Now, be honest. A minute ago, if I had asked you that question, you may have thought that peacock was “right” answer. After all, we like to think of ourselves as beautiful, colorful, and proud—someone to be admired.

A sparrow? That little brown job? Boring.

So…how do you feel about sparrows and peacocks now?

The cool thing about Excellence is that it doesn't require stuff. It's available to everyone, whether you are sparrow or peacock. All you need is your mind and time to use it.

Take note of how much time you spend worrying about your things. If it turns out that your stuff is taking over your mindspace, realize you have a choice. You can CHOOSE to worry less about it, or you can CHOOSE to pare it down.

Guess what? It's easier to pare down than to stop worrying.

Albert Einstein is one of my favorite thinkers. One of his Three Rules of Work is this: "Out of clutter, find simplicity."

Use your mind--and maybe your muscles-- to take control of your stuff. Clean off your desk. Clear out a closet. Tackle your garage. Be ruthless, and then be generous--donate those unneeded items. Don't you feel better just thinking about it?

Fill that newly available mindspace with thoughts worthy of that beautiful mind of yours. You'll have fewer headaches, and more time for Excellence.

And maybe you'll have something more inspiring to talk about when someone asks how you are.

Our society today is alarming. Music, TV shows, and movies celebrate violence, guns, drugs, and sex. Kids and adults emulate tattooed artists in skimpy outfit. With minimal supervision from responsible adults, some kids become violent and highly sexual. Instead of taking pencil and paper in school, they bring guns. Instead of aiming for success and pursuing American dream, they aim to dominate and pursue a rival gang. Instead of aiming to get a fulfilling job and finishing a higher degree, they aim to get “high.”

Sadly enough, some parents don’t develop children who are dreamers, but rather they develop kids who become nightmares to society. Verily, children who are deprived of dreams are deprived of their future.

This prayer is about having good thoughts.

By constantly focusing on good thoughts, we leave no room for uncertainty, anger, insecurity, distrust, jealousy, and envy. By dwelling on good thoughts, negative, destructive, and depressing thoughts have no chance to grow.

Good thoughts translate upsets and defeats to challenges, and transform problems and hassles as opportunities to grow. While good dream is desired destination, having good thoughts is necessary tool to achieve it.

One time, I was moved by a quadriplegic boy. He just received an award and finished at top of his class. Before graduating class, he thanked God for his disability. He prayed:

“Dear God. Thank you for what I am. If I had strong muscles and legs like others, I could have been playing Nintendo and running around aimlessly. I would have missed opportunity to read Bible daily. I would not have been able to talk to you every minute of day.”

This boy has a lot to be stressed about. But instead of childish and unproductive self-pity, he dared to dream, he pursued good thoughts, he was thankful for his disability, and most importantly, he communed with God.

Let us follow this boy’s formula if we want life to be more meaningful and less stressful. Pray constantly for prayer is our sole access to Great Source of unending peace and happiness. Praise Him regardless of our predicament. Very soon, we will receive endless bliss.