Many of these advances have revolutionized our lives. We now live in a 24x7 world. No matter what we're interested in or care about, we can get information on it twenty-four hours a day on TV or through internet. Individuals are no longer forced into same schedule. Night owls now have something to do until wee hours!

And with our ability to 'reach out and touch world' our sense of community has been enhanced. We are connected to world, our families, our work, no matter where we are, no matter what remote location we find ourselves visiting (or living in!). Cell phones, email, chat, and pc-to-pc or pc-to-phone voice services allow us to interact with world beyond us, satisfying our basic need for connection, for community.

As I said, this is an exciting time. But is there a downside to all this technological wonder? I think there is. In 'old days', periods of silence and quiet were forced on us. Time to reflect on day and on our lives was part of pattern of daily living. This quiet time, when work of day was done, left individuals with only their own thoughts for company. There was plenty of time to think things through and, more importantly, to go within.

Going within is an often-missed key to successful living. Without knowing what really matters to us, without clarity that comes from self-knowledge, without peace of knowing our actions are in harmony with who we are deep down, we often find ourselves flitting from action to action. Our focus centers on 'doing' of our lives and not 'being' of our lives.

Going within can be one of most exciting adventures of our lifetime. Connecting with ourselves and with a higher power (regardless of your affiliation or what you call that higher power) can transform our lives. Our ability to recognize that answers are all within us, coupled with our ability to trust those answers, can move us from feeling like a victim to claiming power to create our lives. Very exciting stuff, indeed!

For many of us, however, it's been a long time since we sat in quiet and visited our inner selves. As it is no longer forced upon us, we must actively seek time and space for solitude. Below, I've offered some suggestions that you might find helpful in your personal 'Quest for Quiet'.

But once you find time, what do you do then? Slow down your breathing, meditate, pray, start a journal, focus on an object, think about a question or issue you'd like clarity on, just 'sit', sing, anything that makes you feel connected to your inner self.

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FASTEST, EASIEST WAY TO GET TO THE QUIET

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In Over Your Head?

Probably one of biggest reasons we hesitate to step out of our boat and walk on water is thought, "what if I sink?" Well, what if you do? What is worse thing that will happen to you? Have you considered it?

If you haven't, then you're not ready to take plunge. That may sound overly simplistic, but here is something you need to take to heart! "The devil you know is better than devil you don't." In other words, examine details in devil.

The more you know more fear of failure will diminish. You will never have all answers beforehand so just forget that. If you had all answers, you would probably never fail. Michael Jordan said, "I have failed over and over again in my life, and that is why I succeed!"

Sounds like a contradiction doesn't it? You mean failure brings success? Yes! But, guess what? Success doesn't continue uninterrupted. Sooner or later cycle turns and you experience another failure.

Round And Round She Goes!

Why is that? Cause I said so! Nah.. I lied; I just wanted to see if you were listening. It happens because everything in this universe goes in cycles. Life cycles to death, sowing cycles to reaping, failure cycles to success.

You may remember story of Babe Ruth. During his career he was home run king of baseball. He hit over 700 home runs. He had another statistic that was not much publicized. He was also strike out king.

Yea, he struck out over 1400 times in his career. On one instance, a reporter was interviewing Babe Ruth and suggested that he slow up on his swing because he had fallen in dirt several times during a game that day. Babe told reporter to pity poor pitchers and not him.

Consider this: The most successful people in life are ones who have failed most often. The thing that distinguishes them from others is they are not afraid to risk it all. Remember this: "it's one thing to talk about bull fighting; it's another thing to get in ring with that bull!"

Just Between You And Me And The Fence Post!

A number of years ago I used to trade futures markets. Now granted, it was certainly not as physically dangerous as bull fighting. But excitement would send your adrenalin through roof.

To see some of emotions that I and others would experience you would think that we did have 6,000 pounds of Black Angus beef charging to do a tap dance on our heads.

Early in morning we would discuss our strategy for day and we were all in agreement that if "such and such" happened, we would take appropriate action. Well, when "such and such" did happen, we found ourselves reasoning with ourselves and allowed fear of failure to jack our emotions up and down like a toilet seat at a mixed party.