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Articles from William Diedrich | Selfgrowth.com
- Belief in God (Or Not?) - by Submitted on Jun 11, 2015 from William DiedrichBelief in God: (Or not?) A friend of mine told me he was an Atheist. I asked him what that meant. He said: "It means I don't believe in God." I asked him: "What do you mean by God?" He said: "A divine being who created the world and who judges us." I responded: "I don't believe in that god ...
Views: 1006 - Feeling Naked - by Submitted on Nov 17, 2014 from William DiedrichI feel naked. As I am writing this I am actually wearing clothes. It’s thirty degrees outside. I just published my first novel—Human Adulthood: A Spiritual Romance. I have written and published four non-fiction books. There certainly is a level of vulnerability with those, especially since I ...
Views: 1207 - Forgiveness is Logical - by Submitted on May 16, 2014 from William DiedrichForgiveness is logical. It isn't something that you should do. It is a practice that makes sense. When you forgive you improve your well-being and influence others to improve theirs. When you forgive you empower yourself. Forgiveness is a gift that you give to yourself and to the world. To ...
Views: 1641 - The Road Home - by Submitted on Jul 15, 2013 from William DiedrichI think about God every day. For many years concepts like God and spirituality rested on the periphery of my life. They were scenery that I could admire now and then. I was not really on a spiritual path, a way home to my Source. I was a spiritual tourist, an interested sightseer, spending a ...
Views: 986 - Why We Need a Vision - by Submitted on Jun 25, 2013 from William DiedrichMr. Obama and Mr. Boehner need a vision. I'm sure they both have ideas about where they want to lead, but there is no joint vision. Any organization, whether it is a small shop with three staff members, or a country of 300 million, must be vision-driven if it is to succeed. If we don't ask ...
Views: 1372 - Polarization - by Submitted on Jun 12, 2013 from William DiedrichTo polarize is to divide into sharply opposing groups or sides. We sometimes see polarization as a problem, for example in politics. People have opposing views in the areas of gun control, abortion, gay marriage, and health care. The polarity that we see is not a problem once you understand that ...
Views: 1071 - Polarization - by Submitted on May 07, 2013 from William DiedrichTo polarize is to divide into sharply opposing groups or sides. We sometimes see polarization as a problem, for example in politics. People have opposing views in the areas of gun control, abortion, gay marriage, and health care. The polarity that we see is not a problem once you understand that ...
Views: 1364 - Breaking Free - by Submitted on Jan 28, 2013 from William DiedrichI have read that baby elephants in captivity are chained by one leg to a post. They try hard to free themselves but are unable. After awhile they give up. When they grow up, they believe they still can't free themselves, even though they have the strength to break free at any time. If the story ...
Views: 1169(1 vote) - For Adults Only -- The Shift - by Submitted on Dec 04, 2012 from William DiedrichMany people talk about changes occurring in late 2012. Call it a celestial speed-up, a shift in mass consciousness, awakening, or evolution in consciousness, but don't get too excited about it yet. If it is happening now, it's for adults only. The Divine cannot change what you refuse to let ...
Views: 1169 - What to Do if You Are the Only "Adult" in the Room - by Submitted on Oct 19, 2012 from William DiedrichHave you ever felt that the people around you were acting like children and you were the only real adult in the room? It could be at work, or at a family gathering, a community meeting, or reading some blog. Maybe you listened to people gossip, share opinions as if they were facts, or watched as ...
Views: 2521(2 votes) - Adults At Work - by Submitted on Sep 13, 2012 from William DiedrichBecoming an adult is a sorting out process. We put away the aspects of ego that no longer serve us, and we nurture those aspects that do serve us. At one point in my life I put away sarcasm. I thought it was humorous and fun, but it was hurtful to other people. In the past, sarcastic ...
Views: 1583 - Changing Your Culture: Beyond Complaining - by Submitted on Aug 27, 2012 from William DiedrichIn human groups culture is always at work. Whether it is a workplace organization, school, spiritual center, community, club, or family, there is a structure that guides behavior. The structure is based on choices made over time by various leaders in the group. It becomes "The way we do things." ...
Views: 1662 - Shine Your Light - by Submitted on Jul 17, 2012 from William DiedrichRecently I have begun a process to extend my work, to get it out to more people. Some of you have read my blogs. Some of you have read my books. I decided it was time to play bigger, to take more responsibility, and to shine the light that is within me. I am not special. You have a light to ...
Views: 1191 - Emotional Awareness - by Submitted on Jun 18, 2012 from William DiedrichWhen you blame you are usually fearful, angry or hurt. Blaming robs you of your ability to think clearly. Emotional awareness is the key to freeing yourself from the restrictions made by blaming. Emotion is energy. It can be both constructive and destructive. A passion for the possible drove ...
Views: 1602 - There Is No Blame - by Submitted on May 04, 2012 from William DiedrichThe one thing we seem so eager to give but don't enjoy receiving is blame. We are a culture rich in blame yet poor in accountability and responsibility. Blame puts us in the neighborhood of victimhood, a place of no choices. It becomes the justification for forceful action. What if we could just ...
Views: 3034 - Who Will Be the Adult? - by Submitted on Apr 27, 2011 from William DiedrichThings happen. People become angry or upset. We can say and do unkind things to each other. In conflict, we want to be right. This is the human condition. There is always an answer. The answer is you. The question is: "Who will be the adult?" Who will be the one who is most sane and can bring a ...
Views: 984 - What Do You Intend? - by Submitted on Jan 10, 2011 from William DiedrichDo you know what you want this year? You don't need to know how you will achieve it yet. "What" comes before "how". Most people can articulate what they don't want, but they have difficulty in being clear about what they do want. "Not this!" and "Something different" are not intentions. "Getting ...
Views: 1403 - The Greatest Gifts You Can Give - by Submitted on Dec 20, 2010 from William DiedrichAt this time of year many of you give gifts. The definition of a gift is: "something given willingly to another person without payment." True giving is without expectation of a return. We give for the joy of giving. As you spend time searching online or in the malls for your gifts to give, I ask ...
Views: 1274 - Better Professional Relationships -- Giving and Receiving - by Submitted on Dec 07, 2010 from William DiedrichEvery professional relationship has a purpose, and often we don't really know what the purpose is. We may think different relationships have different purposes. The purpose of a relationship with a potential customer may seem to be to sell a product or service. The purpose of a manager-staff ...
Views: 1488 - Hope - by Submitted on Dec 07, 2010 from William DiedrichHope is the ability to see a brighter future. It inspires us to to keep on making the effort, to keep on living. Hope is the stuff that movies on the Hallmark Channel are made of. Throughout history people have been encouraged to have hope. There are seasons and reasons to have hope. Hope is ...
Views: 1040(1 vote) - Better Relationships - by Submitted on Sep 07, 2010 from William DiedrichEvery relationship has a goal, yet we often don’t know what that goal is. If the relationship is personal, we might think the goal is happiness. If it is professional, we might think the goal is to be profitable or to help each other (teamwork/cooperation). It seems that goals such as happiness ...
Views: 1361 - Who Rules Your Mind? - by Submitted on Sep 07, 2010 from William DiedrichWho rules your mind? If you are like most people, it probably isn't you. That would require clarity. That would require discipline. Thoughts are powerful. They determine your experience, and they influence the experience of others. You can choose to be clear and to discipline your mind. The ...
Views: 1637(1 vote) - Gaining Weight Might Not Be So Bad If It Weren't for Gravity! - by Submitted on Aug 23, 2010 from William DiedrichIt's true. If it weren't for gravity, you might not notice so much when you gain weight. During the past couple of months I noticed that I had gained about ten pounds this year. And ten pounds the year before! My waist size didn't increase in my pants--I just started wearing my pants a little ...
Views: 1286 - Training Our Brains for Success - by Submitted on Jun 22, 2010 from William DiedrichChanging our thoughts from a predominantly negative to a predominantly positive orientation has physical implications. According to brain research expert, Dr. Pat Wolfe in Brain Matters: Translating Research into Classroom Practice, the brain is the only organ that sculpts itself. Our ...
Views: 1168(2 votes) - From Lack to Abundance - by Submitted on May 04, 2010 from William DiedrichWhat is lack? Lack is you noticing that you don’t have what you want. It is the belief that you will be okay if and when you receive what you want. Lack is a focus on the absence of what you want. Affirming. praying, and visualizing are made less effective when we offer them from a place of ...
Views: 1397(1 vote) - Managing Your Ego At Work - by Submitted on May 18, 2010 from William DiedrichEgo is your self image. It is how you see yourself in relation to others and the world. Ego also includes the compulsion we feel to defend the image. The ego is not real. It is a concept, an idea. We have these thoughts and urges within us and we call it "ego". For something that is not real, ...
Views: 7771(1 vote) - Clear Expectations - by Submitted on Feb 04, 2010 from William Diedrich“Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are a good person is a little like expecting the bull not to attack you because you are a vegetarian.” Dennis Wholey Everyone has expectations. We expect people to treat us a certain way. As leaders we expect people to perform well and ...
Views: 2255(1 vote) - The Egoless Leader - by Submitted on Dec 03, 2009 from William DiedrichGreat leadership is about power, yet it is not about power over others. The power of a great leader is to create an environment where others are empowered to offer their best. This is not working through people where others become extensions of you, the leader. This is dedicating yourself to the ...
Views: 4369(1 vote) - Certainty and the Inner Voice - by Submitted on May 04, 2009 from William DiedrichPerhaps nothing is as dangerous as a leader who is certain he knows what he is doing. Often so-called leaders and experts believe they know all there is to know, and that their knowledge is so complete, that they cannot make mistakes. The ego is a know-it-all. It likes to be right. Yet there is ...
Views: 1106 - The Hero Is Unmasked - by Submitted on Apr 22, 2009 from William DiedrichTHIS IS THE PART where the hero (me) is unmasked. I play the role of leader. People see me as William or Bill. I'm the man with the answers. I'm the man who is in control. I have it all together. People speak around the table and then they look at me. They look at me as if to say: "What do you ...
Views: 1096 - Seeing from a Higher Perspective - by Submitted on Mar 11, 2009 from William DiedrichThink for a moment. How do you see yourself? What opinions do you have about yourself? If you are like most people, you have some critical opinions. These opinions have grown and been maintained over time. Any negative opinions you have about yourself are opinions based on lack. The opinions ...
Views: 4906 - Are You Big Enough for Your Dreams and Goals? - by Submitted on Mar 11, 2009 from William DiedrichYou cannot reduce dreams and goals to your size. If you dream of being a high level manager, yet your main goal is to please your boss, it is unlikely you will achieve your dream. If you dream of being wealthy, yet resent those who already have money, it is unlikely you will achieve wealth. ...
Views: 1248 - The Ripple Effect and Your Center of Influence - by Submitted on Jan 13, 2009 from William DiedrichYou are a center of influence. Every thought, emotion, word, and behavior that you offer has a ripple effect. The effect is reflected back to you in your life experience. The ripple effect impacts the lives of others. As humans we forget or don't know that we have such influence. We are, ...
Views: 2860 - You Are A Center of Influence - by Submitted on Dec 08, 2008 from William DiedrichYou are a center of influence. You are a nucleus. Everything you think, feel, say, and do has a ripple effect. Your effect ripples outward and affects the world. You affect the people in your life--in your family, in your workplace, in your community--you have an effect. Unfortunately, most ...
Views: 1048(1 vote) - Developing Your Inner Adult:Part 1: Moving Beyond Blaming - by Submitted on Oct 09, 2008 from William DiedrichI define an adult as someone who takes 100 % responsibility for his or her life and situation. This article and you tube series will explore what it means to be an adult. These times are calling for leaders to be adults. This is Part One, Moving Beyond Blaming. Every blaming thought you hold ...
Views: 1197 - Are We Adults? - by Submitted on Oct 07, 2008 from William DiedrichIf you are reading this article you probably think you are an adult. You may very well be an adult, yet, the odds are you aren't. Yes, most of us are walking around in adult bodies, but that doesn't make us adults. Add to that the fact that it is very difficult to become an adult. The reason it ...
Views: 1043 - The Road Home - by Submitted on Sep 02, 2008 from William DiedrichI think about God every day. For many years concepts like God and spirituality rested on the periphery of my life. They were scenery that I could admire now and then. I was a spiritual tourist, an interested sightseer, spending a little time here and there, but always returning to my "real" ...
Views: 1016 - It's Not About You (and that's good!) - by Submitted on Aug 20, 2008 from William DiedrichOften people are moody, cranky, or critical and it can be distressing. When you find that people around you are acting in ways that are difficult keep in mind that it's not about you. I find this quote from The Four Agreements, by Don Miguel Ruiz, to be most helpful: "Don't take anything ...
Views: 900 - Building Attraction Traction: Three Tips for Working with the Law - by Submitted on Jul 14, 2008 from William DiedrichWe read about the Law of Attraction and it seems so simple. Change your thoughts and you change your life. What could be simpler? Most of us discover that it may be simple, but it isn't easy. We find it difficult because it is about more than just changing our thoughts. The Law of Attraction ...
Views: 892 - Stop The Blaming - by Submitted on Jul 08, 2008 from William DiedrichTwo people work in a retail environment. It is small and employs about six people. Customers visit throughout the day. One of these people is the manager. The other person handles issues regarding credit and group sales. For the past three years they have not spoken to each other. The manager ...
Views: 1300 - Don’t Believe Everything You Think - by Submitted on Jun 23, 2008 from William Diedrich"...the servant views any problem in the world as in here, inside one's self, not out there. And if a flaw in the world is to be remedied, to the servant, the process of change starts in here, in the servant, not out there." from Servant Leadership by Robert K. Greenleaf Every waking moment of ...
Views: 1185 - Stop, Look, And Listen - by Submitted on May 22, 2008 from William DiedrichMany of us speed through the day without much awareness. The whole day is about doing and then doing more. For others of us, we feel lost in our day, directionless, not sure what to do next. By the time the day is finished we often feel frustrated. We didn’t get enough done. We didn’t meet our ...
Views: 1685 - You Are The Leader - by Submitted on May 08, 2008 from William DiedrichEvery aspect of your life is connected. Workplace and home. Professional and personal relationships. Spirituality and success. I write about leadership, because in every part of life, we are leaders. We make decisions. We affect others. We want to accomplish goals. There are people in every ...
Views: 1037 - Single Minded Intentions Lead To Success - by Submitted on Apr 29, 2008 from William DiedrichSuccess for organizations takes single mindedness. Determine what you want and then take unwavering action toward it. Leaders in organizations who talk about treating people right, but in reality treat people with disrespect, create pain and resentment. People see the gap between what is said ...
Views: 1033 - The Audacity of Expectation - by Submitted on Apr 23, 2008 from William DiedrichOne of our presidential candidates (Barack Obama) wrote a book entitled: The Audacity of Hope. If you are feeling down and things look bleak, hope tells you, “This, too, will pass.” Hope tells you that things can get better. Yet, when we hope that things will turn out for our best ...
Views: 1082 - Being Present And Conscious With Others - by Submitted on Mar 31, 2008 from William DiedrichIt is a human tendency to categorize each other. We place labels on people and tell ourselves that is who they are. Once we create a label we look for evidence to continually prove that the label is correct. That comes from another tendency-- the need to be right. If you step back from your ...
Views: 3201(1 vote) - Are You Better Off Now Than You Were 6 Months Ago? - by Submitted on Feb 27, 2008 from William DiedrichDo you ask yourself this question: Am I better off now than I was then? By what criteria would you measure your response. You have more money? You have better health? You found the love of your life? You found a great job? I would suggest that these are not the ways you measure your life. I ...
Views: 1026 - The Core Idea In Your Life - by Submitted on Feb 24, 2008 from William DiedrichWhat drives you? What do you want to come of your life? These are essential questions for each of us. Many cannot answer them. Yet, if you want to have meaning in your life, you need to answer these questions for yourself. Consider creating a core idea. A core idea is an idea that is central ...
Views: 2160 - The Image of God - by Submitted on May 16, 2014 from William DiedrichOnce, long ago, the Creator called for a gathering of all the angels at the center of the Universe. When all were gathered, a beautiful crystal globe was presented to the group. The Voice of the Creator spoke: "This globe is the Globe of Truth. A messenger is needed to carry the Globe of ...
Views: 1128 - Falling Off The Horse - by Submitted on Jan 18, 2008 from William DiedrichYears ago I went horse back riding with a friend. I had never been horse back riding. I was nervous, but I seemed to be doing okay. Suddenly, my friend’s horse took off running and so mine followed. I was scared to death. All I could think was, “Get me off this horse!” I got my wish. I fell off ...
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