What do you believe about yourself? It is remarkably easy to become convinced of your limitations. Frequently, people discuss what they would love to have or do but “can’t” for one reason or another. In some cases, there are huge challenges to overcome; however, all too often, what we perceive to be a physical, economical, physiological, or social boundary ends up being a mental boundary.

Buying into these mental limitations can be detrimental to your success. Here are 3 reasons to destroy your mental boundaries!

Mental Boundaries Cause Us to Accept Limitations That Are No Longer There
Much behavior is controlled by the subconscious mind. The subconscious is our autopilot, and one of its functions is to keep us in our comfort zones. This actually is very beneficial in many cases. For example, it would be a waste of time to relearn menial tasks everyday, such as buttoning a shirt, so the mind maps a blueprint of actions and behaviors required to button shirts, eliminating the need to pay too much attention.

Nonetheless, there are definitely other situations where ignoring the auto-response can be the difference between success and failure. For example, trainers shackle young elephants with heavy chains using deeply embedded stakes, so that the young elephants learn to stay in their place. The training is so thorough that even when the elephants are older and more powerful, they never attempt leaving, despite having the strength to pull up the stake and walk away. Even when there’s only a small unattached metal bracelet, meaning the stake is no longer there, the powerful elephants are still hostage to their previous programming. The key is that it is no longer the stake that is holding them prisoner. Their mental barriers are really limiting their movements.

All too often, we impose needless restraints on our lives. We have been so thoroughly convinced of our limitations that we dare not question them, even in cases where those boundaries no longer exist or no longer possess the power to stop our progress. There will always be seemingly valid justifications for why you can’t start that business, give the object of your affections a call, pursue that degree, or lose weight. Those justifications only point out the size of the problem, but they ignore the size of you. Do you know how great you are?

Recognize when your subconscious is acting as the personal saboteur to your dreams and aspirations. Don’t allow the shackles of failure to bind you when the only true barrier is your mind.

Mental Boundaries Will Limit Our Potential
Mental boundaries are also a great danger to your potential. Possibilities for you are determined by your capacity to believe. While this statement may be motivating, the tragedy occurs when your belief system refuses to acknowledge your ability to achieve the seemingly improbable. It was improbable that someone fired for lacking creativity went on to found one of the most creative and magical places on earth, yet Walt Disney persisted. It was improbable that someone ousted by his own board would go on to helm another company and lead it to unprecedented heights then return to his previous company and shatter record after record, yet Steve Jobs persisted. Just because a dream is seemingly improbable, doesn’t mean that you lack the potential to bring it into manifestation. Improbable is not impossible.

Sometimes we acquire these mental barriers from other people. Roger Bannister, the first man recorded to run the 4-minute mile was told by physiologists of his time that not only was running the 4-minute mile impossible for man to do but attempting to do so was dangerous to man’s health. Obviously, they were wrong, and once Roger Bannister proved so, the world was not only stunned, but the collective mental barrier was decimated. In around 3 years from the time Roger Bannister first ran a sub-4 minute mile, 16 runners did so as well, even though no others had accomplished this feat during the previous century. This substantiates that the speed barrier was only secondary to the mind barrier. Once Roger Bannister changed the expectation of possibilities through the achievement of his high goal, the entire paradigm through which the other runners viewed the world changed accordingly. He changed their potential by shattering their mental barriers.

Mental Boundaries Are Rooted in a Negative Sense of Worth
Too many people die with their music still in them. Steven Covey argues that we all desire to “live, to love, to learn, and to leave a legacy.” However, it is hard to achieve something substantively meaningful when you feel miserable and unaccomplished. Likewise, developing a positive self worth is part of the basis for making deposits of success in OTHER areas of your life (health, spiritual, mental, etc) if you are out of a job. That way, your measure of success and failure won’t be wholly-defined by your job situation.

I recently became aware of Sylvester Stallone’s powerful story. Early on, he found it difficult to realize his dream of becoming an actor/writer. After watching a boxing match between Mohammad Ali and Chuck Wepner, he became inspired to write the script for Rocky. He then took his script to producers; they loved the idea but were not pleased that he wanted to be the lead actor in his own star vehicle. They even offered him $325,000 for the script only. This would translate into an inflation-adjusted $1.3 million in today’s dollars. Stallone turned it down, adamant that he should star in the film. Eventually, they acquiesced to his demand at the risk of losing the script, and he was paid $35,000 to star in Rocky. Now, films that he has starred in have grossed upward of $2.6 billion worldwide, earning him both critical and commercial acclaim. He clearly made the best decision. However, suppose he had bought into the producers’ assessment of his value rather than adhering to his own sense of his worth?

A real danger of having a negative sense of worth is that you never know when you are going to get a chance to do the extraordinary. If you don’t feel worthy of the opportunity, then it is hard to capitalize on it.

Winston Churchill said “to every man there comes in his lifetime that special moment when he is figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered a chance to do a very special thing, unique to him and fitted to his talents. What a tragedy if that moment finds him unprepared or unqualified for the work which would be his finest hour.”

Closing Thoughts
I hope you are convinced that it is not within your best interest to blindly accept mental barriers to your success. While such justifications may keep you comfortable, your reward is often in the discomfort. Don’t allow yourself to be robbed of victory due to false beliefs of who you are, what you can do, and where you can go. You possess the power to eliminate so many shackles and solve problems that enrich the world. Break free of your chains today!

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Researchers looked at four sets of cattle in different crude glycerin studies to determine its value as a livestock feed. Credit: Dr. Jim MacDonald

Crude glycerin, a byproduct of biodiesel production, could be an economical ingredient in cattle diets, according to studies by Texas AgriLife Research and West Texas AM University personnel.

Hammond Power Solutions, Inc.
1100 Lake St.
Baraboo, WI, 53912
USA

Press release date: January 3, 2012

HPS three phase autotransformers are available for applications where small voltage corrections are necessary in a distribution system. They are frequently used as an economical alternative to three phase general purpose distribution transformers to adjust the supply voltage to match specific load requirements when load isolation from the supply line is not required. Autotransformers can be used as either a step-up or step-down transformer.

Key Features:
o Ratings from 3 kVA to 500 kVA
o 60 Hz frequency (50/60 Hz on units with 380V primary)
o 600Y, 480Y, 400Y, 240Y, 208Y Volts
o Three phase
o UL listed
o CSA certified
o 10 year warranty

About Hammond Power Solutions/HPS www.hammondpowersolutions.com
Hammond Power Solutions Inc. (HPS) is the largest manufacturer of dry-type transformers in North America. They engineer and manufacture a wide range of custom transformers that are exported globally in electrical equipment and systems. HPS supports solid industries such as oil and gas, mining, steel, waste and water treatment, and wind power-generation.

HPS was established in 1917 and has continued to grow as the North American stand-alone leader for the design and manufacture of high quality custom electrical dry-type transformers and related engineered magnetic devices. The company is also a significant producer of standard products that are built to industry wide specifications. HPS excels at designing products that have very specific size and power constraints for many demanding applications. Having an extensive engineering resource, HPS offers the broadest range of electrical products in the industry and as a result, the company has grown in many diverse markets and provides services to many global leaders.

With multiple manufacturing facilities located throughout North America, they have expanded their manufacturing and product base to offer you the broadest range of both standard and special reactors, control, and dry-type transformers anywhere.

HPS has 11 Distribution centers located throughout Canada and United States, which allows them to ship standard stocked product to 90% of their customers for delivery within 48 hours of receiving a purchase order.

The Honda Fit or Honda Jazz is an economical, average look and fun to ride vehicle. It’s quite popular and commercially successful in the United States. But looking at its features, it seems to lacks the sportiness and a cocky red-colored Si badge.

Honda Jazz Si looks more of a chic car than a sporty one. It seems that the automaker has decided to make a version of Si which would be more appealing to the young and young at heart.

Have you ever wondered why we shift time each spring and fall? It’s not so bad when we gain an hour, but losing an hour – like this past weekend – leaves me exhausted for days. And I am not alone. There are 20-30 percent of us yawn who our way through the week, especially if we are already sleep-deprived due to busy family and work lives.

#13;

Intrigued over the years by our time shifting tradition, I did a bit of research on daylight savings time and learned that it was the brainchild of Benjamin Franklin and some of his European pals. Our very own Congress later chiseled the custom into US law and empowers the Department of Transportation to oversee our time shift twice a year. Reading the related legislation is quite a hoot and exemplifies how seriously Congress takes itself, but that’s another article.

#13;

Anyway, Franklin set forth the idea of shifting time as a way of being economical. He calculated enormous savings to be found by burning fewer candles. Based on his analysis, something like 64,050,000 pounds of wax and tallow would be spared each year in Paris alone. I’m not sure what the wax and tallow special interest groups thought about this, but the time shifting idea quickly grew legs.  

#13;

At the time, Franklin was an American delegate in Paris and he had difficulty getting around due to gout and gallstones. So his Parisian buddies encouraged him to work on simple but important problems. Sort of like occupational therapy, I suppose. This led him to write a series of essays, one of which he called An Economical Project. In it, he discussed his notion of saving candlewax and how the economic advantages of spending more awake time in the daylight had probably not occurred to the Parisians because they never woke before noon anyway.

#13;

Thus, over 227 years after Franklin proposed time shifting, we dutifully set our clocks to spring forth on the second Sunday each March and to fall back on the first Sunday in November. Because no one messes with the Department of Transportation. Well, except for Arizona and Hawaii and a couple of rebellious American territories that decline to participate in the bi-annual time change.

#13;

All this is just fine because, as Einstein assured us, time is relative.

#13;

So that’s the skinny on how daylight savings time came to be. And while we aren’t very worried about wax and tallow costs in this century, the extra hour of daylight from March through October does result in some energy savings, according to a study by the Department of Energy. However, a California Energy Commission’s study found little to no effect on energy consumption as a result of daylight savings time in that particular state. And others criticize the practice of time shifting for various reasons.

#13;

Advocates note that daylight savings time gives us one more hour to be productive, exercise and stimulate the economy by shopping and such. This sounds OK in theory, but I for one am already overworked, running too many errands and overspent. Nevertheless, I do enjoy late night sunsets on my deck each summer and that bit of extra daylight each evening to watch my busy back yard birds.

#13;

No doubt, the debate over time shifting will continue. In the meantime, we will continue to comply with the Department of Transportation and change our clocks twice a year. Yes, many of us will be tired this week, but we’ll bounce back.

#13;

Ben Franklin would be proud. 

STEPHEN THOMAS

Consortium an economical alternative school option

Djara Patton and Jim Young are, respectively, the assistant principal and principal of the Gulf Coast Educational Consortium.

DAVISON, Michigan — The Davison School Districts oldest building is undergoing a critical look at its structural soundness before the district decides if its economical to invest more than $1-million in updates in it.

A Kalamazoo architectural firm is checking Central Elementary at M-15 and Clark Street to see if the 80-year-old structure is as sound inside as it is outside.

The district is paying $12,000 for Diekema Hamann Architecture for the study before going ahead with a three-year program that would include a new roof, boiler and technology upgrades. The projects would be paid by the districts sinking fund.

Its a small amount to pay to see if the building is structurally strong, remarked Larry Finkbeiner of the school boards Buildings, Grounds and Transportation committee.

Central Elementary, a community landmark, was built in 1931 as an eight-room school for grades 1-6. A 12-classroom addition was constructed to house the high school, which opened in 1932. In 1962, the high school moved one block to what is now Davison Middle School and eventually to the present high school located at Lapeer and Oak Roads.

Through all the years, the elementary school has remained in Central, now housing 535 students in grades 1-4.

Im regularly approached in the community by alumni of the old high school who provide me with the opoortunity to hear their fond memories of going to school in that building, said Superintendent Eric Lieske whose late father was a member of the Class of 1955 and his mother a 1958 graduate.

He said the staff does an outstanding job of maintaining Central Elementary.

We want to make sure the structrual integrity is just as sound, he said. That means taking a look at the brick and mortar part of the building so we can continue to educate our kids in that buildings for years to come.

Eleven architectural firms submitted proposals for the building review and four made presentations before Diekema Hamann was chosen. Lieske said the same firm successfully drew up plans to renovate a 1930 vintage school in Escanaba.

Representatives of the Kalamazoo firm have already interviewed members of the Davison Area Historical Society for background on Central Elementary and are due tospend two days in Davison this week, Lieske said.

They are expected to take 45 days to complete their study and will create models to allowcomparisons of options on different levels of renovation, additions and a hypothetical new elementary school in the future. They are scheduled to make a report at the school boards April 16 meeting.

We are trying to do the right thing, said School Board member Dale Green.

The five-passenger Ford Edge for 2012 offers style, room, functionality and economy for the consumer with the Limited FWD powered by the fuel efficient EcoBoost engine and 6-speed automatic transmission.

The Ford Edge has evolved nicely from its original, less than impressive, introduction in 2007 as Ford’s first entry into what would become the very important mid size crossover SUV segment. It has now developed into a very competent performer in that segment with the well appointed 2012 Ford Edge today.

Beginning with the 2011 model introduced at the Chicago Auto Show in 2010, Ford upgraded the Edge considerably improving both the look inside and out, adding new wheels, front fascia and bumpers while upgrading materials on interior features with improved technology capabilities. 

I will be up front in saying that, until I saw the improvements on the 2011 model, I had not been a fan of the Edge in any area including design, handling, power train, technology, features, materials and quality.

Guwahati: Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi today described the Assam budget as growth oriented aimed at overall economical development of the state.

The budget is growth oriented as no fresh tax proposals have been proposed and impetus given to entrepreneurs to invest, Gogoi, told reporters after placing the budget in the state assembly here.

The opposition will say there is nothing worthwile but we want to make it clear that our budget is development oriented, Gogoi, who holds the finance portfolio said.