277. Laws - The Law of Cause and Effect

The Law of Cause and Effect states that everything happens for a reason. For every effect there is a cause or a series of causes (chain-reaction).  In a chain reaction, the last effect becomes the cause of the next effect and so on until the end of the chain. Sometimes a cause will have secondary effects and form sub chains, spreading out in ripples to effect peple, things and events that are not connected directly to the original cause.

Things do not happen by chance. We live in a world governed by laws. The clearer your understanding of these and of the effects you want to achieve, the better your chances of reaching your goals.

The thoughts that you have create the effects in your life.

It is not the world outside you that creates or dictates your circumstances; it is the world of thought (within) that determines the conditions of your life.

Ultimately, no-one forces you to feel, think or act the way you do. It is entirely your own choice.

Once a month you should take time out to examine the following areas of your life :

* Family
* Health
* Work
* Money.

Investigate the cause-and-effect relationships between what you think say do and feel and the results you are achieving. Ask what changes you could make to your thinking to improve the quality of some part of your life and insert the answer into your plan for the following month.


Remember that this law can be expressed as a cycle diagram.

276. Work on Yourself First.

Whatever you do or achieve, your success comes from within. Work, therefore on yourself first. You have just achieved your second Martial Arts Blue Belt. You did well on the night of your grading but the real work was done in class and at training. This was the work on yourself, learning the technique, doing the pad-work, practicing for speed and fluidity, doing the press-ups and sit ups to give you the strength and flexibility to be competent. This is work on yourself.

275. Education ???? Check this out !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U

Petula Clark - Downtown

274. Where we Learn Most.

Reading and study are very important but where we really learn the most is from those around us.

273. General Negotiations.

Work together to defeat a problem rather than the other side. Focus on the various interests involved, not the positions. Try to reconcile the interests with each other - look for win-win outcomes.

When people take a position, try to find out why. Detect the interest behind the position. What other interests underlie the position ?

If one party wants the window open (position) for fresh air (interest) while the other wants it closed (position) to avoid the draught (interest), then the reconciliation or solution that meets all the interests is to open the window in the other room.

You can have a lot of fun practicing this exercise.

Desires and concerns are interests. Interests motivate people. Positions are things that one decides upon. This is a vital distinction.

Behind opposed positions lie shared as well as conflicted interests. Find the shared ones. Very often, when you look to the interests, new positions arise that are compatible. Alternatives emerge. The obvious position is never the only one and rarely is it the wisest.

In the case of a landlord and tennant, the shared interests are :

1. Both want stability.
2. Both want a well maintained property.
3. Both want a good relationship.

272. Negotiating with Strangers and Enemies.

When negotiating with strangers or enemies, work at quickly turning them into friends. This makes negotiation easier. Get to know them. Find out their likes and dislikes. Ask to borrow a certain one of their books. (This will flatter them.) but make sure to read it before you return it (in case you are questioned on it later.) And make sure you do return it !