Brain.
At any moment it is said we only use 10% of it.
We could have been so much more.
But our desire to worship ruins everything.

Problems.
Everyone has them.
Poachers of humanity often are the first to lend a hand.

Time.
The method of destruction.
No matter what we accomplish Time will see to it.

Rules.
Every civilization since the dawn of time had them.
We obey them.

A few of us are hated because we have what others do not.
Power. Distinction. Purpose.
And so we are hunted and hounded.

Are there dragon? she asked. I said that there were not. “Have there ever been?” I said all the evidence was to the contrary.”But if there is a word dragon,” she said, “then once there must have been dragons”

Usually I do not take much interest in other people’s life. But there are exceptions to every rule. In fact I am not one who abides by rules because rules are man made and like everything man has made over the course of our human history is fallible.

One disturbing thing I see among friends, past and present is that many have taken up several bad (because it harms one’s health and one’s spirit) habits knowing that they are harmful. We have been taught or have learned from one way or another that we shouldn’t do certain things. These things such as adultery, smoking and gambling leads to all kinds of problems within our society and social circles. Knowing full well the consequences of their actions, why then do people continue on their path to their own self destruction.

Is it because they can’t attain love or success with their careers or the fact that they do these things to take their mind of their pain; past or present or they simply punish themselves for not being strong enough. Whatever the reason, people continue to do things that they shouldn’t be doing. Odd isn’t it. Common sense depicts that we stop the things that hurt us but in reality the opposite is true.

When I ask some of my friends, why they smoke or are cheating on their wives or girlfriends, they tell me it’s just for a little fun. Some goes as far as to tell that since we only live once, we might as well do everything in life, enjoy it to the Max. These people clearly do not believe in their religions, can’t blame them all religions are man made too, thus they have no fear of their consequences in their afterlife.

But I think the problem with many people today that leads them to self destructive behavior and adopting bad habits is expectations. If you would sit back and ponder upon this you would find some truth in it. E.g when you send someone a gift or do something nice for them in time of their troubles and then when they bite at you some where along the future, chances are you will be more hurt than the usual. People can take insults from strangers but when it comes from someone you love or admire greatly it’s going to be those tears-swelling-type-of-hurt. Most importantly you feel that they didn’t live up to your exceptions and some even feel betrayed.

Guess what happens next. You try to take your mind of it. And boy are there things today to take your mind of things. Seems as though people do not want to face cold harsh reality. Who does, when the truth is too painful to bear. Would you risk everything you believe knowing that you could be wrong.

But what if you never had a exception at all. Don’t you think that is equally bad. If I do something good for some one should I expect them to do the same? I could. But what if I didn’t? Just do it without any incentive?

You might say I’m crazy. But am I really? think about it, this world I believe is about do and don’t do. If you didn’t do anything, no one can compliant that you screwed up. You could hate yourself for not doing it but the fact of the matter is, you didn’t. But if you did something you felt was worthwhile for someone without any expectation of return, you could be much better off since you do not have the weight of expections on your shoulders.

Here’s a list to illustrate my point.
Do Something Good + Having Expectations = Bad
Do Something Good + No Expectations = Good
Don’t Do Something Good + Having Expectations = Very Bad
Don’t Do Something Good + no Expectations = Good

You might wonder why people who don’t do anything and have no expectations are better off than most of us. The truth is everything that you aspire to be in this life will be unmade by your mortality. There is no other way around it. Even if you became a great figure in the world or amassed huge fortunes you will bring nothing to your grave. So most simple minded and intelligent people just go about their daily lives have simple fun and try to live out their lives without much hassle.

And those of us who are educated get the worng impression of life. We are sold the lie that we deserve luxury, greatness and all those things that make us a stand out individual because they say no one remembers the second man on the moon. It’s true that on one remember the second man on the moon but what matters most is whether you remember him. Other people’s opinions is exactly that, other people’s opinions.

So in conclusion, I feel people should just do good things and not be bothered with expectations. If they returned you the favor it’s a bonus but if they didn’t you need not worry because you got your gratification from doing something nice for them.

Whether it’s feedback we’ve asked for, an unsolicited remark called out from the audience or a simple “no” result of an audition or submission process, criticism and rejection are a huge part of our lives as creative artists.

Sometimes we’re so fearful of being criticized or rejected that we keep our creativity bottled up and don’t let it out.

Sometimes we’re so fearful of being criticized or rejected that we keep our creativity bottled up and don’t let it out. This article features 10 tools for dealing with criticism and rejection.

Other times we constantly adapt what we create, focusing only on the “market” and what they seem to be liking or disliking this week. Then we end up feeling like we’re not truly expressing our creative impulses.

10 Tools for Dealing with Criticism and Rejection

1. Be Open. You may be hoping for a specific reaction or response to your work, or a specific result of an audition, gallery submission, performance or contest entry. If you’ve done your best and you’re rejected or criticized, you might feel that you’ve “failed”, and it’s probably hard to see anything positive about the situation. Try to be open to the possibility that this “failure” is actually leading you to something else, usually better than what you thought you wanted. As I read once in Cheryl Richardson’s newsletter, “Any rejection is God’s protection”.

2. Be Consistent. Keep going, doing the little things every day that keep you creative and that keep you connected to other artists and to your customers. The dramatic moments and big wins and losses will come and go. Have a steady routine you can keep coming back to, and this will help to place any criticism or rejection into perspective. Today is a new day, another day you get to be an artist.

3. Be Focused. Keep your end goal in mind, and always be mindful of why you’re doing what you’re doing. That will help you focus on the big picture and not get tripped up by each bump in the road along the way.

4. Be Resilient. Remember that your sense of self-worth comes from inside of you. When you’re able to be confident in yourself regardless of the feedback you get from external sources, you’re able to bounce back much more easily from any negative feedback that you may get.

5. Be Positive. Focus your attention on the positive and you’ll attract more of it. This is the premise of the “law of attraction”, and I’ve certainly seen it work in my own life. Hear the positive feedback you receive and replay it over in your mind whenever you need to.

6. Be Clear. Approach constructive feedback with an accurate perspective, not muddled with thoughts from your own inner critic. Take it as a helpful tool for your own growth and remember that ultimately the only opinion that matters is your own – because you need to be happy with what you’re producing.

7. Be Grateful. Be gracious to your critics, accept all of the feedback you receive, sit quietly and let it sink in. Be grateful to be actively creating – to have gotten past the fear and other roadblocks. Be grateful for the opportunity to have your work seen and heard. Some never get the chance.

8. Be Responsive. Decide consciously what to do with feedback before responding, instead of reacting with the first thought or words that come to mind.

9. Be Selective. Once you’ve decided what to do the feedback you’ve received, be selective and willing to let go of the hurtful feedback. This usually doesn’t have anything to do with you anyway; it’s a reflection of that person’s own happiness, state of mind and comfort with themselves.

10. Be Loving. Be loving of your critic and ESPECIALLY of yourself. Plan some self-care treats for the day of the audition or submission. Regardless of the outcome, you deserve it!

Knowledge fueled by emotion equals action. Action is the ingredient that ensures results. Only action can cause reaction. Further, only positive action can cause positive reaction.

Action. The whole world loves to watch those who make things happen, and it rewards them for causing waves of productive enterprise.

I stress this because today I see many people who are really sold on affirmations. And yet there is a famous saying that “Faith without action serves no useful purpose.” How true!

I have nothing against affirmations as a tool to create action. Repeated to reinforce a disciplined plan, affirmations can help create wonderful results.

But there is also a very thin line between faith and folly. You see - affirmations without action can be the beginnings of self-delusion. And for your well being there is little worse than self-delusion.

The man who dreams of wealth and yet walks daily toward certain financial disaster and the woman who wishes for happiness and yet thinks thoughts and commits acts that lead her toward certain despair are both victims of the false hope which affirmations without action can manufacture. Why? Because words soothe and, like a narcotic, they lull us into a state of complacency. Remember this: To Make Progress You Must Actually Get Started!

The key is to take a step today. Whatever the project, start Today. Start clearing out a drawer of your newly organized desk… today. Start setting your first goal… today. Start listening to motivational cassettes… today. Start a sensible weight-reduction plan… today. Start calling on one tough customer a day… today. Start putting money in your new “investment for fortune” account… today. Write a long-overdue letter… today. Anyone Can! Even an uninspired person can start reading inspiring books.

Get some momentum going on your new commitment for the good life. See how many activities you can pile on your new commitment to the better life. Go all out! Break away from the downward pull of gravity. Start your thrusters going. Prove to yourself that the waiting is over and the hoping is past — that faith and action have now taken charge.

It’s a new day, a new beginning for your new life. With discipline you will be amazed at how much progress you’ll be able to make. What have you got to lose except the guilt and fear of the past?

Now, I offer you this challenge: See how many things you can start and continue in this — the first day of your new beginning.

If you really can’t get started, I recommend what has worked for me: a version of the “two minute miracle” a technique physical therapist use to enable people to exercise even when they do not want to. They are taught to say to themselves, “I don’t have the time to take a walk right now, but I will walk for just two minutes.” Once they are actually walking, of course, they forget their objective and continue walking.

You can use this technique to help you get started on anything. E.g if you have been putting away the task of cleaning your room, you could say “I don’t have the time to clean my room right now, but I will do it for just two minutes”and twenty minutes later when you feel like giving up, you could say “I don’t feel like cleaning my room right now but I will continue for just two minutes.”So all you need to do is keep repeating this process until you get things done.

I realize that you might be skeptical and this may sound, well stupid, but it does work. I have completed entire projects using this technique and now it’s a essential part of my daily though process. So I know it works, should you know that to.