What Words Will They Chisel Into Your Tombstone?

One day you will inevitably die. A morbid statement, I know, but one that is true. I don't want to upset you so let me say this - hopefully that day will be a long, long way off. However, I have a question for you now.

What words will they chisel into your tombstone? Oh I know, most people are cremated these days. What I am really saying here is this - when it is all over for you, what will you be remembered for?

What about something like this?

"Here lies Fred Nurk. He was born. He lived. He died."

Not too impressive is it? You might ask: "What did Fred do all his life? Perhaps somebody in the mourning congregation might say a few words to explain the meaning of Fred's life.

"Well, Fred never said much coz Fred hated criticism. And he didn't do much either coz he couldn't be bothered. He never married either coz he couldn't make a commitment. He didn't work either coz he never found anything worth doing. Shucks, I guess poor old Fred never did anything!"

Why is it that some people achieve so much, while others achieve so little?

This reminds me of a story I heard once where a poor man walked up to a very successful business man and asked:

"What is the secret of your success? How do you get so much done?"

The business man replied: "That is the answer."

The poor man scratched his head to which the business man said: "I see you are having trouble with my answer but you mentioned the answer yourself in your question."

Again the poor man scratched his head.

The business man said: "I am successful because I get so much done."

The poor man then asked: "How do you do so much?"

The business man replied: "How do you do so little?"

This sounds like Confucianism. But it shows that sometimes, if we are smart enough to ask the question, we are already in sight of the answer.

The truth is ? some people wear out while other people rust out. What would you prefer?

Motivation, education and action will set you on the path of success. Lack of motivation, ignorance and inaction are the traits responsible for the "Fred Nurks" of this world.

Time is moving on. It will wait for nobody. There is no time like the present to start doing something worthwhile.

If you are restless and feel it is time to do something with your life then I recommend some education for you ? not necessarily the education you get in a classroom, though that, too, is highly recommended. A good alternative is to take a trip to your local bookstore. Seek out a book called "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill (ISBN: 0-87980-163-8). There are many other similar books that you can select from but this is a very good one. The categories to look under are:

Motivation
Self Help
Personal Development
Success

If you ask the assistant you will get the help you need.

Don't tiptoe through life like the Fred Nurks of this world. Make the inscription on your tombstone a magnificent one.

Life and success are yours for the taking!

[If you like this article and would like to use it on your own website or ezine you may do so ONLY if the article is not changed in any way and the final paragraph: "About the author", with all links intact, is included.]

About the author: Gary Simpson is the author of eight books covering a diverse range of subjects such as self esteem, affirmations, self defense, finance and much more. His articles appear all over the web. Gary's email address is budo@iinet.net.au. Click here to go to his Motivation & Self Esteem for Success website where you can receive his "Zenspirational Thoughts" plus an immediate FREE copy of his highly acclaimed, life-changing e-book "The Power of Choice."

---

Mountain Climbing Over Molehills

Someone has said that the greatest cause of ulcers is mountain-climbing over mole-hills! Is that the way you get your exercise? Many folks allow themselves to be thrown off course by minor or... Read More

Great Goals Make You Stretch!

I began enhancing my personal energy level three months shy of my 40th birthday and after 2 years of struggling with clinically-diagnosed depression. During this same period, I was challenged, immensely by the... Read More

How to Break the Cycle of Postponing Your Dreams

Do you have a dream, but keep postponing it because you feel trapped by the responsibilities of life? Want to be a writer, work from home, own your own business? First, we will... Read More

If I Won the Lottery, I Wouldnt Have to Job Search!

IF I WON THE LOTTERY, IWOULDN'T NEED TO JOB SEARCH!Let's take a look at how many people win lotteries in a year's time. We all know the numbers are small.But what if you... Read More

Dreams, Goals, And Aspirations - Is This Holding You Back?

In this short article I'd like to discuss a certain kind of belief that holds many people - people who are quite capable and talented - back from reaching goals, realizing dreams, and... Read More

The Great American Dream Challenge

Pull Quote: "the secret to living a "dream come true" life is to believe in your dream simply because it matters to you."Making Your Dreams Come TrueYears ago, people came to America in... Read More

Goal Setting - The Facts Behind The Fiction

To have hopes and dreams for the future is a wonderful idea. If you want to call them 'goals' that's fine also but do learn to get things in perspective. They are NOT... Read More

Make Your Goals Stick

The amazing thing about the future is that if you wait, it will always come to you. No doubt you sat down and created your share of New Year's resolutions to conquer this... Read More

Got Purpose?

Is your life on purpose? Does just the question stop you in your tracks? Have you been so caught up in the pace of our world that you've not even thought lately about... Read More

Settling For More

You have enormous promise! Why compromise?I once heard one self-professed motivational expert say, "When you set your goals, aim for the moon. Aim high. Even if you fall short, you will have reached... Read More

One Single Secret to Goal Setting Success

Perhaps you have never taken a stock of the most valuable and precious wealth of yours. Every person possesses it since the day of birth. This wealth is our life, its minutes, hours,... Read More

One Life to Live

Nothing stops us. Well, almost nothing. Although we do live in a world that whirls at breakneck speed, there are a few things that will stop us in our tracks. When tragedy strikes,... Read More

Driving To Your Goals

Every time you get in your car to go anywhere, you are working on achieving a goal. There is somewhere you want to be, so you take action to get there. The three... Read More

Planning for Success

The purpose of having an analytical brain is to use it to think and make a plan before we act.Acting spontaneously out of fear, revenge, spite, anger and a host of other emotions... Read More

Manage Your Expectations ... And Raise The Bar On Your Quality Of Life!

When I was a newbie in 'the game of life,' I wanted to succeed beyond my wildest dreams. I wanted to make it big and take on the world, all at once. My... Read More

Goal Setting for Creative Professionals

You know that old saying -- if you don't know where you're going, any path will get you there. That's what happens if you don't take the time to figure out what your... Read More

Goals

"A successful attempt at scoring"Let's break that definition of Goals down a little. When you attempt a goal, does that mean you hit the mark you were shooting for? Or does it mean... Read More

Goal Setting - Forget About It

Many motivational speakers and self-help books will tell you that you must have goals. I've even advocated goal setting myself in the past. You write down your goals and detail them for family... Read More

Exploring Beneath The Surface

Unwanted feelings and thoughts are rich territory to dive beneath the surface for fresh insights that open the heart. Imagine for a moment that you are floating along on the ocean of feelings... Read More

A Proper Mission Statement Can Drive Your Life Forward

Most people measure us by our accomplishments -- what we've done. In my experience, most people compile their track record of accomplishments BY MISTAKE; that is, we don't have a plan, we simply... Read More

How To Create Your Very Own DREAMWALL!

A great way of attuning yourself daily to what your deepest dreams and wants are is to create yourself a DREAM WALL.Use books and magazines or search online for images of the things... Read More

Why Success With Goal Setting Is A Myth! Heres What You Really Need...

Every person who succeeded at a high level, in any business venture, probably said goal setting played a big part of their success. But often the person speaking these words isn't telling you... Read More

Goal Setting or How Being SMART Isnt Always the Right Objective

Over the years much has been written on the subject of goal setting with most conventional wisdom coming down in favour of the SMART objective setting process.SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timebound) has... Read More

How To Lose Weight, Make Money and Get Women

When deciding to write this article, I decided that I wanted to show all the things that not just getting in shape, but accomplishing something extraordinary, can do for you. If you are... Read More

Achieving Success Through Effective Goal Setting

It is important to have goals because they are good for your physical and mental health. You can have goals for all areas of your life. Here are a few ideas: Career, Learning,... Read More

Five Steps to Goal-Setting

What would you like to achieve in your lifetime?Author Basil S. Walth once said, "If you don't know where you are going, how can you expect to get there?" These are words well... Read More

Perseverance: When You Master this Tool, Your Goal Setting Success will Soar

"Life is not easy for any of us. We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be... Read More

Just Do It! Write Down Some Goals and Start Achieving!

You have a choice it would seem ? you can float along on the river of the life, don't worry about where it takes you and maybe disappear over a waterfall or go... Read More

Ask yourself, So what?

Neil Armstrong made his first moon walk on July 20, 1969, two months before I entered college. I remember that many Americans were euphoric about this accomplishment. There were songs written, celebrations, ticker... Read More