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Articles by Ronald Ross

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By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

You Think Differently Than Others

The first and most provable difference between you and everyone else on the planet is that no one is constructed like you. Your body is different from anyone who has ever lived or will ever live – different on the inside and out. No person on earth comprehends things like you do. No one constructs sentences like you do or reacts to these words the way you do. You have your own absolutely unique way of comprehending people, places, things, words, and events.r

Primary topic: Motivation

2,421 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

Who is Responsible for Your Loneliness?

“What do you do that causes her to treat you that way?” was a question my counseling professor, Fr. Dr. Robert McEniry (Creighton University), taught his students to ask in a marriage counseling situation. The question presupposes that the responsibility for what happens between married partners is on each of them, not just one of them. A lonely person should ask a similar question: What do I do that causes people to treat me the way they do? All emotional healing begins with self-inventory and an acceptance of personal responsibility for who you are, how you act, and what happens to you.r

Primary topic: Motivation

2,050 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

You Are Here For a Reason

You were no accident. You’re not the descendent of an ape nor will you one day return to earth as a butterfly, a Billy goat, or a British Lord or Lady. You’re here at a specific time living in a specific place with a specific mission to accomplish. Your life has meaning – you are here for a reason. You already know this is true. Deep inside the depths of your soul you sense an ete al-ness, an awareness of destiny, a feeling that you really are somebody very unique in the 10,000 year history of humankind.

Primary topic: Motivation

2,004 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

Five Levels of Friendships

Smarmy quotes about friendship posted on Facebook walls do nothing to clarify the meaning of this serious human yearning. Friendship is experienced on at least five levels. Passing friendship is the first level. The interesting person you sit next to on a long flight or the stranger who assists you in a moment of need would be passing friendships. After my freshman year in college I took a train from Julesburg, Colorado to Columbus, Nebraska.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,661 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

Bad Belief Systems You Must Lose if You Want to WIN - Part 7 FAILURE-ISM

"Failure-ism" is a word I invented to describe the belief that everything you do ultimately fails. You can recognize this flawed belief system in a person when they say things like, "I'm just a loser" and "Nothing I try ever works." Unfortunately, each of us has evidence to prove we fail. Some have struggled to make a relationship work yet ended up splitting. Many worked hard to get a promotion, and instead, were laid-off or fired. Every one of us has real-life stories of effort that failed.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,290 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

Manners Matter 14

Manners at the Airport and at 25,000 Feet By Ron Ross “Hi there!” a pretty lady said to me with a big smile, “I’m Julie and I am going to be your BFF for the next two hours!” We were flying from Denver to Chicago on a direct flight. I had the aisle seat and she was stuck in the center seat on a packed airplane.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,280 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

2.4: Listen: How to Receive Advice

“Do not under any circumstances leave for Africa without sufficient funds raised to sustain you for at least three years.” That was the advice given me by a seasoned missionary as I considered taking my young family to Africa. It was good advice. We saw how good it was when we arrived in Lusaka Zambia and spent some time with a missionary couple who left for Africa before they had sufficient funds. We saw them struggle so were thankful we listened to the advice given us.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,270 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

Anger Fever: How to Express Your Anger without Getting Arrested! – Part 2

By Ron Ross Previously I described two ways to deal with anger, BLOW OUT and STRIKE OUT. Here are three other ways people deal with anger:

Primary topic: Motivation

1,246 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

Bad Belief Systems You Must Lose if You Want to WIN - Part 6 FATALISM

Spanish soccer player David Silva said, "Winners don't believe in fate like others do. They simply can't accept defeat." Mr. Silva would agree that fatalism is a bad idea you must lose if you want to win. If you believe in fate, you will never do the work that must be done to succeed at anything.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,231 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

5.0 Five Questions to Ask Yourself When Thinking About Your Own Personal Success: Question 4: Which is most likely to help me succeed: to pull some other person down or help someone else succeed?

You know the answer: you help yourself most when you help others succeed. But the easier thing to do is pull everyone down, or at least to continue to hang with those who refuse to do anything positive or take any affirmative action to improve their lives.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,222 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

Seven Stupid Things You Think About Yourself

Those stupid things you think about yourself pollute your mind, limit your achievements and corrupt your confidence. For some reason, the loudest voice you hear, the one that speaks with the most authority and does the most harm to you is not your mother’s voice, it is your own. Here are seven of the most popular stupid things people say about themselves.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,199 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

You Are Specially Made!

The first and most provable difference between you and everyone else on the planet is that no one is constructed like you. Your body is different from anyone who has ever lived or will ever live – different on the inside and out. A whole new science called biometrics is dedicated to the physical differences within each human body. Biometrics refers to technologies that measure and analyze human body characteristics, such as fingerprints, eye retinas and irises, voice patterns, facial patterns, and hand measurements for authentication purposes.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,192 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

3.3: Protect Your Mind from Garbage

“Take out the garbage!” was a command my mother shouted at me when I was a kid. Today I stuff much of it down the garbage disposal; hit the “on” switch for a few seconds and it all goes down the drain. The rest I wrap tightly in a Walmart grocery bag, place it in the garbage can out back, and once a week a big truck comes by and hauls it all away. Why take out the garbage? Because it is not worth keeping and I don’t want it to rot, stink and spoil everything else in my refrigerator. Oh that we would do the same thing for our minds: take out the garbage, and for the same reasons.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,183 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

5.6: Persevere Power is Enhanced in Surrender

More often tha I care to admit, I have quit. I have walked off of jobs, terminated projects, and submitted to the realities of more than one broken business model. No doubt there were times when I quit too soon; if I would have persevered another day or week or month, I may have achieved my goals. And yes, I have read all the books and heard all the lectures about how I can have more confidence, conjure up more courage, and realize more success if I persevere. They tell me to wake up earlier, think clearer, toil harder, labor longer, and of course, work smarter.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,175 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

Bad Belief Systems You Must Lose if You Want to WIN - Part 13 - REGRETISM

Do you have a long list of stupid things you’ve said and done? Yeah, me too. Then, if you’re like me, you have the harmful habit of constantly re-experiencing those thoughtless and injurious acts of idiocy. And when we do, we focus on the fault and re-experience the pain. In the process, we ignore any lessons we’ve learned.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,151 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

5.2: The Infinite Source of Your Perseverance Power

Terry Fox is a name millions of Canadians know well and Terry wasn’t even a hockey player – he was a runner – and he ran for miles and miles and miles – all with a prosthesis on his amputated leg. At the age of 18 Terry was diagnosed with bone cancer in his right knee and lost his right leg to cancer in 1977 but determined to live life with a purpose even after his amputation and the debilitating effects of chemotherapy.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,147 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

The Obituary of Mr. Common Sense

Today we mou the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as: knowing when to come in out of the rain; why the early bird gets the worm; life isn't always fair; and maybe it was my fault.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,142 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

Danger Ahead: Extreme Responses to Loneliness

Everyone endures bouts of loneliness from time to time. They are usually short-lived because the causes are either social (broke up with their girl/boyfriend, got a divorce, had a fight with their best friend, etc.), or geographical (moved to another job, town, school, etc.). Mentally healthy people adapt quickly to new situations and are able to establish constructive relationships. Sometimes, however, loneliness can trigger either one of two extreme reactions: isolation or obsession.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,138 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

Manners Matter 5

Foul Language By Ron Ross “Please leave your profanity outside!” was a sig I saw on the door of a local restaurant. Seems to me we shouldn’t need such a sign in a public place. However we do live in a society where course talk is commonplace. Television shows and movies are increasingly laced with profanity, often injected not to advance the story but to shock the audience. What’s with all the profanity now commonly used by all ages - children through senior citizens? Here are five observations about foul language and the world we live in:

Primary topic: Motivation

1,136 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

4.5: Proceed Forward – Opens Doors

Another significant reason that proceeding forward gives you the 5000+ Advantage is that motion attracts help, and as you go through life, there will be times when help is what you need.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,134 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

The Top Ten Excuses for NOT Talking to Your Mate Part One

What three qualities make for a great relationship? In nearly every survey one word will always appear: communication. Then why do so many couples make every effort to avoid talking with each other? Here are my top ten excuses men and women use to avoid meaningful personal interaction. The list is not in any particular order except excuse #1, which shall be revealed in the next column.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,132 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

Cancel All Holidays!

All holidays cause some insidious angst and distress in the hearts and lives of many people so I'm calling for their abolition. I'm not the first person to notice the evil of holidays. Several years ago some private school in New York decided to exclude the celebration for Mother's Day because some of the students didn't have mothers. Madonna, Ellen DeGeneres and most of the not-very-feminine women of the feminist movement have already declared fatherhood a meaningless institution of antiquity so cancel Father's Day.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,131 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

How to Wiggle Out of the Mud! - 9

Eliminate the Twin Killers of Success Part 2 By Dr. Ron Ross Many worthy goals, promising relationships, and terrific business ideas are ruined by the Twin Killers of Success: Speed and Greed. Last week the focus was on speed, this week on greed.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,131 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

How to Wiggle Out of the Mud!- 3

Seven Sources of Self-Confidence By Ron Ross If God himself could give you a report on how much raw untapped talent lies within you, you would be embarrassed to ever whine or complain again. No matter how stuck in the mud you may be today, you have the capacity to summon empowering emotions, to imagine remarkable goals, and to make choices in this present moment that will change your life forever, and it all starts in your mind.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,129 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

How to Wiggle Out of the Mud! - 22

Twenty Tips for Lively Living By Dr. Ron Ross The following are ten of the Twenty Tips for Lively Living. Next week the final ten tips! 1. Clear the cobwebs. Sure you have heartaches, bad experiences and grief, but so does everyone else. If you dwell on the dark side of life you’ll never see the light. Clear out the cobwebs and focus on the future. Leave the shadows of yesterday behind and move into a bright tomorrow.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,128 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

How to Wiggle Out of the Mud! - 20

Help Someone Else By Dr. Ron Ross When you’re stuck in the mud you are totally focused on your own miserable situation. You pay little attention to the pain or despair of anyone else. You think you are the only person with a problem like this and that it is the worst that it could possibly be. You’re wrong on two counts. First of all, you are not the only person that has encountered the problems you now have; many have gone before you and survived. Second, it is not the worst it could possibly be; things may get much worse before they improve.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,118 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

2.6: Prepare for action – PLAN

Have you ever ridden in a multi-million dollar executive jet? My brother has been a professional pilot all his life. I once flew with him from Colorado to Florida in one of the most technologically advanced executive jets ever built. He had been flying this magnificent airplane and his billionaire employer all around the world. He was thoroughly trained and had hundreds of hours of experience flying this particular aircraft. Yet, without fail previous to take-off, he and his co-pilot always went through a predetermined checklist. I asked him why.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,117 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

Perceive a Better You

How you perceive yourself will contribute to or detract from your success and happiness in life. Most people call this self-esteem. They suggest you need a vision of your life as you would like it to be so you can move toward success. They are right; however, consider with me another word-phrase to substitute for "vision." The word-phrase I prefer is "self-perception", a concept with greater depth of meaning than vision, self-esteem or self-confidence.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,113 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

Acquire Confidence – Looking Ahead

This weekly column is a portion of a book soon to be published under the title, "Acquire Confidence: What Confident People Do That You Can Do Too!" When the book is complete it will have six sections with several of the columns as a part of each section. The following is a summary of each section:

Primary topic: Motivation

1,110 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

Manners Matter 6

Respect the Elderly: Seven simple ways to be polite to your grandparentsr By Ron Rossr Old people always think the children in their town are rude, smart-alecky and have no respect for their elders, and to some degree they are right. However, every generation makes the same claims so it is not a new problem.r

Primary topic: Motivation

1,109 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

Five Quick Steps to Stronger Self-Confidence

Awkward, shy, indecisive. Do those words describe you? Do you often interpret non critical comments as critical? Are you perpetually pessimistic about people, places and events? What you need is stronger self-confidence, a more honest sense of your own self-worth. Here are five quick steps you can take that if implemented over time will create within you a stronger self-confidence.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,108 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

How to Wiggle Out of the Mud! - 16

Keep Watch By Dr. Ron Ross The clock on my dashboard said 7:28, my watch said 7:31, and my cell phone said 7:33. I wondered out loud, “Am I going to be two minutes early or three minutes late?” I parked my car, grabbed my briefcase, and jogged toward the office building. As I ran, it hit me: there’s a big difference between having a watch and keeping watch.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,107 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

Evidences of the God Who Created You

Ninety-two percent of Americans believe in God. Why? Because the evidences of a Creator God are immediately available to anyone with an open mind willing to consider them. Evidence 1: The intricacy of creation. Have you noticed that it appears that nearly everything on earth has a purpose? How did that happen? Logic tells the honest mind that “things” display intention, they have a reason to exist or they would not be here. These “things” also require a designer who had incredible intellect and calculated will.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,103 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

Manners Matter Four

Sagging Trousers and PJs in Public By Ron Ross Trousers worn with the waistbands around the hips so the whole world sees your underpants: bad manners. It is a style overwhelmingly favored by young males and causes them to walk with a bizarre gait and constantly “hitch up” their trousers so they don’t fall to the ground. I have one word to describe this fashion: revolting. That, however, may be why so many male youth wear their pants down, but it is still bad manners.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,100 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

How to Wiggle Out of the Mud! - 6

Ignore Insults By Dr. Ron Ross There was a day when intelligent people could insult each other with some real class. The story is told that playwright George Be ard Shaw disliked Winston Churchill so he sent him an invitation to the opening night of his new play with this note: “I’m enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play. Bring a friend…if you have one.” Churchill replied with this note: “Cannot possibly attend first night. Will attend second…if there is one.”

Primary topic: Motivation

1,098 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

How to Wiggle Out of the Mud! - 5

Fear Not By Ron Ross Belize is a small country located on the southern border of Mexico. My wife and I went there a few years ago to look at some land and buildings offered to us at a bargain price. We rented a car and drove to the property but once we saw it the reason for our trip was over. We knew instantly that we didn’t want the property even if it was free! No problem! Now we had a few days to relax on the beach and see the sights of this interesting little country.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,094 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

4.6: Proceed Forward –Nourishes Your Soul

Doing nothing is the hardest work there is. If you do physical work all day long you will come home tired. If you get up late and lay around the house all day in your pajamas, eat junk food, leave the dishes in the sink, let the yard go to seed and then moan and complain that all you have is bad luck you will also be exhausted at the end of the day.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,093 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

3.4 Protect your mind from shallowness

Some years ago I had the privilege of being a judge at a regional Miss America pageant. You probably know that Miss America pageants are not just about beauty but also intellect. Besides the various beauty related events, the contestants were brought before the Judges one at a time to answer any question we asked. One of the judges asked each of the ladies to tell about the most recent book she had read. Many of them had good answers. One of them replied, Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,090 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

Garage Sale Tactics

“Garage Sale of Biblical Proportions” was the sign our neighbors (Jeff & Marie) erected to announce their garage sale last weekend. The wife and I figured this was a real can’t miss event, so we ambled over to see what goodies they had that we couldn’t live without. Fortunately, there was no treasure in their trash so we went home empty handed.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,085 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

2.5. Prepare for Action: Establish Principles

“Would you like to know a quick and easy way to disce right from wrong?” I asked the students in a college class I was teaching. Every head bobbed enthusiastically up and down indicating they were interested. “Before I tell you, let me say this.” I paused as the room went silent. The students leaned forward as I spoke in almost a whisper, “You already know right from wrong.”

Primary topic: Motivation

1,081 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

4.2: Proceed Forward – Calms Your Fears

When you were a kid were you afraid of ghosts, goblins, monsters and that big scary Bogeyman under your bed? Me too, but I got over it. Would you like to shine the light on the ghosts of past mistakes and scare away the monsters of unforeseen obstacles? Would you like to blow off the menacing imagined Bogeyman of negativity? Here’s how – take action, proceed forward toward your destiny. When you take action your fears become faith and your uncertainties turn in to confidence. How does action calm fears?

Primary topic: Motivation

1,081 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

3.0: Protect Your Mind – Section 3 Introduction

Your mind is the singularly most powerful tool for success that you own. It is powerful beyond measure and more valuable than the combined wealth you could ever earn in your lifetime. So, like anything of value, you must protect your mind. But protect your mind from what? From the six enemies of your mind, that's what. They are: disinformation (lies), depravity, garbage, shallowness, self-criticism and ignorance. Each of these enemies will be dealt with over the next few editions of this column. Here is a brief over-view of each of them:

Primary topic: Motivation

1,076 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

2.3. Prepare for Action: Talk

You are about to change the total direction of your life. You are going to move from a life of relative idleness to one of ambition and perhaps even sacrifice and the transition can be scary. You need to talk. Some people will think you are nuts if you declare your intention to make a difference with your life. You probably do not need therapy, but you do need to discuss your thoughts, aspirations and conce s with someone who will listen.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,075 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

Thanksgiving at Grandma’s House

Back in the 1950s my brother and I loved going to Grandma and Grandpa’s house for Thanksgiving Day. When I was ten years old we took one of those memorable trips from Norfolk, Nebraska to Julesburg, Colorado where Grandma and Grandpa lived in a small white house just catty-co er from City Park. On Thanksgiving Day Grandma spent most of her time in the kitchen cooking up a wonderful meal. A big brown turkey had been carefully chosen, and it was artistically basted a dozen or so times as it baked in the oven.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,074 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

6.0 Five Questions to Ask Yourself When Thinking About Your Own Personal Success Question 5: Am I a victim or a victor?

For review, here are the first four questions to ask yourself when thinking about your own personal success: • Q1: Which is easier to accomplish: to make the world adjust to my particular needs or for me to adjust to the world as it is today? • Q2: Who is best suited to fix my personal problems, politicians in Washington DC or me? • Q3: Which will ultimately result in a better me: continued dependency or self-reliance? • Q4: Which is most likely to help me succeed: to pull some other person down or help someone else succeed?

Primary topic: Motivation

1,072 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

4.4: Proceed Forward – Improves Your Skills

“How many hours must a flight student fly before he can solo?” I asked my flight-instructor brother. “Around 17 hours of training and he or she must make at least 50 take-offs and landings.” In other words, you do not learn how to fly by reading books and hanging out at the airport talking to pilots. Yes, there are books to read and tests to take, but you will never be handed the control of an airplane until you are fully trained and skilled at flying it yourself.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,071 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

5.5: The Reward of Perseverance

“Cassie won a full-ride scholarship to a Division One Califo ia University!” bragged my friend whose granddaughter is a star high-school track athlete. “What is her best event?” I asked. “The 100 meter hurdles,” he answered with a puffed up chest (he was a state high school championship hurdler many years ago). I told him I could not imagine training hour after hour, day after day, and week after week so I could run a race that lasts fewer than 15 seconds. He answered, “You’ve never stood on the medal stand, have you.”

Primary topic: Motivation

1,071 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

Anger Fever: How to Express Your Anger without Getting Arrested! – Part 4

The sixth and best way to deal with anger is to SPEAK OUT. Previously I discussed S – Supervise yourself, P – Ponder appropriate responses. Now the E, A and K in the work SPEAK! E - EXPLAIN. EXPLAIN HOW YOU FEEL. Explaining how you feel is far different than screaming a stream of epithets, or insulting everyone within earshot, or brooding for three days, or getting revenge on someone who hurt you.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,071 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

How to Wiggle Out of the Mud! - 14

Put Your Best Face Forward By Dr. Ron Ross The first thing people notice about you is your face. Its expression tells others whether you are friend or foe, trustworthy or not, happy or sad, etc. It is the initial mode of nonverbal communication between you and other people. What does your face say? Your face tells others how you feel. Such emotions as joy, fear, surprise, disgust, irritableness, or anger are usually spread all over your face and are almost impossible to conceal.

Primary topic: Motivation

1,065 views

By Ronald RossRecently published1 topic

Manners Matter 11

Punctuality By Ron Ross “We will wait a few minutes before we begin our meeting as some folks are still arriving.” I hate it when the guy in charge of the meeting says that. Rude late arrivers should not be awarded for being tardy while those on time get punished for their punctuality. Most people make the effort to arrive early at a meeting so they can find their place and prepare their minds. Why should the “on timers” be forced to wait an extra one or seven or ten minutes for the lazy late comers to saunter in?

Primary topic: Motivation

1,064 views

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