Tag Archives: motivation

Quoting: Take a Relaxing Break

Regardless of your physical condition, your present state is determined by your thoughts. Your emotional reality depends upon the focus of your mind.

Today, think of five places, either places you have already visited or would like to, that you can go to for mental vacations. Mentally go to a place where you will automatically experience the state you wish to be in.

Remember: Since we are dealing with your mind, no place is too far away. And the transportation costs are always free.

Sources: see Rabbi Yeruchem Levovitz – Daas Chochmah Umussar, vol. 2, pp.6-7

Quoting: Remodel Your Anger Mistakes

Realize that even the greatest people make errors of judgment when they are angry. Moshe was on an extremely high spiritual level and had profound insights. Nevertheless, when he became angry he erred in understanding the Almighty’s will.

Think of three incidents when you made mistakes because you became angry. Right now, mentally “relive” those situations and imagine yourself handling them instead in the best possible way. Let this serve as a resource for the future.

Sources: see Ralbag – Shaar hasavslanus, no.10

Why Captain America Reminds Me Never to Give Up

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Promotional image for the 2014 film “Captain America: Winter Solder.”

After all the you’re a racist if you don’t believe Colin Kaepernick gave up everything to be Nike’s “Just Do It” 30th anniversary spokesperson garbage a few days ago, I decided I needed to unwind and experience something to restore my spirit. So I again chose to dust off the DVD and watch the 2014 film Captain America: Winter Soldier.

Why, you ask?

I can’t find the quote online, but I recall that actor Chris Evans, who plays “Cap” in the Marvel movies, said something like “Captain America does good for the sake of doing good. He’s everything I’ve ever wanted to be as a man.”

That’s probably not exact, but I’m betting it’s pretty close.

In the film, he says stuff like:

I know I’m asking a lot. But the price of freedom is high. It always has been. And it’s a price I’m willing to pay. And if I’m the only one, then so be it. But I’m willing to bet I’m not.

And…

Yeah, we compromised. Sometimes in ways that made us not sleep so well. But we did it so the people could be free. This isn’t freedom, this is fear.

He didn’t act ashamed of America and, after all, the guy’s uniform is basically the American flag (I’d like to see someone try to stomp on or burn it while Rogers was wearing it). Steve Rogers is a living reminder why it’s okay to still believe that our nation is made up of people who do good and want to be even better.

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Quoting: See Frustrations in Perspective

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Rabbi Zelig Pliskin – Found at the website promoting the book “The Light From Zion.”

A basic reason we get angry is because we exaggerate the importance of things. When we realize that something is trivial and unimportant, we don’t become angry.

Whenever you feel angry about something, try to see how petty the matter is in the big picture. The vast majority of occurrences fall into this category. Keep in mind that we are in this world for a very short time, and the things that upset us are of minor importance in the entire scheme of the universe.

Sources: Erech Apayim ,p.94; Rabbi Zelig Pliskin’s Gateway to Happiness, p .202-3

This would be another way to tone down the vitriol on social media including in the blogosphere if we could all take a minute to examine our reactions (and this applies to me as well as to anyone else.

Quoting: Self-Conscious About Praise

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Rabbi Zelig Pliskin – Found at the website promoting the book “The Light From Zion.”

Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak, the Chozeh of Lublin, once praised someone in the presence of other people, and the person’s face turned red. The rabbi told him, “You have not yet reached the proper level. Work on yourself to react to praise and insults in the same manner. Try to rise above caring whether someone praises or insults you. You are still too self-conscious about being praised.”

Sources: Eser Orot, p.94; Rabbi Zelig Pliskin’s Gateway to Happiness, p.284

Imagine not being outwardly affected either by praise or insults. If we could all rise above caring if someone praises us or insults us, I suspect social media would be one empty place, or at least a lot more civil.

Quoting: Boost Your Self Esteem Objectively

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Rabbi Zelig Pliskin – Found at the website promoting the book “The Light From Zion.”

People with low self-esteem are frequently very good people by objective standards, but have high aspirations and hence feel frustrated in not reaching their lofty goals. Since they are not perfect, they consider themselves failures and this leads to many negative consequences.

It is important for such people to realize they are thinking in either/or terms: “Either I am perfect, or else I am a failure.”

In truth, each area of behavior and personality has numerous levels along a continuum. If you are not perfect, you need not rate yourself as a failure. Focus on improvement, instead of absolute perfection.

It is worthwhile for a person with low self-esteem to write a list of the minimum standards of a basically good person. He is then able to see more objectively whether or not he is meeting those standards.

-from Rabbi Zelig Pliskin’s book Gateway to Happiness, p.132

Quoting: Feel Joy at Overcoming Obstacles

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Military training

A powerful general will prefer difficult military assignments because he wants to show his strength and abilities when he is victorious.

Similarly, if you feel strong love for another person, you will experience joy when you find opportunities to express the full extent of love for that person.

So, too, when you have a strong love for the Almighty, the greater the obstacles in your path when trying to serve Him, the more joy you will experience – because this is an opportunity to show the strength of your commitment.

The next time you face an obstacle, focus on the fact that this enables you to feel greater love for the Almighty. Feel a sense of joy and empowerment that you can express your love by overcoming obstacles.

Sources: see Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto – Path of the Just, ch.19

Quoting: The Wealth of Torah

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Rabbi Zelig Pliskin – Found at the website promoting the book “The Light From Zion.”

During a holiday, students at the Lakewood Yeshiva were elated at the words of Rabbi Aharon Kotler, the Rosh Yeshiva, who had just delivered an inspiring holiday lecture.

At the end of his talk, the students began to sing a tune to the words from King David’s Psalms, “Were it not for Thy Torah being my delight, I would have succumbed to my poverty…”

Rabbi Kotler interrupted the singing, and said with great joy:

“King David was tremendously wealthy. Yet except for the enduring possession of Torah, King David was drowning in a sea of poverty!”

-from Rabbi Shaul Kagan – Jewish Observer 5/73; cited in Rabbi Zelig Pliskin’s Gateway to Happiness, p.97

Sorry I haven’t been around much, but I was visiting my aged Mom in Southwestern Utah, an eight or nine hour drive from where I live in Southwestern Idaho. Just got back yesterday, but then we have the grandkids, so I’m still busy. Managed to finally catch up on my sleep last night, but will still be busy catching up with events at home, so my online writing will still suffer.

Quoting: Don’t Let Materialism Distract You

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Rabbi Zelig Pliskin – Found at the website promoting the book “The Light From Zion.”

A man once said to the Chafetz Chaim, “Rabbi, I have just bought a lottery ticket. Could you please give me a blessing that I will win, since the money I acquire will enable me to study Torah with peace of mind.”

The Chafetz Chaim gently blessed him, “May the Almighty help you study Torah with peace of mind.”

The man was disappointed that the Chafetz Chaim did not give him a blessing to win the lottery. It occurred to him that perhaps the Chafetz Chaim did not hear him exactly, so he repeated – this time in a louder voice – that he would like a blessing to win the lottery.

Very calmly the Chafetz Chaim reiterated the same blessing, word for word as before.

Today, ask yourself: Are my material possessions in any way distracting me from the real goals of life?

-Sources: see HaChafetz Chaim, vol.3, p.1141; Rabbi Zelig Pliskin’s Gateway to Happiness, pp.76-7

Quoting: Powering Up with Enthusiasm

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Rabbi Zelig Pliskin – Found at the website promoting the book “The Light From Zion.”

Rabbi Simcha Zissel of Kelm (19th century Europe) wrote: “There is no comparison between doing something with enthusiasm and joy and doing it without enthusiasm and joy. If we would do everything with enthusiasm, there is no limit to the elevated levels we would reach. Enthusiasm generates power. A person with enthusiasm is able to overcome laziness and pursue wisdom and higher spiritual levels.”

Live today with enthusiasm. “But,” you might say, “there are many things I have to do that I’m not interested in doing.” But wouldn’t you do it with enthusiasm if you were being paid a large amount of money to do it?!

Knowing that you have the ability to generate enthusiasm will transform the entire quality of your life. Hear the inner sounds of enthusiasm. Feel the feelings of enthusiasm permeating your entire being.

Today, pick a task you’ve been procrastinating – and generate enthusiasm to accomplish it!

See Chochmah Umussar, vol.2, p.172; cited in Gateway to Happiness, p.25