s something almost everyone willing participates in. And yes, I say willingly, because there a few amongst us that refuse to do so. We usually refer to them as the misfits, or crazy ones.

But who really are the crazy ones?

The one’s that seek out excitement at every turn, pushing their lives to the limit and squeezing every last ounce of energy from their bodies to do so, or the ones that hoard all the energy life has given them just to live out another monotonous day.

Look, having an exciting moment or two during your day will not make you any less responsible, nor will it derail any grand life plans or goals that you’ve set for yourself. In fact, I can almost guarantee that at the end of your day and even at the end of your life, it’s going to be the moments that made the butterflies in your tummy come alive and your heart flutter just a little faster that will be the memories you’ll savor the most.

Noble Prize winner Nicolas Murray Butler once said “Many peoples’ tombstones should read ‘Died at 30, buried at 60.” As you go through your day today, be mindful of his statement and create opportunities to add life to your life.

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Hi.

How are you today?

I hope you’re doing well.

I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions.

I promise nothing too personal.

Okay, here we go.

1. Given the choice of anyone in the world, who would you want as a dinner guest?
2. Would you like to be famous? If yes, then in what way?
3. Before making a telephone call, do you ever rehearse what you are going to say? Why?

I hope you’re still playing along.

4. What would constitute a “perfect” day for you?
5. When did you last sing to yourself? To someone else? Can you sing a little for me, right now?
6. For what in your life do you feel most grateful?
7. If you could wake up tomorrow having gained any one quality or ability, what would it be?
8. If a crystal ball could tell you the truth about yourself, your life, the future or anything else, what would you want to know?

Only two more to go.

9. Is there something that you’ve dreamed of doing for a long time? Why haven’t you done it?
10. If you knew that in one year you would die suddenly, would you change anything about the way you are now living? Why?

I hope you took the time to answer the questions.

Some of the questions are obviously lighter in nature than others. I designed them that way so you’d experience emotions on both ends of the spectrum.

If you really did take the time to answer all the questions then you should be proud of yourself. The majority of people spend little to no time getting to know themselves, and they plow through life without stopping to think about who they really are and what they want out of life.

Carving out a little time for introspection on a regular basis will allow you to focus on what you want to get out of your life. Yes, the irony is that it’s your life and yet you, like most, probably don’t take your own time to think about it.

The questions I asked you were just a few to get you thinking. Feel free to explore other questions that might help you get to know yourself better. I can guarantee that it’ll be well worth the effort.

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