Skip to main content

Acres of Diamonds

In this episode - Acres of Diamonds . . .


 "Each of us is, at this moment, standing in the middle of his or her Acres of Diamonds." Just this week (February 17, 2022), I've rediscovered this powerful message once again. This got me thinking. Are you struggling with success? I challenge you to listen to this Podcast every morning for one month and practice positive principles.

It was over 60 years ago that Earl Nightingale wrote and produced what has become known as "The Strangest Secret." An LP record sold over a million copies, making it the first spoken-word recording to achieve Gold Record status. The promise of his message was this: "We become what we think about."

I must have been about nine when that quote first entered my mind. Our family's morning breakfast routine was to listen to "Our Changing World," Earl Nightingale's daily five-minute radio program. It was syndicated on our local radio station: "WBYS - AM, and FM—Canton, Illinois." That jingle still echoes in my mind.

Nightingale's deep, resonant voice captivated my imagination. Little did I know that the program would have such a profound impact on my thinking. Subsequently, Earl Nightingale shared many insightful quotes that have influenced my life. This Podcast captures a few of the best.

"Your attitudes and expectations are a merciless reflection of you." Food for thought, huh?

I'm again reminded to start each day with this positive daily routine. Set aside time just to listen, read, and reflect. I've read and listened to many authors and speakers who have presented a twist on the same message over the years.

"We become what we think about, but the thinking is up to us." - Earl Nightingale.

However, it has been my experience that the message, in a quote, is not always clearly received by its intended listener. For example, did you know that "a positive attitude won't allow you to do everything? But, it will allow you to do what you do better." - Zig Ziglar.

So, why do people struggle in society today? People are often afraid to take a chance on themselves, instead opting to follow the crowd.

 "The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice; it's conformity." - Rollo May.

Do you show up for work every day, wondering why you're there? If so, why? It's because you conform to the expectations of your boss, your family, friends, and, worst of all, the expectations you have of yourself.

Everyone wants to succeed at something. But if asked, "How would you define success? They might say, "Lots of money, a fancy car, or . . ."

Success, simply put, is "The day-by-day realization of a worthy goal." However, it takes courage.

Courage is the freedom to dream, set a goal, write it down, and dedicate your life to working towards that goal. If you can discipline yourself to do this, you are successful, right now, today! Sounds simple. But it's not quite that easy.

 Here's why - these ideas hold the key to success and the key to failure:

"A man is what he thinks about all day long." - Emerson.

"If you think in negative terms, you will get negative results. If you think in positive terms, you will achieve positive results." - Norman Vincent Peal. 

"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant." - Robert Louis Stevenson.

The bible states it this way, "As you sow, so also shall you reap."

So, what do you allow your thoughts to dwell on each day? Do you spend your life complaining about critical and cynical people? Or - do you plant positive, constructive, powerful ideas in your mind each day?

We all want excellent results in life, in our homes, at work, and in all our relationships with others. Be it financial, intangible, or both. "The most important single factor that guarantees good results, day in, day out, all the months and years of our lives, is a healthy attitude!" - Earl Nightingale.

Attitude is your key to success.

Earl Nightingale defined Attitude as "The position or bearing as indicating an action, feeling, or mood." And it is our actions, feelings, or moods that determine the actions, emotions, or moods of those around us.

He stated it so eloquently: "Our environment, the world in which we live and work, is a merciless mirror of our attitudes and expectations."

This is very interesting. It says that the attitudes and expectations of my friends and associates are simply a reflection of me!

You get what you put out. It's like mining for diamonds. Did you know diamond miners move over 23 tons of dirt to find a single gem diamond, but they don't go into the mine looking for dirt — they go in looking for the gems!

Yes, I am responsible. It all begins with that magic word, Attitude.

"Attitudes are not the result of success; success is the result of great attitudes."

So what are you waiting for? Start today, begin mining your Acres of Diamonds.

First, decide what you want, then write it down.

Second, treat others precisely like you want them to treat you - with respect and dignity, look for the gem in other people.

When you look for those characteristics in others, surprise, you will find them and nurture them in you!

I'm Patrick Ball; thank you so much for listening. See you in the next episode.

 Updated: 02/19/2022
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Most Popular of All Time

Sunflowers, French Steel, and the Yellow Jersey

Watching Le Tour de France this year, I found myself transported back to August 1983 as the Peloton in Stage 10, Bastille Day, flowed through the French countryside like a brightly colored ribbon. I was in my twenties, visiting family in the Charente-Maritime region of France, completely obsessed with bicycle racing—and convinced I was much stronger than I was. My connection to cycling—and to France—runs deep. I was born in France, and my very first real road bike, at age fifteen, was a Mercier . To me, it wasn’t just a bicycle; it was a work of art made from beautiful French steel. I rode that bike for miles, through high school, into college, and until the day someone decided they needed it more than I did. I hope they at least appreciated the craftsmanship. Its untimely disappearance led me to a Schwinn Voyageur, and later, when I started racing around Illinois, to a Raleigh Competition . But during that summer of ’83, while staying with my Uncle Jean Paul in Lagord, just north of L...
Post a Comment
Read more

Rediscovering the Magic of Summer . . .

Summer mornings, especially on a holiday weekend, have a special magic. The air is cool, the world quiet, and the day full of possibilities. This July 4th weekend, Lori and I decided to capture a bit of that magic by beating the holiday traffic with an early morning bicycle ride. We went through our usual pre-flight checklist: Stretched out the morning stiffness. Filled the water bottles. Strapped on the helmets. Checked the tires. Three tires passed inspection. The fourth had apparently declared independence. The rear tire on my e-bike was flatter than a Kansas highway. “Well, it looks like we’re not riding today,” Lori said, with the calm acceptance of someone who had already mentally promoted coffee to the day’s main event. “Why not?” I replied. “I’ll ride my old bike.” She gave me that look —the one that safely translates as, "Are you sure about this? " “Absolutely,” I said. “Why not?” I dragged the bike stand out and surveyed my options. One glance at the aggressive gear...
Post a Comment
Read more

Morning Coffee

In this episode, Morning Coffee . . . Now, I’m not saying everyone needs coffee. Some folks get by just fine on, I don’t know, sunlight and positive thinking. Me? I’m pretty sure I started drinking the stuff sometime around the Reagan administration. Reading John Gierach’s "Ode to Campfire Coffee" in Trout Bum (a book that should be required reading for anyone who sees sleeping on the ground as recreation) got me thinking about how we’ve managed to complicate something as fundamentally simple as boiling water and adding grounds. Taste, you say? Look, black coffee is an acquired taste, like tequila or cilantro. I just don’t get it. Gierach, bless his heart, mostly drinks his java streamside, probably while wearing wool socks and waders and contemplating the mysteries of the universe. As for me? My outdoor coffee experience is a bit different. Picture this: the High Sierra, where campfires are banned (to avoid agitating Smoky Bear), and I’m huddled over a Whisperlite , coax...
1 comment
Read more

Misfits at Halloween

In this episode - Misfits at Halloween . . . It’s autumn, and Halloween is approaching - how do you capture the experience, the smells, the rustling sounds of multicolored falling leaves, the quiet, peaceful feeling, the solitude of life in a small town? News flash, I’m here to tell you it’s not always as tranquil as sentimental storytellers like to depict it. Admittedly, like all agrarian communities, Cuba had its pranksters. Thankfully, though, in our small, rural farming community of the late 1960s and early 70s, I’m happy to report there was no teen violence, no gang shootings, and no serious vandalism. Well, ok, we did torment the local policeman, who we dubbed Barney Fife (I don’t remember his name). In the fall, most families would have harvested their gardens by Halloween, but inevitably, there would be leftovers. A group of us would hide behind Jim Welch’s garden fence on Main Street and hurl the leftover, soft, rotten tomatoes at Barney’s squad car as he patrolled the town. F...
4 comments
Read more