Define What Success Means to You

The universe withholds nothing from you. The full measure of its bounty is available to you; you need only claim it. Decide what it is that you want. What does success look like for you? Success can be defined simply as the accomplishment of something you want to be, do, or have. If you aspire to be an entrepreneur and achieve this at some point in the future, then you are successful. If I decided I want to practice a musical instrument for one hour today and did indeed practice for one hour, then I have been successful. Maybe you are a hobbyist and there is a special item you would like to purchase. When you have saved the funds necessary to make your purchase and you are enjoying your new item, then you have been successful. Clarity in your definition of success sharpens the focus and facilitates the attainment with greater speed. The more clarity you have about how success is defined in your life, the greater chance you have of achieving it. The universe is set up to manifest the dreams of your heart. The truth is you can have most anything you want. If you do not believe this to be true, then you have been brainwashed by an environment that promotes fear and scarcity. The universe is infinite in its capacity and can never be limited by self-imposed restrictions or limited thinking. Two individuals existing in the same universe have two different perceptions of their reality. One sees his life as prosperous and the other sees his life as a struggle to make ends meet. Which person has the correct perspective? They both are correct. If you were to interview either individual, you would witness the realities of their lives are equally valid. How can this be? Why is it that some have more than enough and others can barely make it? Is this fair? Yes, it is fair. The universe unfolds unto you according to the way you think about it. If you open your mind to the limitless possibilities, then the full capacity to create what you want in your life is available. If you clutter your thinking with excuses of why you cannot achieve the success you want, then you restrict the flow of blessings that would otherwise come your way.

If the truth is that the universe is willing to give you whatever you desire, then it is certainly in your best interest to specify what it is that you want. The universe does not act on your behalf if you do not communicate your desires. The genie does not grant your wish unless you tell the genie your wish. The universe works the same way. I am sure some of you reading this are skeptical. Understandable, but perhaps I can convince you to think about it another way. Anything you touch or experience in your life is created in the mind first. The speed at which you can create in material form is directly determined by your clarity or certainty about it. For you, to walk down a flight of stairs may be second nature, but the same task for a person in a wheelchair is a challenge. The ease of the task for each person is determined by the certainty in his or her ability to accomplish the task. The point here is your thoughts create what you do. Similarly, your thoughts create what you can have and your success. Suppose you go to the shopping mall. In the shopping mall, there is a Macy's store and a Nordstrom's store. Which store would it be easier for you to shop at? You might think that the less expensive store is easier to shop at because you do not have enough money to shop at the more expensive store. As you open your wallet, you find a credit card. Does the appearance of the credit card change your state of mind? At one point, your thought of lack would make you shop at the less expensive store. When your perception of your spending power improved, you felt you could indulge at the more expensive store. Now you have located something that catches your eye. The cost is over four hundred dollars, but suddenly your mind reflects on your last credit card statement, which listed the available credit as five hundred dollars. To purchase or not to purchase, and herein is the uncertainty of whether to take action one way or the other. What is interesting here is the amount of money does not really determine whether or not the purchase is made. What determines the purchase is the individual's thinking at the time of purchase. Any uncertainty and the transaction will not proceed.

Certainly money helps you acquire some of the things you want, but ultimately it is your thinking that determines what you have and your level of success. Regardless of the level of wealth, human beings somehow find a way to get things they really want. It is amazing how resourceful and creative we can be when there is a burning desire in our consciousness that must be satisfied. The amount of money you have can determine the kind of material possessions you have, but you cannot win the Nobel Prize simply by having money. Some of the greatest achievements in human history have nothing to do with money. I think of some of the greatest human beings that ever lived: Isaac Newton, Gandhi, Einstein, Jesus Christ, and Mother Teresa, to name a few. All of these individuals have something in common that all exceptional people have: a superior way of thinking. I assure you: you can achieve most anything you desire, and your success is guaranteed if you are clear about how this should manifest in your life. Do not deny yourself; it is your Father's wish to give you the kingdom. Seek ye first the kingdom of heaven, and everything else shall be added unto you. You deserve everything good, and it is yours already. The way you think is the key that unlocks the treasure of universe's limitless bounty unto you.

God: Your Connection To Infinite Possibilities

God is the creator of the universe. I believe this in my heart, yet by profession I am a scientist. Ever since I was a young boy, I have been fascinated by the mysteries of the universe, especially astrophysics and cosmology. Despite this, I find no contradiction between the existence of God and the ability to use scientific principles to explain phenomena that is part of our everyday existence. Having an intimate relationship with the divine is not only a means of being a better scientist; it is the foundation of being a better human being. Fundamentally, we have to realize there is no separation between God and humanity. God is omnipresent. You do not have go any special place to find God's presence. God is where you are right now. Your very essence is divine in nature for you are created in God's image. Perhaps the one greatest mystery in the universe is that there are 7.4 billion unique human beings living today (2016); nevertheless, despite this immense diversity, each individual possesses God's image. Each is a unique manifestation of God. What a testament of His infinite creativity. When you are born, you possess features of both your parents. Similarly, every human being born today by being a child of God, possesses features of God. You are both divine and human at the same time. Does this seem hard to believe? If we have divinity within us, how come our world presents us with challenges that seem incompatible with the best that we could have? These challenges are self-imposed. It boggles my mind that humanity is the only living species that is self-destructive. In many cases, we engage in behavior that we know is harmful. Such behavior is inconsistent with the nature of a divine being. Somewhere during the course of our existence, we forgot our true nature and our connection to God.

God is love. This love is pervasive throughout the entire universe. God loves you all the time. His love is unconditional no matter who you are, where you are, or what you have done. We withhold ourselves from God; God withholds nothing from us. It is your Father's good nature to give you the kingdom. God's love surrounds you all the time and works continuously to give you the best of everything. God loves you more than the most loving mother could love her child. God's love transcends distance, time, and even death. God's only purpose is to give you the best. We are the ones that deny ourselves of all we could achieve in our lifetimes. The beliefs we hold in our consciousness either open our lives to infinite possibilities or hinder us from manifesting our true potential. We can choose to stay in a rut or aspire to something far greater. The choice is ours, so why not choose the best of what is possible?

While doing my undergraduate studies in chemistry at Loyola Marymount University, I came across the concept of co-creator in one of my theology classes. The idea that we as human beings are co-creators along with God is the most powerful feature of our divine nature. God is the creator of the universe. We humans as co-creators also create the universe in a small way. In the Bible, God created the universe by His spoken word. I am suggesting that we have the same power in a smaller way. The universe reflects back to you the energy you are putting forth. If you have loving, positive thoughts and act in a way consistent with these, that which is loving and positive will be part of your experience. You can experience misfortune no matter who you are. We cannot always control the circumstances that are dealt our way. Yet we can act responsibly in how we handle these situations. Know that no matter how tenebrous it may seem, God is always in control. His love will sustain you in your most abject moments. God can only love. He has no other nature. Therefore, it is for us to find as much good as possible in all the situations we face in our lives. Believe the best for yourself. Sometimes you have to take actions that contradict the way you are feeling, for example, acting courageously when you feel fearful; acting lovingly when you do not like someone; sharing knowledge even if you think you do not know much; acting as if you are already where you want to be. Do not focus on where you are; focus on where you want to be and act accordingly. This is a life of empowerment, accountability, and responsibility without excuses. A good way to visualize the concept of being a co-creator in the destiny of your life is to imagine yourself as sailing in a boat on the course to all your dreams. God provides the wind that propels your sailboat. You are the captain of your own ship, and with the power of your mind can choose any destination upon which to embark.

With God all things are possible. If God created the universe, then there is no part of the universe, including you and your thoughts, that is beyond the knowledge of God. If God can create the entire universe, there is nothing you can think of that is too hard for God. Not only can God bring your dreams to pass, he can manifest for you that which is even bigger than your dreams. If you would dare to dream big enough, you could be, do, and have more than you would have imagined possible.

Nice thoughts, you may think, but what you need is a strategy to actually demonstrate this truth in your life. I believe the first step is to surrender and get out of your own way. The blessings of the universe would flow more freely, but we impede this flow, like clogging a pipe, with self-limiting thoughts, negativity, and self-destructive behavior. Once this is cleared, nothing stands in your way toward having all you can dream of. Let go of the ego and acknowledge there is power greater than you that is the source of all things.

As you go about your life striving for more and greater increase, it can be difficult to let go of the ego because the sense of accomplishment is a good feeling. You can look at your trophies or plaques on the walls and feel a sense of pride in your achievement. We want to feel we are responsible and in control. Yet just a slight shift in your perspective opens your life to the limitless bounty of the universe. Relinquish enough of your ego to allow God to partner with you and you can live a life without failures or setbacks. I know you are probably thinking it is impossible to go through life without setbacks. I would say to you boldly that you have no inkling of God's awesome power. Let me give you a real-life example. All of us at one time or another has heard miraculous stories of people who defy medical science and go on to live fruitful lives when they were at one point knocking on death's door. We have grown accustomed to God doing the miraculous. If God can do the miraculous events, he can certainly do the routine stuff. Many years ago, when I working for a chemical packaging company, I met a lady in the IT department. I'll refer to her as Jean. We developed a friendship where we were comfortable talking about many different topics. On one occasion she shared how she was having difficulty with men and had grown frustrated with the dating scene. She said men only want one thing. Seeing no other recourse, she prayed and asked for God's help. She eventually met her future husband while she was doing some volunteer work. I am still touched by her joy and amazement as she described how perfect Michael (her husband) was for her. During the time I knew Jean, she was taking some courses, I believe, toward a master's degree. Jean was excelling in all her classes, even the most difficult ones. On tests she would consistently score at the top of the class. Some of the other students were amazed at how she could do so well, especially on tests that were so difficult they were graded on a curve. Jean told me she would study as much as she could for the exam, yet she had a special secret that gave her the edge. Before each exam she would say a prayer and ask God for insight and guidance. I invite all of you to Jean's kind of success. We have to live our lives by praying without ceasing. Ask God for help with anything big or small. The key to making this work is to remember, as Jean's example demonstrates, your success is a partnership between you and God. If you do your part, God will do his part in ways that will truly amaze you. What challenges do you face in your life on a daily basis? God knows men; God knows medicine, genetics, skateboarding, music, finances, or anything you can think of. What would partnering with God look like? God and I got first place in the class spelling bee. God and I met the man or woman of my dreams. God and I moved into our new home. God and I found a new treatment for Alzheimer's disease. More than is imaginable is available to you by your partnership with God, and all that you can achieve through your partnership is demonstration of his love for you.

The power of Dreams Where there is no vision, the people perish.

Proverbs 29:18

In 2008, the financial turmoil in the global economy made it seem hopeless that things could improve in a significant way. Even at my own job, it was mentioned at the last staff meeting the company needs to cut expenses by 600 million dollars. Is it possible to hold on to dreams for a brighter tomorrow? The answer is yes. This is because your dreams should always be bigger and longer range than your immediate circumstances. Challenges and temporary hardships are part of human existence. Yet the bigger your dreams, the less significant these challenges can be by comparison. In 2009, the Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA finals. I am sure this was a dream for every member on the team. Nevertheless, along the way there were setbacks due to losses or injuries. This is normal. The universe is abundant in fluctuations. The winds of change are always in season. Regardless of any challenges during their season, the dream did not diminish, and the Lakers were not deterred from achieving their dream of being the 2009 NBA World Champions. Like a basketball team, you must make your dream much larger than everyday circumstances. Far too many people are victims whose lives are spent reacting to what goes on around them. This is a perpetual course to nowhere because every unexpected occurrence alters the course of your direction. Dreamers, on the other hand, determine their own destinies. They know where they are going because they can see the destination before they get there.

Dreams: Your Alignment with God's Vision

As a scientist, I never cease to be amazed by the wonders of the universe. There are more stars in the universe than there are grains of sands on all the beaches of the earth. The size of the universe is more mind-boggling when you consider the space that contains these stars is so vast that, with the exception of special cases, these stars never touch. If you could look inside and see the structure of an atom, you would see it is compromised mostly of empty space. Einstein is said to have wanted to know the mind of God. You do not have to look very far to get an inkling of his infinite intelligence and creativity. The universe, with all its mysteries and wonders, is indeed a beautiful place. This beautiful place also includes you. Among all of his creation, there is something special about human beings. Human beings are the only part of God's creation made in his image. I read or heard somewhere that it would be death to look upon the face of God. You can look upon the face of God. His face is the one carried by all of humanity. So you can see God not only in nature and the vastness of the universe but also in your fellow human beings. Can you see God in others no matter who they are or what they have done? I understand this is not easy because of the human tendency to judge. If you can begin to move toward this kind of perspective, seeing God in everything and everyone, you move yourself toward a vision that is in alignment with God's vision.