Searching for Higher Ground: 24 Hours to a Better Life

There's a moment in one of my favorite films, Searching for Bobby Fischer, where 7-year-old chess prodigy Josh Waitzkin's chess teacher knocks all the pieces off his chess board, in an effort to get him to concentrate deeper on the way the pieces on the board were strategically aligned.

As the pieces go flying, scattering noisily about the room, Josh is at first stunned that his teacher would have done such a thing. But then, as if by instinct, Josh ponders the situation for a moment, and proceeds to stare at the now-empty board, as if there were pieces still there.

Josh has entered a different level of play, where he can now assess matters of the game without the distraction of the pieces themselves. In this place, he can see all moves before they happen. All strategies of both his opponent and himself are laid bare, without the distraction of rooks, knights, bishops and pawns. Here, he can see the end game and take the appropriate actions to ensure a winning outcome for himself.

We can take a lesson from this. In the chess game of our lives, there are all kinds of pieces on the board distracting us: obstacles from family, friends and co-workers, negative influences from the news media and entertainment industry, fear of failure, fear of success, guilt from events in our past, self-imposed resistance and rationalizations for why we are where we are, limiting beliefs we place on ourselves that put up a solid defense against our future prosperity, and the list goes on.

These are the chess pieces in our own lives that we, like Josh's chess teacher, must scatter about the room. We must, just as abruptly as he did, knock all of these pieces of resistance off our own chess boards. When we do this we will enter a different plane of existence. We will rise above our seemingly insurmountable challenges and difficulties and be able to see them in the same perspective, on the same playing field, as the positives in our lives that we so conveniently ignore.

But how? How does one begin to rise above money, relationship and stress related problems? How do we summon the courage and strength to rise above the situations that consume our every day lives? How do we knock these pieces off of our boards?

The answer lies within your own state of being. Step back and gain a higher ground on your consciousness by examining each waking moment of your life as it happens. Assess every feeling you have in every situation. Take control of it. Abandon your instinctive reactions to things. Stop yourself often during the course of the first day you put this into action.

Ask yourself these questions: How often do I get angry or impatient when there really is no need? How often do I speak of others in derogatory manner? How often do I turn down a chance to tithe? How could I have reacted differently to this or that situation in my life? How could I have responded differently to this employee? This spouse? This child? Just for this one day, think. Examine. Learn.

As you examine your feelings more during the day's activities you will most likely see a trend forming. If it's a trend toward negativity you can stop it. React to it. Change it. Turn negatives into positives. Even if it annoys you, try it, just for this day. There's no need to analyze what's in your past. With the chess pieces off your board you can see your life on a whole new level. And if you can do it for just one day, just one 24 hour period, then you can do it for a lifetime.

For the next 24 hours, try to isolate and recognize every feeling you have. Every reaction to various circumstances throughout your day. Analyze how you are responding to situations, and determine if these responses are instinctive, based on your past habits, or if they are indeed tied to a greater good that you may be striving for in your life. When you can pinpoint these feelings now, you can change them for the better in the future. Then you will ensure a winning outcome in your life.

Andy O'Bryan is co-founder of AudioMotivation.com, the website which enables its members to conveniently download a constantly growing library of exclusive audio interviews with the movers and shakers in personal and professional growth. Members learn motivational tips and advice via their mp3 player, CD player or computer speakers. To learn more about membership, visit http://www.audiomotivation.com

---

To Be More Attractive? Zap The Tolerations!

Imagine there is an event that will take place in... Read More

Creating Relationship Synergy through Rapport Building

One of the great things about rapport is that it... Read More

Whos World Is It? The World Is Yours - Invite Success

Who's World Is It?Who's world really is it? Is it... Read More

Communication Expert Reveals 5 Keys To Self Expression Without Limits

Peter Murphy recently interviewed communication expert John Barker. John is... Read More

Invisible Braces, Viable Solutions

Invisible braces, like Invisalign, are most popular among adults. For... Read More

You Cant Direct the Wind but You Can Adjust the Sails

Dear Friend,First of all, let's take a look at the... Read More

How To Bypass Your Conscious Mind and Program Yourself For Success

Emile Coué, the French psychotherapist once said: "When the imagination... Read More

Women and Bad Boys: What Is The Attraction?

"Bad Boys".If you're a woman, you may be saying "hmmm"... Read More

Triggering Intention: How To Remember To Remember

You've got a lot to store in that brain of... Read More

Are You Killing Your Beautiful Dream?

And the real sad part is that the people involved... Read More

Enjoy the Magic of Prosperity

There is an art and a science to prosperity. The... Read More

The Law of Attraction - Make it Work For You

The Law of Attraction responds to whatever vibration you are... Read More

What People Are Really Interested In & How to Win Friends

A lot of your people problems and concerns about what... Read More

Why and How You are Caught Up?

Speed Up the Evolution!1. Check the area where you are... Read More

The Winning Combo!

What do we all strive for in life? Success! Success... Read More

Whose Life Is It Anyway?

Whose life are you living? Are you living your dream... Read More

Use Your Vibrations of Energy to Communicate Part 2

"The speed of electromagnetic energy signals is 186,000 miles per... Read More

How to Interpret Your Dreams

As many different people there are on this planet, that... Read More

Creating Your Character is Like an Artist Creating a Sculpture

(excerpted from the Cultivating an Unshakable Character series)Could creating your... Read More

Teach Me Who You Are

We all have a privately held belief system that defines... Read More

What Will It Cost You?

What will it cost you if you don't do it?Everyone... Read More

The Powerful Mastermind Team

Your Access to AchievementA few years ago I read the... Read More

The Power of Desire- Part 2

Let's continue where we left off in Part 1...We have... Read More

Discover the Magical Power of Pulling Heartstrings ...Its Mindblowing!

I wish you never have to go through that kind... Read More

Change Your Association

Do you know any people who seem to attract bad... Read More

The Secret Weapon For Gaining Wealth

Recently a friend of mine was talking about all the... Read More

How Often Each Day Should I Read or Say My Desire Statement?

The purpose of the Desire Statement is to support you... Read More

Its Your Life - Take Control

If you seem to spend much of your life doing... Read More

Seven Truths of Universal Law

Truth To Live By:What truths do you live by? Are... Read More

What Characters Teach Us about Character

Character is that which defines us; it's what people will... Read More

The Mirror Man

Lady Twilight felt angry. It was one of those days... Read More

7 Tips to Make a Fantastic Impression on People Who Count

Making a fabulous impression on people opens doors for your... Read More

Why These Berkeley Scientists Were Baffled!

Breakthrough Scientific Research on the Amoeba And Why You Must... Read More