Nothing in life occurs without a reason.

True, from our limited perspective, it can often be hard to see how a certain event fits into the grand scheme of things, or how we ourselves fit into the larger picture.

Some things seem senseless, pointless, and, of course, completely beyond our control.

So, none of us has a bird’s eye view on our life. We don’t know the true significance of any given event on any given day.

All the more reason, then, to live each day to the fullest—because, as even a little reflection will show, it is often the most seemingly insignificant events of our lives, the unplanned accidents, which end up leading to the greatest successes, or most meaningful relationships.

An important part of self-improvement and positive thinking involves the realization that the things we endure, even the ones that are the most unpleasant, may end up playing transformative roles in our lives. Famous examples of this abound in world culture.

Take the world-famous Russian novelist, Dostoevsky More on Steps Towards Self-Improvement

She wasn’t born blind and deaf.

At 19-month age, a disease attacked her leaving her blind & deaf. Strange thing. How can a blind woman lead huge numbers of “sighted” people, and open their eyes!

Who is Helen Keller?

Helen Adams Keller (June 27, 1880 – June 1, 1968) was an American author, activist and lecturer. She was the first deaf-blind person to graduate from college.

I first heard her name from a trainer who quoted one of her super-famous quotes. Couldn’t forget her after that.

She was a true inspirational creature, and still is. Here are the first set of Helen’s unforgotten quotes:

• Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.

More on Helen Keller… A Shout in Frustration’s Face!

In a previous article, I outlined some tips to develop will power…

Today we’re going to move to discuss Self-Discipline, what it’s and how can you develop it. I started to read more on this topic after receiving a question from one of The Success Elixir Blog valuable readers, his name is Poonam. He asked this:

Kaled,

Thank you for replaying me.

I’m IT student and i to want improve my will power and confidence too.
Can you give me some tips on this topic?

Pls replay.

Regards,
Poonam.

And here was my reply:

Kaled Asmri @ 5:22 am

You’re welcome Poonam. Follow this link for more tips on self confidence/esteem:
http://successelixir.net/category/self-esteem-confidence

For will power, I’ll recommend you go through this:
http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/06/self-discipline

Kaled.

I told him to read more about improving self esteem & confidence on this blog archive. For will power, I found some good articles at Steve Pavlina’s blog (highly recommended). I saw that Steve represented will-power as a pillar out of 5 pillars of self-discipline.

1. Acceptance,
2. Willpower,
3. Hard Work,
4. Industry, and
5. Persistence

I have found that self-discipline is a million-dollar habit you literally need to have. Better than short-injections of motivation, much better. It can be learned and practiced. So, how to have more self-discipline?

Just follow Steve on this series to start learning self-discipline:
http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/06/self-discipline

to your success!

Kaled

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First of all, think. A surprising number of people don’t. But since you do, you can move on to the next step: think positive.

Perhaps you’ve had an idea buried deep inside you, perhaps for years now—some innovative concept that you believe in with all your being, but, for whatever reason, have been too nervous to unveil to the world. Perhaps you simply fear failure.

You’re a realist (which is to say, a pessimist!), and concentrate on everything that could possible go wrong.

Why not learn to envision success? Why not focus on all that could go right? If your endeavor is fueled by this kind of positive thinking, you’ll be more productive, more creative, and more energetic. Most importantly, your healthy optimism and positive thinking will inspire those around you, and actually help those dreams of yours be fulfilled.

Below are just a few helpful pointers to consider:

1. Pledge your loyalty.

Pledge your personal loyalty to yourself and to your ideas. Affirm the fact that you believe in your ideas, and you believe in your own power to turn those blueprints in your head into a reality. Moreover, pledge your loyalty to those around you, at work and at home—because you’ll need their support to bring about a positive change in your life.

2. Pursue your dreams with passion.

Set out on every task with a genuine sense of passion. You enjoy what you’re doing; you believe in its power to bring about a better world, in whatever way, whether large or small. Genuine passion demands action, not whispering sweet nothings. Back up your words with passionate, committed action

More on How to Think Positive? A Beginner’s Guide…

Sometimes we feel as if we are being swept along by life, and are powerless to do anything to change its course. It seems as if we’re merely along for the ride, and have to make do with whatever Fortune’s wheel dishes out for us. We may have hopes and dreams, but they always seem to be far on the horizon, so hopelessly out of reach that we fail to take even the first step towards their realization.

When we assert ourselves, however, our entire outlook on life may change. No, we cannot control everything in life, and to some degree, we have to roll with the punches. But we can throw a few ourselves as well. When we go on the offensive in life, we’re often surprised at just how much we can do, almost by sheer force of will. More on How to Develop Will Power?

There are few among us who don’t strive every day to improve their personality.

The ways we try to improve ourselves may range from minor external changes, such as a new suit or a new look, to more serious internal changes, as we try to improve our outlook on life or our ability to interact with other people.

The latter, obviously, are more difficult than, say, going to the hair salon.

Still, it’s not unrealistic to try to improve your character and personality. Below are just a few easy tips on how you can improve your personality:

1. Find qualities in those around you.

Look at everyone around you and find something to like about them. What makes this person likeable or admirable? What attaches you to them? Let them know about it, and boost their self-esteem. Meanwhile, try to promote those qualities in yourself as well.

2. There’s a lot to like about you, too.

Don’t forget that you’re interesting and admirable yourself. There’s nothing wrong with patting yourself on the back occasionally, since it can help us approach other people. Make it a foregone conclusion that other people should enjoy interacting with you. (how to do this?)

More on How to Improve Your Personality?