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I saw the quote, “If you want to climb a mountain, begin at the top” in a post titled “Begin at the Top,” on Thomas Craig’s blog Zen Revolution. I highly recommend linking to that post and reading the ideas.
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After reading and reflecting upon the ideas, and then taking a meditation class that specified some steps for working toward goals, I came up with a few additional ideas… ideas to support developing a deeper awareness of the potential benefits of any goal and to use that awareness of the benefits to help motivate, empower and inspire the sustained effort that will be needed to work toward it.
(These “steps” and some of these ideas were presented and encouraged in a meditation class I took at Ananda Center)
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And then continuing… reflecting…getting more specific
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It can be really helpful to identify the potential, positive qualities that might come out of being able to achieve any goal. And then, continuing to think of a sequence of steps that will support working toward that goal.
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Starting at the bottom of the following page and working one’s way up….
climbing the mountain
…step by step by step…
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Some possible steps:
to identify some potential “positive qualities” of the desired result(s)
to reflect again and again on the “benefits” of those positive qualities
to develop “confidence” or “faith”
in how important those qualities would be in one’s life….
and how much those qualities would also support the lives of others
to develop a deep “yearning” and “aspiration” for those qualities…..
to use that aspiration to provide the “energy”
to put in the needed “effort” to work toward those qualities….
the “result” that will come out of that effort….
because invariably,
…causes lead to effects…
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A more concise version of that page…
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Using those powers of faith, yearning, aspiration, intention and motivation, and effort to support leading to a desired goal
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“If you want to climb a mountain, begin at the top”
a Zen saying
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Pocket Perspectives 
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What a fantastic saying! You do get a very clear view from the top! I love the way you’ve worked with this inspiration. ox
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Thanks, Debra… I think it’s a really helpful saying, too. I find using that sequence helpful…I got it from a series of talks by a remarkable Tibetan Buddhist monk.
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Love this. I’m all about “big picture” thinking to clarify what each small step is leading towards. Thanks for the motivation – I think I’m going to consider my own mountain today and what it will look like at the top.
Cat
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Happy it resonates… I find it really helpful to imagine the feeling of living the life of that achieved goal…how it “feels”…and then to use that for inspiration and motivation to keep working toward it. Hope you’re imagining life at the “top” of that mountain…
btw… I’ve been meaning to give others a “heads up” about your new blog… Year of Jamaica. I love reading about what you’re doing and writing about…you experiences and insights.
I think I’ll create a post, with a quote from you and a heads up for people to check out and enjoy your blog about living in Jamaica… http://yearofjamaica.wordpress.com/
I don’t know whether you realize this, but a quote from your blog “year of kindness” gave me the inspiration and motivation…. the feeling of fulfilling/living a goal that I had when I first started Pocket Perspectives….during those many, many (!!!) months when barely anyone even visited or found the pages I create. Cat….wow!….that’s exactly what you offered me in your quote/perspective… imagining the aspiration coming to fruition.. The quote from your old blog, Year of Kindness http://yearofkindness.wordpress.com/
“you have to have faith that whatever you are offering to the world,eventually someone will walk by and who accepts and appreciates it, completely and joyfully,and there is no better feeling.”
…that has been on a little image “page”…taped above the kitchen sink and by my computer monitor for several years… wow! you just never know! thanks! 🙂
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Honey thankyou so much – I’m having a tough week and just reading this has put a huge smile on my face. Its crazy to think that me trying to find the strength to keep trying and have faith in myself two years ago then helped you to find the same thing when you needed it. And now I need it and you’re the one helping me rediscover it! I do remember you saying you had that quote taped to your wall, but I certainly didn’t think it would still be there after all that time!
I’m so happy you have held onto that inspiration and that we found each other in cyberspace, truly. And its wonderful that so many people have now found your blog and can share the love and inspiration – you deserve it!
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Cat, I’m sure there’s lots to adjust to in such a big move as you’ve made… and that it might take time to get used to the many changes. I’m guessing there might be a few bumps as you make that shift….. sending you encouraging wishes for steady patience and persistence…and tons of strength and faith… Kathy
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