"Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others." – Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 BC - 43 BC, Politician, Orator and Philosopher)

Everyone has the desire to get to the top or to be on top. Whether it is the desire to be at the top of their career, the top in their company or business, their earnings scale, or the many other ways that we as individuals can define the “top’ in our own lives or career. With so many people trying to get to the top, how come so many people aren't moving up? I think there are some primary reasons which can be address and change.

So, what are the things you can do to get to the top or be on top? Here are some thoughts for you.

First of all, define what the ‘top’ means for or to you. This is very important because if you do not know where you are going, you will never get there. Some or certain people don't want to be the CEO of the company. In fact, many think they are better off than the CEO even though they don't make as much money. Instead, they think they are at the top because of less stress, weekends with their families, etc. It does not matter what others think. It only matters to what you do, since you determine whether or not you will get there. So where is it for you? That is the first question for you to answer.

Be passionate in getting your goal. Passion is the energy that drives us. Passion is the wind in the sales of work. Find something you love and you will find something you can get to the top of. If you don't love it, you may still make it to the top, though highly unlikely. And even if you do, there will be no joy. Let your passion carry you, because it will carry you far!

Thomas Fuller simply put it this way: “A man with passion rides a horse that runs away with him.”

The will to continue in the face of hardship. Another reason most will not get to the top is because they simply refuse to scale the mountains of hardship that separate them from the top. If you want to get to the beautiful view from the top, you will have to climb over any obstacles. Take the risk. Instead many people choose to stay at base camp.

Here’s what Bjorn Borg said, “My greatest point is my persistence. I never give up in a match. No matter how down I am, I fight until the last ball. My list of matches shows that I have turned a great many so-called irretrievable defeats into victories.”

Therefore, continue until you get to the top!

Love people and treat them right. What? Love people? That's right! Why? Because if you are going to get to the top you are going to need other people. Be a jerk and you will find people dragging their feet on you. Treat them right and you will find them helping you and even cheering you on.

Master the appropriate skills. Average skills will get you to the middle. Top skills will get you to the top. This is most surely true when combined with the points above. Are you achieving excellence in the skills you need? Are you growing day by day, month by month, year by year? You can always get better and by getting better will take you closer to the top. Even if you improve a little, you can still keep improving that small amount and it will eventually become a big amount. Demand the best from yourself and you will get to the top.

Here’s a quote that will be good for you to remember, “We distinguish the excellent man from the common man by saying that the former is the one who makes great demands on himself, and the latter who makes no demands on himself.” Jose Ortega y Gasset (May 9, 1883 - October 18, 1955, a Spanish liberal philosopher)

So, if you want to be at the top, keep this in mind:

1. Define the Top
2. Be Passionate
3. Persevere
4. Love others
5. Skill Mastery!

These 5 points will take you to the top!

"Self-disciplined begins with the mastery of your thoughts. If you don't control what you think, you can't control what you do." - Napoleon Hill (1883-1970, Author of Think and Grow Rich)

"Every achiever that I have ever met says, 'My life turned around when I began to believe in me.' - Dr. Robert Schuller

A lady and a man step into an elevator. The lady sighs happily and says ‘TGIF’. Then the man said ‘SHIT’. The lady was quite surprised when the man said it. The lady thinks maybe he didn’t hear her correctly, so she repeats it one more time: ‘TGIF’! Again the man said ‘SHIT’! Finally, the lady asked “why ‘SHIT’?” and she explains ‘TGIF - Thank God it’s Friday!’ Stepping out of the elevator, the man smirks and says ‘SHIT - Sorry honey, it’s Thursday!’

The secret to being a good role model and mentor is in finding out what others want and helping them succeed. The secret to being a good and wise communicator is the patient listening for those desires in others, and also in learning from the experiences of others by questioning and listening thoroughly, so that we may learn from their successes and failures.

Frank Sinatra learned his superb breath control in singing from his first band leader, Tommy Dorsey. In large part, the person Helen Keller became was because of Anne Sullivan. Plato learned from Socrates. Jesse Owens credits his winning of the long jump in the 1936 Olympics to a tip given to him by his top German competitor, Luz Long. In the middle of the event, after Owens had already fouled twice on takeoff, Long gave Owens a helpful hint on how to correct his takeoff point. The result was a record breaking leap of over 26 feet, which stood for more than 20 years.

Artists have always learned more from observing other artists than from going to classes or observing nature. In a sense, you and I are master artists who have the opportunity to breathe new colors, shading and perspective into the lives of other artists who are struggling with their oils, brushes and canvases. Think back to the people who have had the most influence on you. You will likely find that they have been people who really cared about you—your parents, a great teacher, a coach, business associate, a good friend—someone who was interested in you. The only people you will influence to any great degree will be the people you care about. When you are with people you care for, their interests, rather than your own, will be uppermost in your mind.

Our success in getting along with others and communicating effectively with them depends solely upon our ability to recognize their desires and needs, and help them fill those desires and needs with positive actions.

In the communication process, knowledge is not always wisdom, sensitivity is not always accuracy, and sympathy is not always understanding. All customer service and the ability to gain trust and repeat business is based on empathy. Empathy is “feeling with” and never assuming anything until you have “walked a mile in the other person’s moccasins.” Since it is impossible to know the road another has walked, the best alternative is to ask questions with interest and respect, and listen for the hidden agendas and desires.

In this way, you can be a Renoir to the next Monet!

—Denis Waitley

"Once you believe that answers and resources can show up in your life, they will: The universe works to mirror your beliefs. It will prove you right every time." - Peggy McColl

"You block your dream when you allow your fear to grow bigger than your faith." - Mary Manin Morrissey

"Thoughts of doubt and fear can never accomplish anything. They always lead to failure." - As A Man Thinketh

There is significant economic evidence that the economic recession period in 1997 might have been avoided but for the "panic" that swept over the country (and the world) after the stock market crash. What should have been no more than a deep recession altered our world forever because of the prevailing "thoughts of doubt and fear."

So great were the thought of fear that former a Malaysian Prime Minister felt compelled to take action by telling people to spend, save and also telling the financial institution to pegged currency.

Another situation to look at is the Great Depression after the 1929 stock market crash. President Roosevelt felt the need to give a speech about it. By the way, FDR's speech with his now famous, "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself," was suggested to him by Napoleon Hill, author of the classic, Think and Grow Rich.

If the thoughts of many can bring such great tragedy to our world, is it any wonder that our personal thoughts can do so much damage to our "individual world." If and when we spend unreasonable amounts of time fearing something in the future; anything that we fear comes upon us. If and when it does happen, we squeeze our hands in despair and wonder why it happened to us, when in reality; we are responsible for our own troubles.

If we look at the process, it begins first with a thought of doubt which causes fear and therefore manifests itself as anxiety. Anxiety robs us of our power, our energy and our purpose. Severe anxiety can even weaken our health. Basically it's all brought on by a thought of doubt.

Imagine two things. Imagine yourself in a working world. You have been promoted to a manager position in an international organization. You felt happy and with the promotion. However along the period you start working as a manager, you felt fear and doubt whether you can do the job and help improve your department and colleagues. You are having trouble doing your job. Now, a question to you. Do you think you will be able to do your job and improve your department and colleagues if you keep having doubt and fear?

Now let’s imagine yourself with a new job as a manager in a department where you have additional task besides running your department. Your additional task would be to reshuffle all files, archiving files and improving employees. Basically improving your department and employees. You felt happy with your new job as a manager. Unfortunately you also have doubts and fears whether you will be able to do your job especially finishing you additional task till end of the year. Again, a question to you. Do you think you will be able to do your job especially your additional given by the management if you keep having doubts and fears?

The answer the question above, honestly the answer is no. Why no? Its like a magnet. Doubt and fear are negative feelings. If and when you have doubt and fear, you will automatically attract other negative things such as bad job performance, bad relationship with employees and so on. Another way to look at it is if you are angry at another person, the other person will also become unhappy or even angry. Therefore you need to change from negative to positive. In other word, overcome fear and doubt.

How to overcome fear and doubt? Well, there are three things that can help conquer doubt. First, change your mind about the doubt, and keep it changed. If you have a doubt whether you're going to have enough money to make it to the end of the month, change your mind about it. If and whenever the doubt creeps in, affirm to yourself that “I always find a way to have enough of what I need.”

“If you will change your mind concerning anything and absolutely keep it changed, that thing must and will change too. It is the keeping up of the change in thought that is difficult. It calls for vigilance and determination.” – Emmet Fox

The second thing that overcomes fear and doubt is taking action. “Do the thing you fear and fear will disappear” is more than a nice rhyme saying. It's some simple wisdom that always works.

Finally the third and most important thing to overcoming doubt and fear is belief. Having belief helps especially the first two mentioned above. It complements the first two. It is basically a person having a complete confidence with another person, himself/herself or action taken or plan etc.

The three things to overcome doubt or fear mentioned above are the important and it's worth thinking about.

"The health of your body influences what you experience in your mind. There is no split. If you can engage your whole spirit in the pursuit of total fitness - not just your intellect, not just your emotions - but instead everything inside you that is truly you, you'll discover what it is to be a whole person." - David Patchell-Evans

“Most of the limitations you think you have are the ones you have decided on. They are often entirely self-imposed. You might think, 'I can't do this, I can't do that, I would never do that, my parents could never do that, I never played baseball, I never climbed a mountain, I never, never, never'... It's the old broken record in your head. Throw out that negative thinking right now! Learn to play a positive message in your head because it's all about attitude.” - David Patchell-Evans

"You must go after your wish. As soon as you start to pursue a dream, your life wakes up and everything has meaning." - Barbara Sher (Author)

It has been estimated that we each have upwards of 50,000 thoughts per day – Tony Alessandra.

Come to think of it. It is really true. In fact I think it’s more than 50,000. We think a lot. We think about food, about songs, about girls/boys, about cars, about work, about relationship, about positive things, about negative things and many more. You just name it. We think lots of things.

Now a question to you. How many of your thoughts are negative? I mean, how many of you have ever thought negative things or currently having negative thoughts? Having negative thoughts are not good. Negative thoughts must be removed and in order to remove, sometimes you have to do a mental spring-cleaning to get rid of those negative thoughts that have become ingrained attitudes. Stopping self-destructive thoughts is like stopping any other bad habit. However it takes time and effort.

There are actually effective ways to remove negative thoughts. Among the most effective ways to do this are visualization and affirmations. Affirmations are positive statements about yourself that you repeat over and over in your head until they are programmed into your subconscious mind.

As for visualization, it is mentally picturing yourself the way you want to be. I’m pretty sure you’ve heard of an old saying, “I’ll believe it when I see it.” Well, to be honest the reverse is also true: “I’ll see it when I believe it!” Affirmations and visualizations may not feel true at first. You know what? They may not even be true. However, they can become true.

Now imagine a scenario you telling yourself repeatedly, “I don’t think I can do task given to me.” My question to you, what will happen after that? You will automatically can’t do the task given and there will never be any improvement there. Therefore, if you catch yourself saying it, stop and immediately say, “I can do the task given to me.” Another scenario on the effect of telling yourself, “I’m feeling good today.” “I can lose 10 kilograms.” or “I am good at getting people to see things my way.” Anything you say to yourself repeatedly will actually influence your reality.

When it comes to negative thinking, it is not only about you thinking negatively. It is also about what negative people say about you that gets you to think negatively. For instance a scenario where you joined a new department with a new position doing a totally different task to improve the department and also to manage a certain or few employees. Some of your new colleagues says and think negative about you and your new task. From there on you get your own negative thoughts of whether you can do the task given to you and whether your new colleagues will accept you. If you think about and started to tell yourself repeatedly, “Can I do it?” or “I don’t know whether I can do it” or I don’t think I can do it.” By thinking that way, you will certainly not be able to do it and again as I mention in my previous paragraph, there will be no improvement. Stop saying it and immediately say, “I can do it.” Again I would like to point out anything you say to yourself will influence your reality!

Write down your affirmations and put them somewhere accessible such as above your desk, on your bathroom mirror, on the dashboard of your car, on your bedroom wall etc. By doing that it will help keep them in mind as well as in sight. Use affirmations and visualizations to project what success will feel and look like.

Imagine, in as much detail as you possibly can, how you feel as the boss singles you out for exceeding your quota or how the audience hangs on your every word during your speech or how your confident presence causes heads to turn everywhere you go or how your presence in a new department as a manager brings new spirit of teamwork, acceptance and togetherness among colleagues or most of your colleagues.

You can apply the very same techniques to other people but first by thinking positive affirmations about yourself. Once you start thinking or once you’ve already thinking positive about yourself, begin thinking positive affirmations about people you work and live with. By thinking positive affirmations about other people, the situation or the environment or the thinking by other people will be positive as well. However, bear in mind; the process may be slow or may even be fast. Be patient and believe in yourself.

Lastly, another negative thing to consider is criticizing. Criticizing happens either by you or by someone else. It is easy and sometimes can become a habit, but by retraining your mind to find the positive attributes in yourself and others will win you not only friends but also increase your income, make you feel better about being a better you and win your colleagues as well.

I would like to end my article by saying, “Think positive. Use affirmations and visualizations to help with your positive thinking. Most important, be patient and believe in yourself!!

Books/Library/Reading

Miss a meal if you have to, but don’t miss a book.

Some people claim that it is OK to read trashy novels because sometimes you can find something valuable in them. You can also find a crust of bread in a garbage can if you search long enough, but there is a better way.

Most homes valued at over $250,000 have a library. That should tell us something.

Everything you need for your better future and success has already been written. And guess what? It’s all available—all you have to do is go to the library. And there’s probably a library in every neighborhood.

Some people read so little that they have rickets of the mind.

I now have one of the better libraries. I admit that I haven’t read everything in my library, but I feel smarter just walking in it.

Don’t just read the easy stuff. You may entertained by it, but you will never grow from it.

The book you don’t read won’t help.

Books are easy to find and easy to buy. A paperback these days only costs $6 or $7. You can borrow that from your kids!

It isn’t what the book costs; it’s what it will cost if you don’t read it.

"If we are ever to enjoy life, now is the time, not tomorrow or next year. Today should always be our most wonderful day." - Thomas Dreier (Author)

A young man was planning to get married and asked his doctor how he could tell if his bride is a virgin.

The doctor said, 'Well, you need three things. A can of red paint, a can of blue paint and a shovel..'

The man was astonished and asked, 'So what do I do with these?'

The doc replied, before the wedding night, you paint your one ball red and the other ball blue. If she says, "That's the strangest pair of balls I ever saw", you hit her head with the shovel.

Mary tries to call Miki at her home. Mary wants to ask Miki to accompany her to the mall:

Mary: Hello.

Miki’s phone: (Pause.)

Mary: Hello?

Miki’s phone: (Pause.)

Mary: Hello!

Miki’s phone: (Pause.)

Miki’s phone: No, it doesn't look as if I'm in right now. Maybe you should leave a message at the beep or call me back later. BEEP.

Miki’s phone: (Pause three seconds.)

Miki’s phone: Just kidding, that wasn't really the beep. Are you ready now?

A girl decided to go for shopping. She went into MNG department store and found her favorite dresses.

Walking up to a department store's cashier counter, the girl asked, "I want to buy all this dresses. How much does it cost?"

"Only one kiss per dress," replied the smirking male clerk.

"That's fine," replied the girl. "I'll take three dresses."

With expectation and anticipation written all over his face, the cashier hurriedly bagged the dresses, and then held it out teasingly. The girl snapped up the bag and pointed to an old man standing beside her.

"My grand father will pay the bill" she smiled.

"No one ever attains very eminent success by simply doing what is required of him; it is the amount and excellence of what is over and above the required that determines the greatness of ultimate distinction." - Charles Kendall Adams (1835-1902, Professor of History and Author)

"Our ultimate freedom is the right and power to decide how anybody or anything outside ourselves will affect us." - Stephen R. Covey (Author and Speaker)