Marcel Legros - Play the Game of Life

Dealing with distractions is a life skill we all need to master. I’m working on it myself, right now. I have an idea and I want to create a killer article but a car alarm goes off across the street, a good tv show begs for my attention, my cat wants to be fed, and I have to get my laundry done for work tomorrow. I’m distracted and I can’t focus. We’ve all been here, haven’t we? How do some people stay focused and calm while others are mired in multitasking hell - distracted, annoyed, and irritated?

No matter who we are or what we do, there will always be distractions. Even when we are completely removed from outside distractions, our mind is like a crazy monkey, frantically jumping from thought to thought. The outside world is simply a reflection of what’s going on in the inside.

You’re drifting off to sleep and you hear:

* a dripping kitchen faucet.
* ocean waves crashing on the beach.

People love the sound of ocean waves crashing on the beach. It’s relaxing, isn’t it? So why does the quiet little drip in the kitchen drive you insane when you’re trying to sleep?

Expose Your Thoughts With Bare Attention

If you want to begin honing your powers of concentration, the best tool is insight meditation. Insight meditation is also know as Vipassana in the East. Here’s how it works:

* Find a quiet spot to sit or lay down. Close your eyes. Take a few breaths and draw your attention to your thoughts.
* Thought flows fluidly and rapidly from one to the next - it moves like water. I suppose that’s why people call it ‘stream of thought.’ Some are loud and plaintive and some are quiet like whispers. Listen to them all without judging. As they come and go, don’t resist new thoughts or hold on to old ones. Let them flow like a river.
* Pay close attention to your stream of thoughts as if you are watching a movie. You’re mind will wander and suddenly you’ll notice you have no idea where your attention went. It’s normal to lose your attention. When you notice it, just bring it back to your thoughts. It takes practice to maintain attention for any length of time - it develops with time. Gently but firmly bringing your attention back when it drifts away will strengthen your concentration skill better than any other method.

This practice is simple and can be done often throughout the day. I challenge you to try it for one week. It’s a real eye-opener as you learn what really makes you tick.

Vipassana is usually practiced as a formal sitting or walking meditation but I find it most helpful while I’m busy and life is at it’s craziest. Be mindful of what your thoughts are doing. What kind of monologue is going on in there? When I’m trying to focus and getting distracted, why do I want to kick the cat or yell at my loved ones?

Becoming mindful can be peaceful, alarming, and enlightening all at the same time. We all have repetitive patterns of worry, planning, resentment, anger, desire, want, and fear. Allow them to be, just as they are - you don’t have to do anything. If you scrutinize your mental distractions, they become calm and eventually disappear over time. You’re only truly in control of one thing - your mind. If you are in control of your own inner world, there is no distraction you cannot conquer.

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Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian readers!

Have you ever noticed how traditional family recipes, especially comfort food, are the most unhealthy, yet the most satisfying? I don’t think anyone should eat cream sauces, sausage, cheese, and five kinds of snacks every day, but life just wouldn’t be the same without a few days of indulgence every year.

I learned to cook from spending a lot of time in the kitchen with my mother and grandmothers. You learn a lot about your family’s history and heritage from the food you cook. Of any skill a person can learn in life, being able to cook a delicious meal for family and friends is probably the most useful and satisfying. You can take this skill with you wherever you go, and the need for a good meal is universal.

We live in a hurried world full of schedules, deadlines and problems; taking time to eat, share company, and talk, is just what we need when life is crazy. So, indulge yourself from time to time. Give thanks to your family for unhealthy comfort food. Give thanks for the time to enjoy it. Give thanks that you have someone to enjoy it with.

For the guys: Think cooking isn’t manly enough for you? Women love it when you cook an amazing meal for them. Anyone can go to a florist and drop some money on a bouquet of flowers. Not everyone will take the time to cook a mouth-watering dinner for their sweetheart. It goes a long way at the dinner table and later on, in the bedroom!

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There are two traits common to all of the greatest and most successful people in history; burning desire, and faith.

It makes no difference whether the desire is to become a billionaire, publish book, be an amazing parent, or receive a university degree. What matters is that you have a deep emotional need. Your desire must be stronger than your fear of failure or you won’t even take the first step.

* What 5 things matter most to you?
* If you could have or do anything, what would it be?
* If you won $10 million, what would you do?
* If you only had 1 month to live, what would you do?

Ask yourself these questions and don’t discount your dreams as mere fantasy - they’re your dreams! List them all, even if some of them seem far-fetched or impossible. Pinpoint the dream that appeals to you most and think about what is required to accomplish that dream. Even if you don’t know how to accomplish it, assume there is a solution. Remove the words “can’t” and “impossible” from your vocabulary.

Mahatma Gandhi dreamed of a free India, independent from British rule. He dreamed of religious tolerance, truth and non-violence. He had no material wealth or social position, but he had a dream and a burning desire to make it happen. If he had dismissed his dream as mere fantasy or wishful thinking, India might still be languishing under colonial rule. Instead, he focused all his energy and galvanized the entire Indian population into action. Two hundred million people believed in him because he had an unshakeable faith that his dreams were possible.

Nothing is Impossible

Faith is misunderstood. It isn’t wishing or hoping something will happen. Faith means you know something is true or possible, even when solid proof isn’t apparent. It comes from within yourself and it’s available to anyone. Faith is a universal power that transforms a burning emotional desire into a reality. If you want something badly enough and believe that you can do it, there is nothing you can’t accomplish in your life. There is no one that can stop you from achieving your dreams except your own fears, doubt, and insecurities.

Talk Yourself Into It

You can willfully develop faith by taming and training your mind. Write down your goals, and speak them out loud to yourself as if you’ve already accomplished them. Give yourself permission to say things like ,”I’m a genius. I’m very wealthy. I have a healthy mind and body. I love my work. I love my family. I am a great human being.” Take 30 seconds every day to repeat these things to yourself. It isn’t egotistical, selfish, or wishful thinking. You’re creating a positive mental habit of thinking like a successful person. Positive self-talk is the easiest and most important step to building self-confidence and faith in your dreams.

Your thoughts are just as real as physical things. Whatever you think about will become a reality, one way or another. If you think negatively and tell yourself “people are stupid,” stupid people usually appear and make your day miserable - almost like magic. Treat your mind like your physical body - feed it healthy thoughts and it will become fit and serve you well. Develop unshakeable faith and begin creating what you think about. Try it for a few days and I guarantee you’ll begin to see evidence of this truth everywhere.

One word of warning: Before you follow your dreams, look very closely at your intent. Love and compassion have the power to enrich your life and everyone you touch, while hate and negativity always backfires. Negative desires and emotions will materialize just as positive ones will, so choose your goals carefully. There is no such thing as bad luck, only bad intent.

Now why are those stupid people following me?

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Most of us have a strange concept of wealth. We aren’t taught properly in school how to manage money even though it’s crucial to our success. Parents often teach that money isn’t important or denounce it as ‘the root of all evil.’ They watch celebrities on tv and say, “Wow! Wouldn’t it be great to have millions and live like that?” We’re taught to place no value on money, but to desperately wish for the lifestyle it affords. What a horrible irony.

Creating wealth is first achieved by changing your attitude about it.

* Money isn’t evil.
* You can create incredible riches if you educate yourself about finance. Strive towards making money work for you, instead of having to always work for money.

How Long Can You Survive If You Lost Your Job Tomorrow?

Don’t confuse wealth with earnings, possessions or flashy appearances. Wealth is measured in time, not dollars. If you stopped working today, how many weeks, months, or years can you cover all your living expenses? If the answer is “forever,” then you’re wealthy.
Assets and Liabilities

I learned a lot about assets and liabilities from Robert T. Kiyosaki’s book, “Rich Dad, Poor Dad.” It’s deadly simple:

* Assets earn money even when you aren’t physically there, working for it.
* Liabilities cost you money - usually in the form of monthly payments.

The problem is, we think our possessions are assets, when they are actually liabilities. Do you realize your home isn’t an asset, but your single greatest liability? Until you pay it off, your home is only an asset to the bank. The word ‘mortgage’ comes from the French, loosely meaning “contract until death,” or “death pledge.” No wonder most of us are in debt our whole lives!

Always work towards building your assets and cutting your liabilities. Only purchase a luxury if you are sure your assets can pay for it. Do your assets pay for your lifestyle or is the bank getting fabulously rich at your expense?

If You’re In Debt, Here is Your Escape Route…

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