Rice and Peas For The Soul 4: A Collection of More Than 45 Motivational, Inspiration and Moving Stories, Which Aim to Stimulate, Stir and Confound.

CONTENTS

ABOUT THE EDITOR

INTRODUCTION

DIFFERENT TYPES OF GOALS THAT TAKE YOU TO SUCCESS

THE SECRET OF SUCCESS!

SUCCESS DEPENDS UPON MATURITY!

ACRES OF DIAMONDS

SECRET SUCCESS STORIES

TAKE CONTROL OF MY LIFE

I CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN

IT WAS LATE NIGHT, AT THE BAR OF……

FORGIVING THE KILLER OF MY PARENTS

GROW GREAT BY DREAMS

ARE YOUR POTATOES HEAVY?

A BOUQUET FOR MOTHER

CRUISE DINNERS

THE HIGH ROAD LEADS TO A BIKE

MY BEST FRIENDS WEDDING

NEVER BELIEVED IN LOVE

LIGHTNING STRIKE AT THE AIRPORT

HOPELESSLY IN LOVE WITHTHE PERSON

INSTANT CONNECTION

APPOINTMENT BY FATE

THE LADY WITH THE BEAUTIFUL SMILE

HAPPY AND SAD AT THE SAME

THE GIRL AT BUS STOP

WHO OR WHAT DO WE LOVE MORE?

FULFILLING A PROMISE

WHY SHOULD I FEEL BAD?

STORY OF REGRET

UNTIL DEATH DO US APART

USELESS LIFE

A GIRL IN CD STORE

IMPORTANT THAN PRESENTS

A PAIR OF SHOES

FARMER FLEMING AND A NOBLEMAN

THE PERFECT GIFT

POISON

OLD MAN AND HIS SON

THE TENDER CARESS

MAKING RELATIONS SPECIAL

FATHER SON CONVERSATION

GRANDPA’S TABLE DINNER

ROSE FOR MOTHER

FATHER AND HIS SONS

A SOLDIER’S STORY

GIFT FROM DAUGHTER

A BOUQUET FOR MOTHER

THE ARMY SON

DOG AND CAT

TWO SEEDS:

DESIRE

A MOST IMPORTANT LESSON

BLURRED VISION

DON'T CHANGE THE WORLD

THE LESSON OF THE HOMELESS

OLD WEST JUSTICE

PAPERBACK BOOKS BY AUTHOR

E-BOOKS BY AUTHOR

ABOUT THE EDITOR

Delroy Constantine-Simms is a UK registered Counselling Psychologist and a qualified Therapeutic Career Coach. Constantine-Simms has previously edited the following books and Co-edited Teachers for the Future (1995) The Greatest Taboo: Homosexuality in Black Communities (2001) Hip Hop Had a Dream: Vol. 1 the Artful Movement (2008) Constantine-Simms is the recipient of the 2001 Lambda Award for Best Anthology for his book: The Greatest Taboo: Homosexuality in Black Communities (2001). He is also as freelance print and photojournalist, whose work is regularly submitted and distributed by photo agencies such as Corbis Images and Demotix. His articles and images have appeared in British and international publications such as the Word (Canada) The Big Issue, The Guardian, The Voice Newspaper, Miami Times, and many other publications. He is currently pursuing part time academic study at the University of Oxford (UK)  

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http://thinkdoctorcareercoaching.blogspot.co.uk

INTRODUCTION

One of my fondest memories as a child in the Caribbean is going by the river and sitting idly on the bank. There I would enjoy the peace and quiet, watch the water rush downstream, and listen to the chirps of birds and the rustling of leaves in the trees. I would also watch the bamboo trees bend under pressure from the wind and watch them return gracefully to their upright or original position after the wind had died down. When I think about the bamboo tree's ability to bounce back or return to its original position, the word resilience comes to mind. When used in reference to a person this word means the ability to readily recover from shock, depression or any other situation that stretches the limits of a person's emotions. Have you ever felt like you are about to snap? Have you ever felt like you are at your breaking point? Thankfully, you have survived the experience to live to talk about it. During the experience, you probably felt a mix of emotions that threatened your health. You felt emotionally drained, mentally exhausted and you most likely endured unpleasant physical symptoms. Life is a mixture of good times and bad times, happy moments and unhappy moments. The next time you are experiencing one of those bad times or unhappy moments that take you close to your breaking point, bend but don't break. Try your best not to let the situation get the best of you. A measure of hope will take you through the unpleasant ordeal. With hope for a better tomorrow or a better situation, things may not be as bad as they seem to be. The unpleasant ordeal may be easier to deal with if the end result is worth having. If the going gets tough and you are at your breaking point, show resilience. Like the bamboo tree, bend, but don't break!

DIFFERENT TYPES OF GOALS THAT TAKE YOU TO SUCCESS

Leaders set goals. But they often set only one type of goal, and in so doing they set themselves up for failure. Here is the complete tool kit.

1) Achievement goals – These describe results that you will have when you finish the goal. Examples include: retire with a million dollars at age 65, earn a promotion by June, and increase sales by 5%. Most major goals are achievement goals.

2) Action goals – These describe specific actions that you will take to accomplish achievement goals. Examples include: meet with an investment counselor, attend a workshop to learn new job skills, contact all the prospects in the database.

3) Layered goals – These specify the same goal with different levels of priority and difficulty. Example: Top Priority: Read one book each moth, Medium Priority: Read two books each month. Low Priority: Read three books each month. Use layered goals to stretch your performance beyond minimum achievements.

4) Rate goals – These specify actions repeatedly done over time. Examples include: Read two books per month, exercise three times per week, or write in a journal every day. Many personal growth activities can be performed as rate goals.

5) Limit goals – These set boundaries. Examples include: Spend less than $5,000 on new equipment, go to bed before 10 PM each night, and take less than 45 minutes for lunch while at work. These helps manage priorities.

6) Exclusion goals – These state things that you will not do. Examples include: Do not watch TV after 8 P.M., do not use a cell phone when with other people, do not eat junk foods. These help you decide in advance which activities you will avoid.

7) Incredible goals – These goals are highly optimistic, farfetched, or uncommonly aggressive. Examples include: Become CEO of a major corporation, write a best-selling novel, or win a Nobel Prize. These describe visions of ultimate success. If you set such goals, always supplement them with other more immediate and achievable goals that help you make progress toward these dreams.

THE SECRET OF SUCCESS!

A young man asked Socrates, an ancient Greek philosopher, the secret of Success. Socrates told the young man to meet him near the river the next morning. They met.

Socrates asked the young man to walk with him toward the river.

When the water got up to their necks, Socrates took the young man by surprise and ducked him into the water. The man struggled to get out but Socrates was strong and kept him under water until he started turning blue.

The young man struggled hard and finally managed to get up. The first thing he did was to gasp and take a deep breath.

Socrates asked, What did you want the most when you were under the water?

The man replied Air.

Socrates said: That’s the most secret to success. When you want success as badly as you want air, you will get it. There is no other secret.

Reflection:

A burning desire is the starting point of all accomplishments. Just like a small fire cannot give much heat, a weak desire cannot produce great results…

SUCCESS DEPENDS UPON MATURITY!

Maturity is many things. It is the ability to base a judgment on the big picture, the long haul. It means being able to resist the urge for immediate gratification and opt for the course of action that will pay off later. One of the characteristics of the young