What Is That In Your Coffee

"Widespread caffeine use explains a lot about the twentieth century."
- Greg Egan

Here we are at the end of a long week that was made even longer for some by watching the Super Bowl late last Sunday. The Friday morning sun is beginning to creep over the horizon and all you can think of is getting that first cup of coffee.

Did you ever wonder what it is about coffee that stirs your craving?

Well here is a short video that helps explain at least why I like my morning cup of coffee so much. And all along I had thought it was due to Juan Valdez' constant search for the best coffee beans bringing me the freshest and most aromatic flavors.



So have your cup of coffee this morning and finish off the work week strong. The weekend is nearly upon us.

Stay inspired my friends!

Measuring Your Goals

“Goals are a means to an end, not the ultimate purpose of our lives. They are simply a tool to concentrate our focus and move us in a direction.”
- Anthony Robbins

When goals are set, the next step is to find a method of measuring the progress made towards achieving them. A need exists to chart where you are on the path to accomplishment. While the end will always look distant, knowing how distant will help you stay focused.

This is why experts say to write down your goals and then list a path to them.

For each goal, write down those things which must be down to place yourself at the end. It could be be a goal to lose weight. What are the steps besides simply not eating? These steps might include a proper diet appropriate to your health conditions, a change in your exercise habits or possibly changing your environment.

If you work at a Krispy Kreme donut shop and love donuts, maybe a change is needed.

Maybe the goal is to find a better job. Some would think the best thing is to quit and go look for a new job. Normally that is a bad idea because you need the current income to keep you going until finding something new. So how does one do this when working 12 hour days?

Take an hour or even 30 miinutes each day to look through the papers, yellow pages, search the Internet or by driving around. See what businesses are out there either close to you or in an area you are interested in. Research these companies and find out more about their business. Is this something you would want to do. Is there something you could fill a need for them. Now create your resume based on their needs, fill out an application and contact the company.

There are many steps you can write down for any goal.

By checking each one off as you complete them, you move closer to realizing your goal. This checklist can be your measurement. Yet the biggest obstacle many times to achievement is your own attitude. You have to believe in yourself and if not, change your attitude first. There is nothing worse then working towards a goal and hitting a problem along the way.

Those with a negative attitude will let the problem win and they will give up on the dream. If you maintain a positive attitude, you will recognize the problem for what it is, a temporary and short-term delay in achieving your goal.

Positive people work through it and continue on with renewed knowledge and ability.

Dream your greatest dreams, believe in those dreams and in your self. Now create a written path to those dreams. Watch as you progress to the finish line, gaining momentum with others cheering you on to success. Your success will be an inspiration to others but it will also be an inspiration to yourself.

Stay inspired my friends!

Twitter On A Wire

“We speak not only to tell other people what we think, but to tell ourselves what we think. Speech is a part of thought.” ― Oliver Sacks

"hashtag" Good morning, "hashtag" everyone.

I must confess I am an avid user of Twitter. I have been known to Tweet a picture of some spectacular meal or my travel buddy Einstein in some far off distant location. But in spite of my geeky ways, I can still laugh about it.

I can also assure everyone I am normal, have a regular job and I do have real friends, not just Facebook or Twitter friends. Yet the full allure of Twitter is still something I am trying to understand.

What drives me to Tweet?

Maybe just another way to connect with people far and wide. As I was growing up on a small farm in Nebraska, there were not a whole lot of folks you could meet. But my world grew and reaches all corners of the earth.

The biggest thing I can say about Twitter its ability to connect with other people. Not in a creepy stalking way but as an alternative method for communicating.

Connections happen on many different levels.

Whether it be using the telephone, email, chat rooms, instant messaging, SMS texting, blogging, or mini-blogging; all of this is social interaction happening on one level or another. Twitter is simply a form of communication.

We should all enjoy the various abilities technology has given us. From the earliest childhood days of using two tin cans and a long piece of string, we have been looking for new ways to talk with each other.

Keeping the conversation going remains the important thing.

It still remains much better to sit down, face to face, and have a conversation. As long as we keep talking and understanding each other, there will be hope for improving our lives and settling any difference we have. That is the true form of communication.

So enjoy the following Twitter musical and stay inspired my friends.

Who Are Your Heroes?

"Nurture your mind with great thoughts; to believe in the heroic makes heroes." - Benjamin Disraeli

Heroes are defined in many ways. The word is derived from the Greek word hērōs, which is "a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability." Most people who are labeled as heroes would be the last person to define themselves in that manner.

The more modern definition might be "someone admired for their achievements and noble qualities." This would me going beyond what would be expected of the everyday and normal course of life. As Will Rogers put it, "We can't all be heroes because somebody has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by."

It is others to create the label of hero, but for us to act in heroic ways.

Everyday in little and big ways our actions can go unnoticed by others. The single mother caring for three small children, struggling to make a life for them. She is certainly a hero to them. Or the person who donates their time or money to different causes. Always seeming to be there to help others.

The small things you do are often the ones for which people admire you. Most likely you will not even realize or expect the admiration. It comes down to having intention to "do good" in your life. This is something Dr. Wayne Dyer called "The power of intentions."

A way we can live our life.

I have been asked, "If everyone is a hero, what distinguishes them from anyone else?" A valid point and maybe we banter about the term too easily. Yet my first statement is "heroes are defined in many different ways." Whether these be societal or personal definitions, neither diminishes the other.

Take as an example stories from The MY HERO Project, which has the intention to enlighten and inspire people of all ages with an ever-growing Internet archive of hero stories from around the world.

A way to thank those who have inspired at the very least, you.

In one of the stories from the website, Andrea in Ireland writes, "My hero is: Mattie. Mattie, it is so hard sometimes to find the words to describe what a truly wonderful and inspirational influence you have had on so many in such a short space of time. I have no doubt that you would have little difficulty expressing the sentiments yourself as you have in all your works, using your combination of seemingly effortless thoughts overflowing with truth and sense and wisdom. I am honoured to count myself among those who shared in your story, and endeavour to bring your message of hope, joy and tolerance to all those who share in mine. God bless little angel. I thank you."

None of us will likely ever know who Mattie is, but a ripple can occur which will effect your life. It will do so in ways we will never be able to trace back to Mattie, but it occurs. The ripple touched Andrea near the center and will effect you by reading those words further out among the ripples.

So clap for those who have done something good in your life.

Continue to do good things and live your life with good intention knowing that to someone else you are their hero. With good intentions, you will live a life that is in many ways heroic. You will begin to realize there are people "sitting on the curb clapping as you go by."

Stay inspired my friends!