Filipino proverb

I remember a distinct moment from grade school: I looked around the classroom and wonder if anybody else was actually listening to the teacher. My wandering imagination has always fascinated me. I would dream constantly; paying little attention to the boring or mundane. My imagination is like a trusted friend I can always rely on to entertain me. I would learn this was to be my blessed curse; a never ending imagination of possible wonders.

I read somewhere that writing is no more than a guided dream…

This dream starts in grade twelve English with the poem Ulysses by Lord Alfred Tennyson. It was the first time that literature would inspire me to take action. I was mesmerized by this poem and it would soon become a part of my soul. The great urge to travel the world pursuing distant horizons and unknown wonders filled my heart. I made a decision that day to travel Europe for the summer; and it was simply the most enlightening decision I have ever made.

“…I am a part of all that I have met;
Yet all experience is an arch wherethro’
Gleams that untravell’d world whose margin fades
For ever and forever when I move.
How dull it is to pause, to make an end,
To rust unburnish’d, not to shine in use!
As tho’ to breathe were life!…” Ulysses by Lord Alfred Tennyson

I found part of my true self that summer in Europe. I grew more in character then the previous 18 years of my life. The world was a grand vast place and I needed to contribute my verse. Everything was so fresh and alive; I was seeing the world in a new light. It was sensory-overload and for the first time, my imagination stilled. I didn’t realize it at the time, but somewhere between The Grand Place in Brussels and the snow covered peaks of Switzerland, I took my first step towards a few fleeting moments of enlightenment.

It would take three years for me to return to Europe. I had become a lost soul in University. My live the biggest life you can attitude had me hanging my hat in the pub instead of the classroom. I was having the time of my life, completely unaware that my future was taking a turn for the worst. I had lost all direction; something big was missing in my life. The Scary part was that I had no idea what.

I started my trip in England and managed to make my way down to Greece. Just thinking about Greece as I write gives me chills. That warm ocean breeze and winding seaside roads seemed to naturally heal my unhappiness. I was a free soul again: I was loving life once more.

Sitting on a rock in Corfu enjoying the splendor of the brilliant pink sunset and contemplating my life. I decided to make a list of everything I loved and hated about myself. I looked at the list for a long time – and then I threw it in the Ocean. It was a list of my past-self, and I made peace with it, realizing it had no bearing on my future. Then it struck me hard. This overwhelming and absolute feeling of joy invaded my soul. I wept with tears for joy for the first time in my life. I cried my eyes out and it felt wonderful. I was happy to be who I was; and proud of my place in the world. That cry still remains one of the happiest moments in my life. I was forever a changed man.

Nothing could hold me back from returning to Europe next summer.  I needed to sit on my rock and figure out one question. What I want to do with my life?  The question was simple.  If I could do anything at all, what would make me the happiest?  The answer never showed. So I left Greece on a ferry heading to Italy. I was listening to Ben Harper’s song ‘Give a man a home’ and I finally figure it out. I wanted to travel the  world and write about it. That would make me the happiest man I could be.

I knew that was the answer I was looking for more then I knew anything else on earth.  I traveled up the coast to arrive in Barcelona a few days later; and had my first meeting with fate.  I arrived late at night and there wasn’t a bed to be found anywhere.  I stored my backpack in a locker at the train station and headed to the beach to crash. I awoke miserable and tired. I searched everywhere for 6 hours to find a place to stay. The hot sun was pouring down and my backpack was digging deeper and deeper into my shoulders. I had no luck at all.  I was ready to give up and get back on the train, but I decided to give it one more try. Finally, the hostel Alberg Palau had one bed available; relief.  On my bed was a copy of The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho: a story about a sacred journey to Santiago Compostela in Northern Spain to become a new man. That book would become part of my journey as I traveled through the luscious green valleys of Spain to the Cathedral of Saint James. The Cathedral was breathtaking and for the first time I felt immersed in the Soul of the World. I was certain that a higher source of power existed on earth, and I felt comforted by that.

“It is the pleasure of searching and the pleasure of the adventure.  You are nourishing something that’s very important-your dreams.  We must never stop dreaming.  Dreams provide nourishment for the soul, just as a meal does for the body.  Many times in our lives we see our dreams shattered and our desires frustrated, but we have to continue dreaming.  If we don’t, our soul dies…” The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho

I returned home and picked up a copy of Coelho’s famous book The Alchemist.  It was an omen that confirmed everything I had learned in my travels. I would begin listening to my heart and following my dreams.  I was the Sheppard boy Santiago whose love for traveling had revealed his personal treasure. From that moment on, I dedicated my life to becoming a writer.  I had finally found what I was looking for; my destiny.

“When you want something with all your heart, that’s when you are closest to the Soul of the World. It’s always a positive force.” The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Ulysses is still my favorite poem, and The Alchemist my favorite book by my favorite author. I have yet to return to my rock on the beautiful beach of Corfu, but I know I will make it back there someday. Hopefully with a copy of my bestseller in one hand and my journal in the other.

“It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.” The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Hope you enjoyed my insight…. Peace and safe travels…

Jonathan

The Evolution of this blog and what to expect in year 3.

Over the weekend, I retraced my steps in Cyberspace and was pleasantly surprise with the evolution of E.y.D. However, truth be told, this blog wasn’t initial very good. In fact, it kind of sucked. It was obvious how my writing style had developed to expose more insight. But one Key ingredient still remained missing: My true voice. It really came down to one thing: My fear of being vulnerable.  In short, the message on E.y.D was clear, but it had no personal tone.  I – was absent.

Awareness is the catalyst for change. It’s time to pull back the curtain and empty my bleeding heart by taking risks and writing with passion. I vow to broaden my quest for a more enlightened life and share it with you.  I’m stepping out of my comfort zone to experience new things, and devoting myself to practicing the message I preach.

Here is what else you can expect from E.y.D in year 3:

A Facelift:

A bright new Earthy look. A much needed change from the former dark muddled appearance. The new look is bright and consistent with my message to enlighten your day.  Here is a quick snap shot of the old Face of E.y.D What do you think? Did I take a step in the right direction?

New pages and updated directory:

I have edited my pages by adding short original summaries to communicate my message in as few words as possible. Moreover, my new service page allows authors to submit their book for a free review; and the chance for other writers to contribute guest posts. In addition, my updated Enlightened Directory is designed to make navigation fun and easy.

Monthly Newsletter:

My monthly E.y.D Newsletter will launch next month. Here is a sneak preview of what you can expect.

Original articles, monthly Book reviews, selected quote collections, and must-see-movies. In addition, I will include Cyberspace highlights featuring a bloggers, Youtube videos, and photo collections of the month.  Be one of the first 250 to sign up and get a free copy of my upcoming eBook.

My new Ebook:

My intent is to create a book that will brighten a sad day and lift a broken heart. Each chapter will start with one negative emotion and boldly attempt to give my readers the power to change a negative feeling into a positive one. For instance, my chapter on Sadness will include selected stories with happy endings, happy quotes, and my personal experiences designed to strip away sad tears and allow the sun to shine once again.   My eBook is a long way from finished, but I will have it completed very soon.

I thank you for your support during my growth and evolution phase of E.y.D. I hope you’ll take an active role in the coming year by sharing your thoughts and insights in my comment section.

Kindest Regards,

Jonathan

Follow the linkssssss…  What R U waiting for???

Daily Necessities Web 2.0

(Links and Stumbles for building a spiritual life in the Blogosphere )

Pray

Meditate

Be aware/Stay awake
Bow
Practise yoga
Feel
Chant and sing
Breathe and smile
Relax/Enjoy/Laugh/Play
Create/Envision
Let Go/Forgive Accept
Walk/Exercise/Move
Work/Serve/Contribute
Listen/Learn/Enquire
Consider/Reflect
Cultivate oneself/Enhance competencies
Cultivate contentment
Cultivate flexibility
Cultivate friendship and collaboration
Lighten up
Celebrate and appreciate
Dream
Give thanks
Evolve
Love
Share/Give/Receive
Walk softly/Live gently
Expand/Radiate/Dissolve
Simplify
Surrender/Trust
Be born anew

from Awakening The Buddha Within by Lama Surya

(Tips & pointers for building a spiritual life from scratch)

Daily Necessities Web 2.0

(Links and Stumbles for building a spiritual life in the Blogosphere )

The idea for this post was inspired by Greg Rutter‘s Definitive List of The 99 Things You Should Have Already Experienced On The Internet Unless You’re a Loser or Old or Something. Thanks Greg for your awesome creativity.

 “Relentless pursuit to find a competitive edge.”  Pete Carroll

Can you recite your personal philosophy in 25 words or less?

Legendary college football coach Pete Carroll started his motivational speech by stressing the importance of having a philosophy and knowing it. Carroll asked some of military’s highest-ranking officers to raise their hands if they had a personal philosophy. About half the attendees raised their hands.

Then he asked how many of those who raised their hands could recite their philosophy in 25 words or less. By then, only a small handful of people still had their hands up.  

If I was asked to recited my personal philosophy in 25 words or less, my answer would be yes. I would take a shot at it, and probably come up with something close to 25 words and near the truth. But no philosophy is completely ingrained my soul.  My mantra is: To Strive for Love, To seek knowledge, To Find happiness, and Yield not to fear.  Inspired by my favorite poem Ulysses by Lord Alfred Tennyson.  “To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.”   So I decided to write a sharp personal philosophy in 25 words or less.  And I challenge you to do the same.

I would love to hear some inspiring short philosophies, so drop a link below to your blog post, social media site, or go rogue in the comment section below with 25 words or less. In case you wondering where you can find my personal philosophy in 25 words or less.  I decided to take some time to ponder this exercise and try to perfect my 25 words or less, in a poetic style that speaks of imagination and certitude. I will published it in three days time…

Need a little inspiration?  Here is a Pete Carroll coaching philosophy: Win…Forever.

“I remembered thinking, that’s what it means to really be successful, showing you can maintain success over a long period of time,” Carroll said. “Looking back now, that’s when I decided that I wanted the team I coached to Win Forever.”

“How can you possibly do something forever? Much less Win… Forever?”

“That’s the interesting thing about the philosophy — to accomplish the grand, you have to focus on the small. To exist in the eternal perspective, you have to live in the moment.”

“Each practice takes on utmost importance. Each strength and conditioning workout carries significant weight. They’re all monumental, yet none more valuable than another.”

“And it goes to even more minute scales than that. Each repetition of each drill at practice means everything, because you can’t get to forever without right now.”

Carroll continued recalling the speech he gave to his players,

“‘The issue is this — we set our sights years and years ago to get to this point right here and to prove that we could do this just because we were dreamers and we were hopeful and we were going to do something really special. And the fact that we’re going to play this game tomorrow is not the issue. The fact that’s so important is what we have done, what we have illustrated and the lesson we can take away from this. By having a vision that nobody would back off on, that nobody would take a backward step on, that nobody would ever think couldn’t happen, we found our way to put ourselves exactly where we wanted to be. We’re doing it better than it’s ever been done before.”

“Carroll was a specially invited attendee and speaker at the military’s Conference on Small Unit Excellence, a first-of-its-kind seminar in Alexandria, Va., in late April that has since laid the foundation for revolutionary shifts in the actions and attitudes of the country’s armed forces.”

“Co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Joint Forces Command, the three-day conference attracted the military’s highest-ranking officers, some of the country’s brightest academicians, science’s top thinkers and Carroll — the only sports-related person invited — as they sought the answer to one question: How can the U.S. military improve and maintain consistent success?”

“Much like the rock that you drop in calm water, the effects of Coach’s presence and what he had to say is still rippling through the body of communities here,” Kamiya said. “The ripples are still reverberating through our communities.”  Source USC News

“Everything Is Illuminated.”  Jorge Luis

 “Any life is made up of a single moment, the moment in which a man finds out, once and for all, who he is.”  Jorge Luis Borges    

Flickr photo by Stellablue72

Upon finding a great Author that captures your heart, look further down the rabbit hole to find the writer that captured theirs.   Literature is often a road map of wisdom sending omens and random coincidences to guide you.  I’m always listening and watching for a recurring name or title to seek it out.

I found Jorge Luis Borges in Paulo Coelho’s book Confessions of a Pilgrim.  Paulo shared a story about taking a long bus trip to see Borges in person.  Upon arriving and seeing Borges, he didn’t talk to him or ask him any questions.  He just looked at him and then returned home.  I pondered why he didn’t saying anything to his favorite writer. What stopped him from a hello or hand shake.  Paulo is an avid blogger communicating directly with his fans on a regular basis, so I have a good chance of finding my answer.  I will keep you posted on the results.

In the mean time, I would love to hear your thoughts or theories on why he didn’t say anything. What would you say given the opportunity to meet your favorite writer?

Short Bio on Borges From The Modern Word

Jorge Luis Borges was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina on August 24, 1899. He was always expected to be a writer… He started writing at the age of six, mostly fanciful stories inspired by Cervantes. When he was nine, he translated Oscar Wilde’s “The Happy Prince” into Spanish, an effort which appeared in a local newspaper called El País.”

Poetry Spotlight on Jorge Luis Borges:

“Poetry remembers that it was an oral art before it was a written art.”  Jorge Luis Borges

Flickr photo by kai photography

Flickr photo by Eric Flexyourhead

Instants by Jorge Luis Borges

If I could live again my life,
In the next – I’ll try,
- to make more mistakes,
I won’t try to be so perfect,
I’ll be more relaxed,
I’ll be more full – than I am now,
In fact, I’ll take fewer things seriously,
I’ll be less hygienic,
I’ll take more risks,
I’ll take more trips,
I’ll watch more sunsets,
I’ll climb more mountains,
I’ll swim more rivers,

I’ll go to more places – I’ve never been,
I’ll eat more ice creams and less (lime) beans,
I’ll have more real problems – and less imaginary
ones,
I was one of those people who live
prudent and prolific lives -
each minute of his life,
Off course that I had moments of joy – but,
if I could go back I’ll try to have only good moments,

If you don’t know – that’s what life is made of,
Don’t lose the now!

I was one of those who never goes anywhere
without a thermometer,
without a hot-water bottle,
and without an umbrella and without a parachute,

If I could live again – I will travel light,
If I could live again – I’ll try to work bare feet
at the beginning of spring till
the end of autumn,
I’ll ride more carts,
I’ll watch more sunrises and play with more children,
If I have the life to live – but now I am 85,
- and I know that I am dying …

Flickr photo by xiaming

We are the time. We are the famous by Jorge Luis Borges

We are the time. We are the famous
metaphor from Heraclitus the Obscure.

We are the water, not the hard diamond,
the one that is lost, not the one that stands still.

We are the river and we are that Greek
that looks himself into the river. His reflection
changes into the waters of the changing mirror,
into the crystal that changes like the fire.

We are the vain predetermined river,
in his travel to his sea.

The shadows have surrounded him.
Everything said goodbye to us, everything goes away.
Memory does not stamp his own coin.

Flickr photo by Miceeatcheese

However, there is something that stays
however, there is something that bemoans.

Jorge Luis Borges

In Confessions of a Pilgrim, Paulo Coelho recited one of his favorite poems by Jorge Luis Borges:

I will not be happy now. It may not matter.
There are so many more things in the world.
Any random instant is as crowded
And varied as the sea.  A life is brief, and though
The hours seem long, there is another
Dark mystery that lies in wait for us-
Death, that other sea, that other arrow
That frees us from the sun, the moon, and love.
The happiness you gave me once and later
Took back from me will be obliterated.
That which was everything must turn to nothing.
I only keep the taste of my own sadness
And a vain urge that turns me to the South side,
To a certain corner there, a certain door.

Jorge Luis Borges

Flickr photo by takiostavim 

“To die for a religion is easier than to live it absolutely.” Jorge Luis Borges

Related Posts: My response to Ed Varney’s poem titled Happiness

The beautiful & enchanting wisdom of Hugh Prather

Looking back to my first posts on E.Y.D, I realized it took a year to find the true voice of this blog.  Now, I feel my direction is clearly defined.  What I hope to accomplish with Enlighten Your Day is a Meditative Thought Blog.  A portal on the net for anyone seeking a momentary pause to contemplate something positive, to see something brilliant, or share some insight.

To celebrate my first year anniversary, I’m sharing what I learned and loved while journeying into the Blogosphere.

Photo found here on Vi.sualize.us

I.)  First and foremost; it’s all about friends.

I have come to know a myriad of wonderful people and gained a community dedicated to sharing wisdom, laughter, and beauty. My first Cyber connection was Matt a.k.a WOlfhOund: a writer, Social Media Guru and Blogger (Homeless Tales).  Although we got off on the wrong foot, (my fault – never blog before being caffeinated!), I quickly learned the value and importance of friendships.  In the world of Blogging, you can’t be an Island and succeed, you need to build bridges.  Next came Babbages4life and TopSurf, true pioneers of the Stumble-Blog.  It was simple, we shared countless photos, lols, and : ).  Thank You.  Finally, to the many Bloggers who have shared their thoughts and wisdom with me, it has been a pleasure.  Big love goes out to Evelyn (Attraction Mind Map), Mommy Mystic (BellaOnline), 1000meditations (axel g), along with so many others for all your support.

Please share links in my comment section to one or more of your posts so that others can find your work.

Photo found here on Vi.sualize.us

II.)  Secondly, God does create a lot of controversy and a comment fight is a good thing.

My most commented post to date:  Amazing tips for living a better life.  One simple line, “God heals almost everything”, sparked a wild debate.  This debate opened my eyes to the revolving door of being both teacher and student as a Blogger.  It was inspiring to learn from people expressing themselves for reasons greater then the need to be right or win. Instead, being interested in understanding other perspectives and challenging their soul to grow.  Here are my two favourite comments readers were kind enough to share.

This first comes from the post mentioned above.  JM Response to Amazing tips:

“Wow. Reading the above postings was a special experience. It’s as though #28 ruined the day for everyone who read it. I’m agnostic or atheist or I don’t really know what, but it’s really irrelevant. I’m just blown away by the negativity that one comment can provoke in people who are logging on to a website based on “enlightenment.” My personal advice would be to “Fucking lighten up.” But perhaps more sage advice would be what a Buddhist monk once told me when I struggled with one of the teachings: “Ignore that teaching. If it is a roadblock to accepting the good parts in the other passages, then you must discard it. Maybe one day you will feel differently about it, maybe not, but don’t let it get in the way of the parts which are helpful to you.” That’s my two cents. Feel free to get angry, I won’t.”

The second comment comes from a question I asked in: Enlightening Chinese proverbs and a Question from a Quote.  “Religion answers questions. spirituality asks questions. Is one inherently better then the other?”

Photo by Photizo on Gaia

Ian Ward’s response was brilliant: “Spirituality is the journey. All religions are just sign posts. The trouble with religion is that if you only focus on the sign posts, you miss out on experiencing the journey. The good thing about spirituality is that you can pick your own path for your journey and don’t necessarily need any sign posts.”  Ian

III.)  The present moment is always best.

My most viewed post to date, 11 Enlightening movie quotes that will touch your heart, was insanely popular.  Kung Fu Panda was hot at the box office at that time, and starting with that quote seemed to me to make all the difference. The reason being, it was in the present moment; which is the secret of enlightenment.

“Quit, don’t quit, noodles, don’t noodles. You are too concerned with what was and what will be. There is a saying, “Yesterday is History, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift, that’s why it is called a present.” Kung Fu Panda

What can you expect from this second year of E.Y.D?  I think my Bio line on Twitter sums it up nicely:  “A Meditative Thought Blog sharing Your Daily Cup of Enlightened Zen and Artistic Beauty. Find Inspiration, Insight, Gorgeous Photos, Quotes, Meditations, and more. ”

I hope you will join me….

My New Subscription Page:  Subscribe Now!

Photo found here on Vi.sualize.us

Please share some related post or anything you desire below.  The Link Lines are Open…

Recent Realizations

Those that get it are lucky:  Funny Zen story of two monks and a lovely girl

Everybody loves the Alchemist: Inspiring passages for Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist

Photo by

A short creative Essay on Social Media.

Once considered to be the Pope of Facebook by my coworkers; I have since moved on to be king of StumbleUpon. I check my analytics, Feed and blog comments with religious zeal, while simultaneously reading prolific blogs like Zen Habits and Dosh Dosh. I give Karmic Link-Love to all those who are kind enough to share.

I Tweet, I vote, I comment and I share heart pounding reviews for everyone to see. I meditate in the vortex of cyberspace while searching for that latest pop culture phenomenon I can launch further into the stratosphere. I tremendously enjoy giving daily Cups of Enlightened Zen to thousands of readers each week. My popularity online grows bigger with each passing moment, the last time in needed an ego boost, I counted a total of 3256 friends, subscribers, followers, and fans (which made me feel better).

On a monthly basis I make deep heart-rooted connections in the Blogosphere. Even though I have 896 friends on Digg; there is something I don‘t trust about that site. I am currently trending towards Mixx being cool, Reddit a new addiction, Vi.sualize.us a hidden gem, Twitter a necessary evil, and StumbleUpon a home where everybody knows my name. Sometimes I even scribble the name WordPress and draw little hearts around it. Double Yes, I love all things Social Media. (Even Propeller – well kind of?)

 Photo by Will Lion found on Techipedia

Photo by Todd Malicoat on Stuntdubl

Related Posts:

Inspiring Tweets and Zen Retweets from my Twitter Contributors

Stumbleupon is thy Addiction

Photo by Aremac

I recently read a brilliant post about writing your own personal creed on Attraction Mind Map by Evelyn. The post was in response to Daphne Lim from Joyful Days who asked readers to submit their personal creed. Immediately, I felt inspired to write my own creed as a free writing exercise. Free writing is when you set a specific amount of time and don’t stop writing until its over. Just open the flood gates of your mind and let your inner thoughts and emotions flow. My creed felt wonderful to express and I enjoyed the experience tremendously. I titled my creed: I will. It embodies the direction I set forth for my heart and soul.

I will by J.M.H

I will dream and never stop dreaming…

I will give up suffering…

I will strive for love…

I will seek knowledge…

I will find happiness…

I will yield not to fear…

I will seize the day…

I will be honest when it hurts…

I will conquer what I desire to conquer…

I will nourish my soul with my dreams…

I will smell the flowers on a rainy day…

I will be purposeful in my actions…

I will reach for the grandiose…

I will know love is friendship set on fire…

I will never rest from travel…

I will roar triumphantly…

I will feed inspiration to my senses…

I will not interpret my dreams in gold and silver…

I will give genuine and sincere compliments…

I will chose love, always love…

I will laugh at myself, life and everything around me…

I will throw caution to the wind in pursuit of pleasure…

I will cherish both my friends and enemies…

I will love like I have never been hurt…

I will work like I don’t need the money…

I will know that I am somebody special capable of anything…

I will dance down the street like dingledodies…

I will not be a critic, critics are useless…

I will know not Defeat, heartbreak, and surrender; those are not in my creed…

I will not understand those definitions…

I will not wait for the ship to come it, I will swim out to it…

I will listen to my heart that is capable of carrying me through anything…

I will look through the arch way of experience into the unknown…

I will know that my failures lead to the backdoor of success…

I will know mean-spirited people cannot rain on my parade…

I will know negative people cannot infect me with their thoughts…

I will chose determination, will, and above all hope as my being…

I will know weakness, pain, and hopelessness are not in my being…

I will never quit, never give up, and never surrender…

I will live this day like it will be my last…

I will remember to be grateful; and that will be enough…

I will understand victory, and nothing else!

Photo by Kwerdeldein

Related Posts:

Use the power of positive affirmations to change your life

Finding the Zen of closing a sale!

Everyday, I listen to people’s problems over the phone and do my best to offer them a solution.  I’m in sales, and most days I really enjoy it. In sales, when the dust clears, you can either give results or excuses. I have always been great with excuses. I have a long never-ending list that has been tried, tested, and true since as long as I can remember. Simply stated, a good excuse at the right time can be a beautiful thing. However, recently I noticed a very positive change in my work life: I developed a desire to be the very best.

Any salesman or woman, has probably read a hundred different sales tips and strategies. So I am just going to give you one. The greatest truth in sales: “People buy for whose reasons, your reasons or their reasons? People buy for their reasons.” Simple right?

I remember the feeling of closing a fortune 100 company at first sales gig. I roared a loud triumphant cheer and felt the rush of self-actualization pass through me. Closing that sale felt fantastic, and as with all fantastic things, I wanted more right away. Now that initial rush has changed to more consistent and complete feeling that I carry with me throughout my workday. The simple feeling that I am good at something, I have the power to enjoy it, and it brings me joy to succeed at it. So here are my essential teachings on finding the Zen of closing a sale.

“Reverse psychology is an awesome tool, I don’t know if you guys know about it, but basically you can make someone think the opposite of what you believe, and that tricks them into doing something stupid. Works like a charm.”  Michael Scott – The Office

Celebrate each victory whether large or small.

The Costa Ricans have a beautiful saying called Pura Vida. The literal translation is “Pure life”, but the contextual meaning is “Full of life” or “Purified life”.  For me it’s the perfect sales philosophy to follow. “It embodies a philosophy in which communal ties are strong and close; difficulties are overcome with a resilient and happy spirit, where life is enjoyed leisurely and to the full, and where fortune of whatever size is heartily celebrated.” Tony Cousins. Take a moment to think about that philosophy and how it can pertain to both your work and life.
 

“I guess the atmosphere that I’ve tried to create here is that I’m a friend first and a boss second, and probably an entertainer third.” Michael Scott – The Office

Bring harmony to your work space and everyone around it.

I shared my first office with a close friend Eric. It was high above the city on the 17^th floor with a corner window overlooking the Art Gallery in downtown Vancouver. Each morning I would play a little Hemi-Sync music to help me get into a peaceful harmonious rhythm. Hemi-Sync is short for Hemispheric Synchronization, the technique synchronizes the two hemispheres of one’s brain, thereby creating a ‘frequency-following response’ designed to evoke altered states of consciousness through the use of sound. Similar to someone listening to the symphony of the rain wash away their tears, or the elevating beat of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons to lift their spirits. When you bring harmony into your tone of voice and complement it with a peaceful attitude, people will enjoy talking with you, and want to listen closely to what you‘re saying. Within a week, Eric was asking me to play this selection or that one, and had chosen a favourite. The following is a clip of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, I recommend playing it softly in the background as you continue reading. 

“Uh, yeah, I get a little frustrated when I’m dealing with incompetence. Well, you know what? You can go to hell and I will see you there. Burning. Fine. Oh, wait, so you’ll let me know when you’ve made a decision?”  Dwight Schrute – The Office

Control the ebb and flow of your conscious thoughts.

Be as passionate as you can without getting too emotionally involved. This can be one of the most difficult things in sales and life. Passion and enthusiasm are the driving force behind any great sales person. But be weary against becoming to emotionally involved, their is a very fine line between passion and the “greed of needing“. Remember that each “No” brings you one step closer to finding a “Yes” and closing a sale. Strive for the balance of understanding it’s the “No’s” that make the “Yes’s” feel great, and the “Yes’s” that make the “No’s” worth it. Find the balance and the big Moby Dick (Whale-not to be confused with a swinging rod) of sales will soon be yours.
 

Be at one with all the wonderful things about your job.

Motivational speaker and author Zig Ziglar talks about attitude, and how we’re often unaware of how many things we like about our job. The example he gives involves a bitter and unhappy women who approached him with what she thought was an impossible problem. When she walked up to meet him, he never saw more anger in a person in his entire life. She started crying right away, and said she has this horrible job that she hates, she hates everything about it, and she hates everyone who works there. She looked at him and asked: “Can you help me?” He looked at her firmly and said: “Your problem is about to get worse.” She replied: “What do you mean?” He said, “I believe they are going to fire you.” She was stunned, “Fire me, why would they to fire me?” Zig then explains, “have you ever noticed when someone is about to lose something they have been complaining about, it takes on brand new value.” She looked at him and asked, “ What can I do? He asked her to get out a piece of paper and write on the top, “I like my job because”. She replied, “that will be easy, I don’t like anything about my job or the people down there.” He asked her: “Do they pay you for working there?” “Yes, the pay me”, she replied. He responded, “Well do you like to be paid?” She said, “Yes I do”.  Zig: “Ok, that is one thing you like about your job.” In the end, she had 22 things she liked about her job: she was paid above average, she had a office, a parking spot, three weeks paid vacation, they paid to send her to conferences, and so on. He told her to go home and read it over in the mirror and change “I like my job” to “I love my job”. Zig believes “The healthiest of all human emotions is gratitude” Six weeks later he was back to do a follow up sales seminar and there she was sitting in the front row grinning so wide she could have eaten a banana sideways. He asked her how she was doing, and she replied, “I am doing wonderfully well. You will not believe how much those people at work have changed.” The moral of the story: “Your not going to change anyone else until you change you. “  

Your feedback and comments are greatly appreciated. Feel free to share any Sales or Zen related stories or information below.  Thanks

“What is the single most important thing for a company? Is it the building? Is it the stock? Is it the turnover? It’s the people. The *people*. My proudest moment here wasn’t when I increased profits by 17%, or cut expenditure without losing a single member of staff. No, no, no, no. It was a young Guatamalan guy, first job in the country, hardly spoke a word of English, but he came to me and he went “Mr. Scott, will you be the Godfather to my child?” Wow. *Wow.* Didn’t work out in the end. We had to let him go. He sucked.”  Michael Scott – The Office

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