Fifteen Dynamic Principles to Make your Wildest Dreams Come True -
How to Put Awesome Power into your Life

Submitter's Note: This article was largely based upon a most
inspiring adress by the Rev Robert Schuller from the excellent TV
program, The Hour of Power, which I felt "guided" to share. I have
personalised some of the information and applied the principles to my
life journey, adding some points of my own from this writer's personal
odyssey. Thank you sincerely, Dr Schuller for sharing your insights
and wisdom in encouraging me down my 'untrodden path'; but most of
all, for serving as a vessel to illuminate God's unlimited love for
ALL of us, His children.
*
"Life is about finding, then following the dream...and one's
dream/vision comes to reality through believing in yourself,
making the commitment and then creating it."
- Craig Lock

"Achievers are believers".

"If you can believe, all things are possible to those who
believe."
- Mark 9:23

What dreams would you have in your life, if you knew you could NOT
possibly fail?

Have total faith: in yourself and especially in God - a Higher
Power, Who cares deeply about you and really BELIEVE God , the Power
of the Universe will ensure the outcome that's best for you.

I've lived the following principles, learnt them from experience over
many years and have applied them in every area of my personal
life. I can vouch for the fact that they DO work!
*
Here are the Fifteen Principles as expounded (is there such a word?)
by Dr Schuller, which I've applied down my "unchartered journey,
sliding down the rapids of life"...

1. Discover the Awesome Power of a Dream:
Find then follow a grand vision for the future, one that will capture
your entire heart,
your soul and at the deepest level, your spirit. Open your mind
up to the awesome power of your creative imagination (the way
"God "speaks" to us, through the subconscious mind, our
"Godgate", I believe). Allow yourself the courage and freedom to
fantasise until you get a vision. Visualise, then BELIEVE.

Meditate deeply to get in touch with the "real you", your "inner
being", authentic or Higher Self/Being.
Pray (if you do that), ask God
what is your unique "calling in life"... and you WILL eventually
get the answer... from the "still quiet voice within"... or what I
like to call "the voiceless voice"- a gentle nudging, prodding or
prompting on the way ahead. Incidentally, sharing this article is part
of what I believe to be my "calling".
You are now thinking in the "lofty" dimension of your Higher Self,
the "real you" or Authentic Self. It's another level of LIVING and
"dreaming". In meditation (and prayer), you are elevating your
thinking to the highest level of consciousness and connecting your
unique spirit to a far Grander Spirit, the Infinite Spirit of the
Universe. It's a deep level of thinking in another realm - the
creative imagination. There is unlimited power and wisdom in this (and
this is not "airy-fairy" stuff")! It's practical and can be easily
mastered by anyone who truly believes in the principles (as Jesus
Christ Himself and Buddha, so perfectly understood the human
condition). The key lies in finding the right BALANCE between living
in the physical and spiritual worlds (great article, thanks for
sharing, Catherine), as they overlap in our human consciousness
(rational vs imagination, practical vs emotional, logic - spiritual,
left brain vs right brain functions, etc - thanks Andy).

Where do you find this vision (grand) for your life? You find it by
looking for people
who have needs and hurts. The secret of success in business is
finding a human need and filling it. What does everyperson on this
plant need? Money, security, peace of mind and love. So find a problem
to solve, people to help through
the awesome power of a vision.

John Henry Newman once wrote: "God has created me to do
for Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me,
which He has not committed to another." It is always related to the
good, the well-being of others. Often it is 'a new thing I want to do with you'.
Leo Tolstoi once wrote: "The vocation of every man and woman is to
serve other people."

Making a difference by encouraging others and sharing my
writings and articles like this was a vision
"total non-techno" I had many years back, after we landed in a small town
on the other side of the world from my "beloved country",
South Africa and before I had heard of the internet!
Extremely difficult circumstances (I was a very hard problem, even for
God!) and it seemed like a
"pipe-dream" for so long...
yet I now KNOW that nothing is impossible with faith (great) +
hard work! When you are on the right track and get truly connected
with a Higher Power everything eventually falls into place, like the
pieces of a jig-saw puzzle. All you have ever done PREPARES you for
what you have to do, and when you look back you will see the "divine
hand of God" guiding you each step of the way.
("We are all pencils in the hand of God" - thanks, Mother Theresa).
It's magical the way the mysteries of life unfold, when you do what
you are MEANT (ie. are called) to do. You are then following God's
plan for you life with no strain!

2. Allow your Dream to Sit in the Driver's Seat of your Life,
the "core of your being". It will motivate and energise you. Only
YOU have the power to kill your dream. Nothing is impossible to the
person, whose vision becomes a dream and when that dream is allowed to
take control over your life.

3. Develop a Success Consciousness, an EXPECTATION that you will
achieve your dream one day. It's a positive pattern of thinking, a
great mindset to have, which will propel you down the road to personal
success (or to achieve whatever goal you have in mind).
Don't surrender to negative assumptions. Eg. "I'm too old, a
woman, have no money, no resources, no contacts", etc.
Challenge them. Nothing is impossible to the person, who fervently
believes in their dream with "heaps" of "mountain-moving") faith!

The teachings of Jesus Christ, the greatest "Possibility Thinker" the
world has ever seen, are practical and relevant TODAY as a guide for
living, as Jesus understood perfectly the human condition. These
'natural laws', the principles DO work as much today, because they are
eternal truths and thus a guide for living... just as they were valid
2000 years ago!

4. KNOW that there is a God, a Higher Power, your Creator, an Infinite
Spirit, the Grand Designer of Life - One Who/That cares for you
deeply...and that there is is a
UNIQUE plan for your life. Listen to the quiet voice of God,
the "still voice within whispering to you" (through your heart and
soul)...and when you seek you WILL get an answer.
It's just up to YOU to DISCOVER your "calling", then declare it
(to the world, should you wish).
It's your grand purpose in life and God, the Great Spirit of the Universe
will honour you and help you to fulfil it. When you give 100
dedication and commitment
and fully TRUST, God, Higher Intelligence, the Life Force will see to it, that
your dream comes to pass (if it is good for you and the world).

5. Have a dynamic positive attitude to life. CHOOSE it. Be
flexible in your thinking. Develop a positive EXPECTANCY
that your dream will one day come to fruition.
Really KNOW in your heart that your deepest desires and aspirations,
your calling will eventually be fulfilled.

6. BELIEVE in yourself with honesty and humility....and not
arrogance. It's not being "big-headed" saying things, like "I am
unique, somebody special. Say, I KNOW I can (make a difference, some
impact
in this amazing and beautiful world of ours, etc")!

Many people (even close friends) won't understand your path, "the road
less travelled" (as Scott Peck called it) ...but who cares. They will
be amazed one day at what you have accomplished... and all you need is
a big helping of COURAGE.

7. PERSIST: Look at all the options and check them each day.
Obstacles and pressures shift, like sand-storms. Never ever walk away
from problems. Say, "I will until".

8. Be patient. VERY! Like a good wine, a great dream takes many many
years to mature. When nothing seems to be happening, don't give up.
I can certainly vouch for those feelings!

9. TRUST your intuition, the journey. It's yours alone, YOUR pathway
and no-one elses.

10. Always remember, God's, the Universe's dreams are far bigger than
we could ever imagine ourselves. "Make your dreams big enough for God
to fit in." The dreams of great dreamers are never achieved, but
transcended way beyond human comprehension and consciousness.

11. Be open and flexible in your strategies to achieve your goals,
your dream(s). There are may ways to skin a cat (sorry, SPCA). If one
road on the path to achieving your dream gets blocked, go round the
back way.

12. Review your strategy and progress from time to time.
Monitor the results. Are you getting the results you want?
How effectively are you progressing down your chosen path? Are you
getting the results expected and what you desire?
If not, change your strategy. Through prayer and meditation,
ask the Lord for guidance (as God, I believe, works through our
subconscious minds).

13. Listen to others, really listen, instead of thinking what you
are going to say next. Think how can I help the next person.
As Zig Zigler said, "You get what you want, by helping other people
get what they want."

In turn, if you need help with something, don't be afraid to ASK
politely. People like helping others...and everyone has unique
skills and knowledge, that they like sharing. I have nil "techno"
skills, however some wonderful people, previously strangers, around
the world have helped me move
my online vision ahead in practical ways. (thanks so much, Barbara,
Stefan, Bill and Erich especially, but countless others over the
years).
To so many other
people around the globe, my generous thanks for all the encouragement
in my writing, especially when my hopes lay in ashes years back. It is
through your help that I am in the process of achieving my dreams.

Remember,
you can't do it alone... so ask for help.
The process of synergy at work , ie 1+1= 3. Everyone has unique gifts
and talents.

14. Never Give Up on the Core of your Dream. Never ever! Ask yourself
this vital question: What are the alternatives to NOT dreaming a
dream?

15. ENJOY THE JOURNEY ON THE STAIR-CASE TO YOUR UNIQUE DREAMS in
life...and most importantly,
strive to be happy.

NB: Always remember...
Success is an ongoing process and not merely a matter of arriving at a
particular destination. So take pleasure in the journey. It's great
fun overcoming numerous "insurmountable" obstacles and challenges
along the way, in doing the "seemingly impossible" and occasionally
looking back and seeing ones immense progress.
Celebrate your arriving by acting "as if" you are already successful.
Your subsconscious mind will help move you ahead in the direction of
your dreams.
N.B: It's not who and what you are now, but WHO you BECOME along the journey.
Enjoy the journey of self discovery and growth with "heaps" of fun.

With a strong faith in a Supreme Being, God (and thus with the help of
this Higher Power), NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING is impossible!

"If thou can'st believe, ALL things are possible."
(Jesus's words, I believe!)

" If you have faith as a grain of musterd seed you can
say to this mountain: move ! And it will move ! And
nothing will be impossible to you. "
Matthew 17:20

First,
BELIEVE IT...

THEN YOU WILL SEE IT!

WHAT IS YOUR DREAM today?
If you can dream it,
you CAN DO it...
and so shine your unique bright light on the world!

"Lord,
broaden my horizons for all the rich promises you have in store for me."

Craig Lock
("Incorrigible Encourager, Information and Inspiration Distributor")
http://www.craiglock.com
http://www.craiglockbooks.com

"We have it all within, but we get from without."
- Craig Lock

"For me true success may be measured by the fortitude, with which so
many ordinary people around the globe overcome numerous seemingly
insurmountable obstacles through sheer force of character and an
indominitable spirit. They rise above the severest adversity down the
often rocky journey of life. Unheralded, yet with an unquenchable and
infinite generosity of human spirit, these are lives of greatness and
souls who are the true heroes of this world."
- Craig Lock (13th August 2004)

"When faced with a mountain, I will not quit
I'll keep on striving until I climb over,
Find a path through, tunnel underneath,
Or simply stay and with God's help turn
my mountain into a gold mine.
I will not quit."
- Rev Robert Schuller, a great inspiration and "mentor" to me in
following my personal dream

"To have grown wise and kind is real success."
- Author Unknown

Edwin Hubbel Chapin once said, "Every action of our lives touches on
some chord that will vibrate in eternity." That is the definition of a
legacy. Wouldn't you love to do something that might strike a
beautiful chord that will "vibrate in eternity"?

"Inspirational Books" are available at:
http://www.soulful-writer.com
http://www.craiglock.com/books.html and http://www.bridgeniche.com

Hard-copies and e-books, fiction and nonfiction: self help, novels,
travel, humour, writing and inspiration

PPS: Don't worry about the world ending today...
it's already tomorrow in "little" scenic and tranquil
New Zealand