Reading the GlobeTravel the World, Page by Page

How to spend 24 hours in Ghent, Belgium

Many people feel that there is a limited amount of abundance, wealth, or chances to succeed in life. Furthermore, there is a solid belief that if one person succeeds, another must fail.

This might be true, in some cases, such as in a small company or school, where opportunity is limited by management. However, the world is a big place, and there are opportunities created from ideas that help people, and no one gets hurt in the process.

Danny Thomas: With his promise, prayers, and vision, for St. Jude’s Hospital, he received the help of friends in the Arab-American community to build a fantastic charity. Some of us also believe he received divine help – I know, I do.

There is much more to this story, but what did this hospital or charity take away from anyone? Aren’t the children who recover from cancer living proof that this idea, and prosperity, is for the pure benefit of mankind? There is no one who is hurt by this, and Marlo Thomas has picked up where her father left off.

Yoga teachers: Many unfulfilled members of the workforce have left their jobs to teach the benefits of Yoga to the masses. They teach their students to enjoy life, deal with stress, breathe properly, improve their posture, become aware of their bodies, and many more benefits.

Most Yoga teachers believe that all of the great Yoga jobs are in health clubs, ashrams, and Yoga studios. Not so, in my book “How to Grow Your Own Successful Yoga Business,” I mention 16 ways to start up with little or no overhead.

Within the first chapter, there are Yoga teaching opportunities that currently exist with little, or no, competition. Yoga teachers who have taken this advice have become successful and prosperous.

Do these jobs take food away from anyone? When someone starts a business, do they take food away from another competitor? If you believe your competition is your problem, it will be. This is limited thinking, and you have to learn to think “outside the box,” in order to be successful in life.

Don’t waste time on bad thoughts. You can easily co-exist in harmony with them, become friends, and learn from them. There is enough opportunity for everyone. This should be your mantra: Observe your competition, learn from their mistakes, and when possible, copy their success. This is why you need to take a mandatory vacation and get fresh ideas. This is why you should take a notebook with you. I still prefer the “old fashioned,” spiral bound notebook, with a pen in hand. Everyone has a niche, make sure you cultivate yours, and develop your own identity, in life. Always remember, the sky is the limit, and you are only restrained by your own thoughts.