There are two MAIN motivations for all that you do in this life and when you include these as an integral part of your life goals and passions you will be COMPLETELY fulfilled in life.

The fact is that key to discovering your COMPLETE fulfillment in life pursuing these two main values in life, allowing them to influence everything else you do.

• Embrace, discover and grow into a strong relationship and fellowship with God through Jesus Christ.
• Seek to make a difference in the lives of everyone around you – and indeed reach out to this world to make a difference.

This photo shows an example of one man, who together with his army platoon made a difference in the life of a little girl from Iraq. There is a story that goes with this photo and it begins like this:

Noor, a young girl receiving eye surgery in the U.S., entertains 1st Lt. Michael Kendrick while he eats breakfast at her family’s house in al-Buaytha, Iraq, May 25. Noor suffers from sclerocornea, a condition which has left her blind since birth. With help from Kendrick and other Soldiers of 1-30th Inf. Regt., she is traveling to the U.S. for surgery that may restore her vision.

You can read more about this amazing story of Stg Kendrick who helped little Noor from Iraq receive the eye surgery she needed to regain her site. (Click on the link to read more).

There is no doubt that Stg Kendrick and his platoon were not in Iraq looking for little girls with eye problems to send to the USA for surgery. It was the their value system which is founded on the desire to make a difference in the lives of others that opened their eyes to this need and have them the desire and compassion to reach out and help.

And when your life motivation is based on these two main passions:

• Seek a close relationship with God.
• Seek to make a difference in this world

then it will always be natural to reach out and make a difference in the lives of those around you. It all starts with your core values.

Today’s Challenge: Are the lives of those around you better (or bitter) because you are there? Does your life make a difference in this world?

P.S. You may also enjoy reading:
Born To Make A Difference – Continue to explore this subject and you will find that your life too will be changed.

Babe Ruth created a significant day in history for baseball fans when he hit his 60th home run of the season on Sept 30th, 1927. This record stood unchallenged for 37 years!

Then on October 1st, 1961 Roger Maris of the New York Yankees broke the record by hitting 61 home runs for the season.

Records such as these create fame and history. Most anyone knows who Babe Ruth was, even those who do not follow baseball. His achievement made him a hero to many, and famous to all.

Hero followers spend thousands of dollars on their favorites stars.

If you are not a hero follower, you may well ask: what on earth do they spend so much money on? Collector’s cards (for example baseball cards), posters, books, videos, information, anything they can buy to remind them of their hero.

But why do we follow our heroes? Identity, and perhaps the chance to share in the success of others.

Roger Maris - 1960 - Wikipedia

It is good to recognize, even honor people such as Babe Ruth and Roger Maris who have made great achievements. But it is not good to spend all your time and energy following another human being, while your own God given purpose for living may be pushed aside. (This may not be you – great – but if it is, read on!).

Don’t forget:
YOU have a purpose in this life too. It may not be to hit a home run in baseball, but you do have goals waiting for you to achieve in your own fields of interest and passions. These need to be your main life focus.

Don’t forget:
Your dreams and your life passions can only be achieved by you.

• Only you have the ability to decide to follow your dreams.
• Only you have what it takes (if you use it) to achieve your dreams.

Here is a challenge for you today:

Turn your heroes into mentors!

No doubt there are people whom you admire, respect and perhaps even follow. If you like baseball, no doubt Babe Ruth and Roger Maris are among your heroes – that can be good. Rather than spending so much of your time and energy and your dollars on simply admiring them and their achievements, why not begin to investigate the secrets of their success?

As you study their lives – ask yourself:

• What can I learn from their example.
• What characteristics did they display in their lives that I need in my life?
• What example do my heroes display in their character that I can follow?
• Am I willing to stay disciplined, focused and make the necessary sacrifices to achieve my dreams – just as my heroes did? (No doubt as you study the lives of successful people you will discover that their journeys towards success were full of very windy and steep roads, but they did not give up).

I am sure that you will discover that one of the most outstanding characteristics found in the lives of all great achievers is best expressed in Babe Ruth’s own words:

It’s hard to beat somebody when they don’t give up.

Question: Are you unbeatable?

I read just today a quote on twitter (@successmagazine)

“The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.” — Ayn Rand

No one could stop Babe Ruth, Roger Maris and a multitude of others from achieving their goals and dreams.  Who is going to stop you?

On July 20th,1960 Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon. This was indeed the beginning of an era in the adventures of the conquest of space.

Ironically July 20th, 2011 (just 51 years later) is also the end of an era, as the space shuttle Atlantis carrying 4 astronauts is close to completing its final mission.

And this morning, Thursday July  21st, 2011 the headlines read: Perhaps it was planned this way.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Space shuttle Atlantis touched down before dawn at Kennedy Space Center’s Runway 15, ending 30 years of space shuttle flights. (USA Today).

During the past 2-3 days there were many articles written around the world that highlighted the emotions of the moment as the astronauts faced the reality that 30 years of space travel was about to close, at least for a time.

The end of this era in the history of Space travel is yet another reminder that:

• Fact: life is full of changes. This brings us to a –
• Question: How do you and I handle these changes?

The Eras of Life:
Life full of adventure and this means embracing change. Each change will mean that life will probably never be the same again.

(Do I hear a sigh from you?)

But wait, change is not necessarily a negative thing!

(Yes, I understand that sometimes the situation that brought about the change may have been negative.)

Life is like a book with many chapters. As one chapter of your life comes to a close you may experience a mixture of emotions.

• Sometimes there will be sadness (and rightly so, when there is a loss).
• Sometimes you may experience gladness (I am glad that is over
• Then there are times when you may have a sense of anticipation and excitement because of a new adventure coming up.

Each chapter in life is a new adventure that contains it trials and triumphs.

Danger:
There is a danger! You may miss the full adventure of your present chapter IF:

• You refuse to accept the changes in your life.
• You refuse to close the past chapters in your life, and are still dragging those emotions into your present.
• You refuse to let go of people from your past years who are no longer a part of your present.

Embrace the new and live the adventure to the full. But how?

It is time to say "Good Bye" AND "Hello"

• Say Good Bye to your past – and Hello to your present.
• Focus on the now.
  All too many times you and I are distracted in our minds by some event in the past. Or perhaps we are busy trying to solve something in the future.
  What happens? We miss the moment!
• Give everyone and everything in your now your FULL attention.
  Enjoy the adventure of the now. Live life to the full.

Are you living life to the full? Are you giving your present moment your full attention?