Humility is not an excuse for being shy, laid back, a pushover or an excuse for false modesty.

In the dictionary one of the words closely linked to humility is meekness, and again meekness is often mis-interpreted as weakness.

The word humble originates from the latin humilis which means low or humus which means ground.

It is easy to understand how, the word low has spawned the general mis-representation of humility as low in station, submissive, deferential and unpretentious.

A truly humble person is all of these things but, (and this is important) in the right context. The wrong context being, a humble person is not supposed to be a person who is a carpet for other ‘less humble people’ to walk on.

I mentioned the word Humus which means ground. A truly humble person is a grounded person.

They work in partnership with spiritual principle and natural laws. Think about the ground or the soil for a minute. It has been here forever, it knows stuff that we dont, and its greatest work goes on in silence.

A well grounded person chooses to work in partnership with such a force by being aware of their station, they are submissive to its principles, they defer to its ways, and they are not pretentious about their own abilities to try and make anything happen outside of the partnership.

When I titled this post cultivate humility, I didn’t’ fully appreciate the connection between the word humility and the ground/soil. Cultivation is an essential part of producing something from the soil.

In closing, humility is an approach to life that says “I don’t have all the answers and I welcome your contribution.”

Humility is acceptance of one’s limitations — I cannot do it alone — balanced with a sense of resolve to do something. The farmer still has to plant the seeds.

To underscore your commitment to cultivate humility, you are offered a cast iron guarantee in ‘The Beatitudes’…….. The meek will inherit the earth.

Nigel Ipinson-Fleming

Emerge Me Personal Development

A -void negative sources, people, things and habits.

B -elieve in yourself.

C -onsider things from every angle.

D -on’t give up and don’t give in.

E -njoy life today: yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come.

F -amily and Friends are hidden treasures. Seek them and enjoy their riches.

G -ive more than you planned to give.

H -ang on to your dreams.

I -gnore those who try to discourage you.

J -ust do it!

K -eep on trying, no matter how hard it seems. It will get better.

L -ove yourself first and foremost.

M -ake it happen.

N -ever lie, cheat, or steal. Always strike a fair deal.

O -pen your eyes and see things as they really are.

P -ractice makes perfect.

Q -uitters never win and winners never quit.

R -ead, study and learn about everything important in your life.

S -top procrastinating.

T -ake control of your own destiny.

U -nderstand yourself in order to better understand others.

V -isualize it.

W -ant it more than anything.

X -ccelerate your efforts.

Y -ou are unique of all of Nature’s creations. Nothing can replace you.

Z -ero in on your target, and go for it!!

What

The what is the most exciting part of the equation, it is the ‘new years resolution’ part of any goal and states what you would like to achieve.

How

The how is the mechanics of how you intend to achieve it for example; ‘I am going to exercise 3 times per week’. It is also the equivalent to the map.

When traveling to a destination, the satellite navigation gives you the opportunity to enter the destination details, and you are provided with an estimated  time of arrival, provided you travel at a constant speed.

Why

The why is the biggie. Its the reason why you want to achieve your goal.

The reason why vision is so important, is because every achievement is subject to hitting a brick wall, and every leader suffers from ‘The dark night of the soul’. This is the period of time when the methods of the how are questioned, and you wonder whether the what is really worth it.

It is worthwhile remembering that even though you enter the details of the journey into the sat nav, the map is not the territory. Any road trip, has the potential to suffer delays, accidents and breakdowns.

The best way to measure the viability of your goal is to see whether it is vision motivated.

A bible passage states “where there is no vision, the people perish” Proverbs 29:18. The simple explanation for this statement is that if there is no vision, when the dark nights of the soul come, there is often little reason to persist in the face of adversity.

It is worthwhile remembering that it is very possible to get so engrossed in the why that there is no action, embroiled in the how that there is inertia, and debate the what, to the extent that it is all ends up as theory.

I recommend the following:

Get a strong why, it will give clarity to the what, and in the face of difficulty,  the how will always appear.

Nigel Ipinson-Fleming
Emerge Personal Development

The world now more than ever, needs people who are prepared to live lives on their own terms and express the gifts that are unique to them.

Can one person make a difference?

Of course you can!

There will never be another, better, or more unique person than you.

Here are the next 5 steps of our goals plan.

6. Leaders see more in others than others see in themselves:

Most of us are in many ways our own greatest enemy. It is a very common human trait to feel unworthy and to put ourselves down. Often latent talents never get noticed. A successful leader will always bring out the best in people. He/she will encourage people to live up to their potentials, and praise them when they do. Encouragement, praise and recognition on a regular basis will inspire those that you work with. Successful leaders understand this and spend time developing the talents of others. Leadership is not only in harnessing others to achieve a vision, but in changing and empowering every person it is your privilege to come in contact with.

7. Leadership is service:

Service to a vision. Service to others. Service to a greater good. Always lead with humility and respect for the position you find yourself in. Never be arrogant or full of ego. Leadership is about stewardship and you are simply a steward of the vision. Serve it well. A leader must also anticipate chaos and be prepared to work through temporary failure and disappointment. Numerous challenges and tests go with the territory of leadership, so do not let them surprise you or throw you off course when they inevitably happen.

8. Your ability to serve others starts with mastering yourself:

Successful leaders have spent much time developing the character traits and working habits that are necessary for success. You must learn to be a good follower before you become a leader. You must know how to overcome procrastination and inertia. How to set goals and achieve them. How to be honest, creative, intuitive, How to manage both the micro and macro situations. You must know how to listen, how to inspire, how to bring the best out of others and yourself. Understanding that personal growth never stops, a good leader will never stop working on him/herself. In a leadership role, you must expect twice as much from yourself as you expect from others.

9. Realize that we live in a real world, not an ideal one:

Allow for the fact that we live in an imperfect world. Your vision must allow for this. Nothing is one hundred percent black or white. Trying to change everyone and everything is unrealistic. Your vision must inspire and be a great vision, but not an unrealistic, impossible vision. Do the greatest good you can and make a difference to the world by achieving that which is possible.

10. Have fun and celebrate your successes regularly:

Do not become so serious and fixated upon your goal and vision that you lose the spontaneity of fun and joy. The joyful path is more effective than the fanatical one. Joy, compassion, love, empathy, fun and success all go hand in hand with one another. Enjoy each day amidst the busyness, and remember to celebrate each victory and success no matter how small. A joyful atmosphere will attract more people and be more productive. Look for ways to celebrate success and improvement wherever you find it.

Nigel Ipinson-Fleming

Emerge Personal Development

People want to be part of an organization or group that has an exciting positive vision for change. Small visions attract a small response. Large visions attract large numbers. Whatever your vision for change or growth may be, you must articulate it well and be clear on the process of attaining that vision, but most importantly it must be a vision that can inspire.

2. Break the large vision into easily understood goals with deadlines:

As the old saying goes, “The journey of one hundred miles begins with the first step.” A large vision will inspire people, but unless there is a plan to achieve the vision, the inspiration and excitement will soon dissipate. Completion of a large vision happens by accomplishing numerous smaller goals. Each goal and step builds on the one preceding it. Have a clear and workable plan that everyone can understand.

3. Focus on the big picture but work daily on the little picture:

Become goal oriented. It is through the accomplishment of thousands of smaller goals that the final accomplishment is achieved. Ask yourself, “What can I do today?” and then do it. The next day ask yourself again, “What can I do today?” and then do it. The same the day after. Focusing on what can be done today and accomplishing that is one of the secrets of success.

4. Love the process, not just the final result:

As the mystic Gurdjieff said, “Don’t think of results, just do.” Live life one day at a time. Life is a journey, not a destination. Each day enjoy the process of the people you meet, the challenges, the surprises, the victories and yes, the failures too, for they also teach us. When you dedicate yourself not just to the end result but to the process, good fortune and synchronicity come to your aid. When you can embrace the process as a means and end unto itself, and appreciate the process as a journey within the journey to be mastered and enjoyed and appreciated, you will be in harmony with the deeper currents of life.

5. Ask for and expect others to help you:

If you are dedicated to your vision and you believe that the accomplishment of this vision will help many, you can expect others to become enthused as well, and want to help you. This is not to say that every single person you meet and share your vision with will want to help. Some will be too busy or committed to other projects. Others may disagree or argue with your vision, as is their right. However the law of averages works in such a way that if you ask many to help, some will respond. Carry no animosity or ill will towards those who do not share your vision, but embrace and work closely with those who do. These people will help you immensely. A group of individuals committed to a shared vision can accomplish the impossible. It is these people that you are destined to be with, learn from, and work with. Fortune favours the bold, and unless you share your vision, how will others know of it?

Nigel Ipinson-Fleming
Emerge Personal Development

Nigel Ipinson-Fleming

Emerge Me

Have you ever stopped to think about what makes you unique?

You are comprised of 3 parts, Spirit, Soul and Body.
Your spirit is the essence of your life- The Parent
Your soul is your chooser, thinker and reasoner- The Mind
Your body is your sensory mechanism- The Vehicle

From a very early age you are trained to accept information collected by the vehicle or sensory mechanism, passed to the mind with great regularity and eventually permeating the The parent, which then passes back to the mind expectations based on the information that was originally collated by the body.
The frequency at which this information is passed means that it is very difficult to interrupt this pattern and substitute incorrect sensory mechanism thinking for right spirit thinking.

Sensory mechanism thinking dwells on situations as they appear to be based on the five senses.
Sprit thinking is based on the truth.
What is the truth?

The truth is that everything is subject to change.

If you look out of your window, the skyline as you see it, wasnt there 100 years ago and in 100 years from now it will not look the same.

The frequency, rate and style of change depends on whether your thinking is body based or spirit based.

Body sees limited possibilities
Spirit sees limitless possibilities

Why?

The natural eye can only see so far
The spiritual eye can transcend time

How do you utilise this?

Use your spiritual eye to influence your mind and the rate at which you do this will have an effect on your body.
In this sense the parent is influencing the child.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart
Follow your spirit repeatedly until it becomes second nature, habit or just your way of life

And lean not to thine own undertanding
Stop using your body or sensory mechanism as the measuring stick by which you set your path for life

Nigel Ipinson-Fleming

Emerge Me

If you want to get an idea of how difficult it is to think correctly, it has been said that 100 years ago, the average number of thoughts that ran through an individuals mind per day was 5000.

Even if that is still true today, and I am sure it isnt, it is very difficult to discipline the mind not to think thoughts of doubt and fear.

Have you not noticed that when faced with a tricky circumstance, the capacity to think the worst is ever so easy.

Here’s the deal……..We are mini broadcasting units, and the thoughts we transmit, clothe themselves in like-minded circumstance.

This is summed up in the briefest of advice ‘according to your faith, be it unto you’ Matthew 9:29

What  we think about sets the course of our life. Any day we choose; we can discipline ourselves to change it all. Any day we choose, we can open the book that will open our mind to new knowledge. Any day we choose, we can start a new activity. Any day we choose, we can start the process of life change. We can do it immediately, next week,  next month, or next year, but it will all start with a choice.

As Shakespeare uniquely observed, “The fault is not in the stars, but in ourselves.” We created our circumstances by our past choices. We have both the ability and the responsibility to make better choices beginning today.”

Nigel Ipinson-Fleming
Emerge Personal Development

To assist my own development I decided to view the issue from the opposite point of view. I always thought how could I save time where  as I have now chosen to study how I spend time.

Time is often referred to as money, and if you can adapt some of these principles, it will have a dramatic impact on your finances as well.

The Norfolk woodcutter was told that he would be more effective in chopping the wood, if he took time out to sharpen the saw. He replied ‘ I don’t have time for that’
What would Jesus PA have made of the situation, when he had just entered the appointment into his digital diary or mobile phone, the appointment with Jairus daughter and along the way to this important appointment he is pausing to attend to other matters?
The reality is that Jesus mission statement was clear in that he rid himself of needless discussions about his authority, but was able to impact healing the sick and take detours along the way, as long as they were congruent with his ultimate goal.
Your goals are determined by your values.
If you value career over integrity your decision about time will reflect this.

1. Good time management develops judgment, foresight, self reliance and self discipline which are some of the qualities of good leadership

2. Good time management Works smarter not harder- the people that work harder produce less because of poor time management skills.

3. Good time management builds Character confidence and an unshakeable conviction in your purpose.

4. Good time managers learn lessons from the past, live in the now and plan for the future.
Manage yourself, minute by minute, and the hours days and weeks, will take care of themselves.
You will develop power, purpose, control and worthwhile accomplishments.
Right now, this minute is the only time that you have.

Nigel Ipinson-Fleming
Emerge Personal Development