Click HERE to view Rev. Jimmie Scott’s guided meditation during the service.
So this couple from Buffalo decided to go to Phoenix for a few days to get out of the cold. But the challenge was that they both had very busy, demanding schedules, and it was really kind of hard to coordinate. Finally they decided the husband would go down first, and the next day the wife would join him.
When the husband arrived, he thought he would send an email to his wife from his laptop. And he mistyped her email address and accidentally sent it to someone else without even realizing it. A widow had just returned home from her husband’s funeral, and he was a minister for many, many years and had been called home to glory after a heart attack. The grieving widow went to check her emails, thinking she’d get a lot of comforting messages from relatives and friends. And instead, she found this email:
“To My Loving Wife, from Your Departed Husband.”
[Congregation laughs]
Subject: I HAVE ARRIVED!
Message:
“I’ve arrived and have checked in. I see that everything has been prepared for your arrival tomorrow.”
[Congregation laughs]
“Looking forward to seeing you then. Hope your journey will be as uneventful as mine was. P.S. Sure is hot down here!”
[Congregation laughs] Okay … [Laughs] [Scattered Applause]
So how many people here have ever struggled and worked really hard, but you weren’t getting the kind of progress you wanted to get in some area of your life? Anybody struggled getting the progress you want? And how many people know that you still have it in you to do great things and to live the best life … you just haven’t broken through yet? Anybody feel like that?
Do you know at this moment we are at a time in history where we have access to more information and more knowledge than we have ever had before? I mean, we have to access to studies and research and wisdom and instruction like we have never had before. There are more books; more blogs; more podcasts. There are more seminars; there are more workshops; there are more TV stations that are specialized with all kinds of different things. I mean, you can Google or YouTube and find out how to do almost anything! You could learn how to tie a tie on YouTube. You can learn — you can just Google — how to make Oysters Rockefeller. Or how to install a transmission in your car. I mean, there isn’t anything that you can do that you cannot find or have full access to that information for.
And as much access as we have to all this information, Tommy Baker says that if you were to randomly pull folks out and ask them these four questions:
1) How fulfilled are you with your life today?
2) What is your vision for the next three years?
3) How inspired are you about your life?
4) And how connected and how good to you feel about yourself and how connected and how good do you feel about the people in your life?
He said that the answers that we would get would be surprising, disappointing and even depressing. Because as much information as we have — as much we know of how to succeed and achieve — that the results haven’t played themselves out in levels of happiness, in levels of people feeling fulfilled. And there are high levels of depression and addiction and suicide.
There are a lot of things that people are struggling with and not able to find the level of happiness and fulfillment. One of the things I mentioned last week is that there are myths that we have about what success and fulfillment mean. We think that success means something big: like highlight-reel stuff. You’ve got to make a million dollars; or be the president of a company; or hit a home run in the bottom of the ninth to win the game. Everything’s got to be big! We think success — the only way to call ourselves a success — is to do something big.
The second myth that causes us frustration is that we think we can be an overnight success: that success should be instant. That we should go from rags to riches, from 0 to 60. That we could just have it that fast.
The other one is that there’s a perfect time to do it; we’ve got to wait for all our ducks to be in a row; we’ve got to wait for the perfect time. What happens is we end up procrastinating or never starting.
And then the final one is that it should go smooth and easy, just the way we planned. How many ever had everything go just the way you planned? [Congregation laughs] Did anybody? Okay; I don’t think anybody in here!
And one of the other things is that we get into a pattern. We get really excited about something; put some effort into it; and then it doesn’t go as well as we hoped, and we begin to fade and fizzle. And then we don’t try; we don’t strive. We’ll try it again six months later with the same results, until we kind of just give up and think life’s just not going to get any better than this. This is as good as it gets. Or even feeling a sense of feeling down and feeling bad about ourselves because things aren’t changing and improving the way we want.
So we’re in Week #2 of a series called “The 1% Rule,” inspired by the book by Tommy Baker. And what it is: It’s about showing that the real way to success isn’t trying to hit the grand slam home run; it isn’t about trying to do big things. It’s to find out what makes you happy, and work towards those things by doing a little bit of action every day. With 1% improvement every single day, we will get much further in the long run, and be happier along the way, than us trying to make it big and get it fast.
And so today … And the fact is: We all have so much potential! We have all this spiritual power; we have all these incredible abilities. And so we really should be utilizing them in a greater and more effective way to bring more happiness and peace to ourselves.
And so today we’re going to look at two things: the possibility and the foundation to help us use The 1% Rule.
And so first, let’s look at the power of possibility. Everybody, I want you to think about your life now — the way it is. And I want you to ask yourself the question: What are the possibilities for your life still? What possibilities lie of things that you can achieve or create? What are the possibilities for you to feel even greater levels of happiness and fulfillment? Even though the Bible says, “With God all things are possible” and “All things are possible to those who believe,” sometimes we don’t always believe that good things are going to happen to us. Sometimes we’re in such a rut, we think it’s not possible that we will ever find love. Or not possible that we will find the level of happiness. Or it’s not possible that my life will get better or change or improve.
We get so stuck in a mindset of lack — of scarcity and limitation — that we feel absolutely hopeless about our lives being transformed and improved. Feeling the way almost the way Henry David Thoreau said: “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” I mean, sometimes we can get to that level of hopelessness, thinking “This is as good as it gets, and it’s not getting better.”
But that mindset is absolutely not the truth! We live in an abundant universe with unlimited possibilities! And when we open our minds to the power of possibility, it opens us to new hope; to new opportunities; to new perspectives; to new mindsets and insights and blessings. And once we begin to open up to the power of possibility, it really changes us … which changes our lives. As we open up, life opens up for us.
And I would tell you: The power of possibility stems from three elements. And the first one is desire. Desire is the thing that drives us. Desire is the thing that moves us. I would say desire is the thing that initiates the process of creation. Desire is the thing that is the key to attraction and manifestation. And I would really say it’s the natural, universal impulse towards action and achievement. The first thing that you have to do is: You need desire.
What is it that you desire? What is it that you yearn for? What is it that will make your life more fulfilling? More meaningful? And more joyful?
So the first thing to open you up to the power of possibilities is desire! To activate and engage the power of desire!
And the second one is imagination. Imagination is the ability — the amazing gift we have — of literally closing our eyes, but yet seeing in our mind’s eye some possibility of something that currently does not exist. In Proverbs is says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” So that is saying: Having a vision and using your imagination is a part of the power and the gifts that we are meant to use. And when it says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish” — the thing that perishes is our joy; our passion; our sense of direction. And I would flip it around. Instead of saying, “Where there is no vision, the people perish,” I’d say, “Where there is a vision, people prosper” … and they progress and they move forward, utilizing their creative powers and abilities.
Einstein once said, “Imagination is more powerful than knowledge.” And why did he say that? Because knowledge represents what is; imagination represents all that could be. It is absolutely unlimited.
So what do you see for your life? What can you imagine yourself having? Becoming? Or achieving?
And then the final thing for possibilities is faith. To absolutely believe that you are here, but with faith and effort, you can get to some greater and better place. And we’ve got to feed our faith, grow our faith, and know that all things are possible. To know that our dreams can absolutely happen. That the universe supports us, and we have the resources and the talent and the ability to help ring those forth into manifestation.
Desire, imagination and faith.
Henry David Thoreau also said this. He said, “Dreams are the touchstones of our character. Do not lose hold of your dreams or aspirations. If you do, you may exist, but you will have ceased to live.” And what he is saying is: If you want to feel more alive, engage your desire. Use your imagination and use the power of your faith. That brings us alive! It opens our minds and our hearts to greater possibilities. It makes us see ourselves differently; life differently; and others differently. And all the things that could be different.
So, to me, no matter what age, no matter what stage, every one of us should engage the power of possibility and ask ourselves, “What’s possible for me? What is next for me? What am I meant to do and experience and create that isn’t happening right now?”
And here’s your assignment: the first one. And that is — in these four areas — I want you to figure out where you are now and then think about what’s possible for you. Think of a couple of possibilities! The first one is in the area of your health, fitness and vitality and well-being. Where are you now? And what’s possible for you in that area?
In terms of your career, business and financial success: Where are you now? And what’s possible for you? What are some possibilities/
A third is in your relationship with family, friends, social network. Where are you now? And what are the possibilities for you in that area?
And, finally, with your spiritual connection. With your sense of purpose and fulfillment. Where are you now? And what is the possibility for you?
There is power in possibility. It awakes us; it engages us; it drives us; it excites us. And it helps us utilize the incredible power that we have of creativity. And attracting and being creators and manifesters. And we end up living more hopeful, optimistic lives when we engage the power of possibility.
And the second thing to utilize “The 1% Rule” is that we have to build a strong foundation. You know, when we look for a house, we know that the foundation’s important, but we really don’t think about it. We’re more concerned about designing and decorating; where the big-screen TV’s going to go; and feng shui-ing the place. But if the foundation isn’t good, and there’s a flood, things can go — this dream home can become a nightmare or a money pit very, very quickly.
The truth is: You cannot build a strong building on a weak foundation. And this is what Jesus was talking about — the importance of a strong foundation — in the Book of Matthew, Chapter 7, Verse 24-27. Here’s what he said. He says, “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down; the streams rose; and the winds blew and beat against the house; yet it did not fall, because it has its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears the words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down; the streams rose; the winds blew and beat against the house; and it fell with a great crash.”
We can’t build a strong life on a weak foundation. The foundation for a house; the foundation for a successful life; for our dreams; for a fulfilling and meaningful career is the thing that we rely on when things get tough. When the storms come, what is it that keeps us going? What is it that gives us strength and resilience? We need a strong foundation.
And so, for you: What is the foundation you utilize right now? When things are tough, when you’re moving toward your goal and you’re not making progress: What is the foundation you hang on to sustain you? To drive you? To lift you? Because the foundation is the thing that we build our success and our lives and our goals and our dreams on.
And so, the first thing that we’re going to look at of building a strong foundation is to KNOW THAT GOD IS OUR FOUNDATION. That our foundation is spiritual. In Scripture it says, “Everything that is seen comes from what is unseen.” That everything that is out there, the source is spiritual. The source is invisible. And it is that that is our foundation. And we need to build upon that foundation: To know that God is my source; God is my strength; God is my foundation. That is the truth that we need to take in and embody and live from.
God is my source. God is my strength. God is my foundation.
“God is my source.”
Together: [with congregation] “God is my source.”
Take a deep breath.
“God is my strength.”
Together: [with congregation] “God is my strength.”
Take a deep breath.
“God is my foundation.”
Together: [with congregation] “God is my foundation.”
Just take a deep breath. And that is the absolute truth. God is the rock upon which we build our lives. It is our foundation for when things are shaking. That is our foundation! To turn to the presence and the power and the truth of that invisible Spirit that is in us and all around us and makes everything possible.
You know, there are five things that we need to do to make sure we have a strong spiritual foundation. And the first one is to affirm the truth that God has a plan for our lives. That God loves us and wants the best for us. That God is our source; God is our strength. That God is our foundation. And we need to speak those words and affirm those words.
Another thing is that we need to rest in God. Everyone just take a deep breath. And sometimes we just need to relax into God. When Scripture says, “Be still and know that I am God,” it is not about asking anything. It’s just about opening a space to feel and rest in the full, loving, peaceful presence of God.
When Jesus said to the disciples, “Come apart and rest a while,” it means to just rest in God. Immerse yourself in the Mind of God — in the peaceful, loving presence of God. We really don’t even need to ask for anything! That we really need to immerse ourselves and to feel the presence and the awareness of that loving Spirit within us.
The third one is to turn to God in prayer at the beginning of any goal; at the beginning of every dream. To think about God. Emmet Fox calls it “The Golden Key.” He says anything going on in your life, the best thing you can do: Think about God. Just think about God! And even if you say, “God is love; God is love” or “God is peace.” Just think about God. That is never a moment wasted when you spend a few minutes just thinking about God during the course of your day.
The fourth thing is to ask God. If you are seeking clarity or wisdom or guidance, just ask! Just ask God! “Spirit, show me the way. What is it I’m meant to do? Give me the guidance and the clarity for this situation. What is the best decision or choice or action I could take?”
And then the final one is listen to God. Just listen! The voice of God — the still, small voice — speaks! We just have to make sure we’re tuned in to actually be listening.
The most powerful foundation to build success and happiness and peace in any area of your life is to build a strong spiritual foundation.
The next one to build a strong foundation is TO MAKE A COMMITMENT AND TO TRUST THE PROCESS of “The 1% Rule,” which is doing small steps every single day. Improving 1% every single day. And it really is a universal truth of growth and progress and success. You know, for a caterpillar to become a butterfly, there is a process. To have a baby; it’s a process. To grow corn is a process. Everything has a process!
We sometimes want to rush through things so quickly that we sometimes lose out on working with the natural process of growth; of transformation; of things increasing and improving. So one of the things we need to do is absolutely trust the process by doing the work daily. When you trust the process and you do the work daily, it helps you resist falling back into old patterns and falling back into those old myths and ideas about success.
When we do things diligently and consistently and incrementally, what it does: It helps actually focus and harness our creative power and energy. By doing a little bit every day, it’s focusing and channeling and harnessing the power that we have.
And the third thing: By doing things daily, it actually builds some momentum. When you do a little bit — like a snowball rolling down a high hill — it just keeps gathering momentum; gathering energy; gathering power. There is power in doing a little bit of something every single day towards a goal and desire.
How many people have read any books by John Grisham? Anybody read Grisham books? So here’s what John Grisham said. He said, “Write one page per day. No matter what, write one page per day. Do that — writing one page per day — for two years and you’ll have a book!” [Congregation laughs]
It sounds simple, but this man’s written over 45 best-selling books, and that’s his lesson for all of us. That’s his teaching: Do a little bit every day. Do a little bit every day. Do a little bit every day.
It is incredible, because it sounds simple, doesn’t it? Do a little bit of work every day! Well, sometimes I’m not in the mood to do a little bit of work every day! Anybody ever been like that? [Congregation laughs] But the important thing is for us to stay committed to it. Trust the process; keep doing it every day. And not let those momentary feelings of, “Oh, I could skip today …”
Like sometimes, like, I’m on my couch and I’m thinking, “I could easily be convinced to not go to the gym today.” Anybody have those kinds of moments? [Congregation laughs] And the thing is to not let those little moments of laziness — those little moments of being convinced to do something else or it’s not that big of a deal — stop us from our destiny. Stop us from our desire. Stop us from us from the reason that we’re here and the thing that can actually elevate our lives to a higher level of happiness and peace and fulfillment.
And the important thing … So, have you ever been “in the groove” on a day? Whether it was the gym — you know, everything you’re lifting was so easy or everything was falling into place? Those are fabulous days! We love them! And they’re good and they’re important, because they’ll help us make progress. But on the days we don’t feel like doing it, those are important days, too. I would even say they’re more important! Because the days we do it when we don’t feel like doing it I think creates more traction for success and makes the days that we’re in the flow absolutely possible.
How many people have heard of Dan Millman? I think he wrote The Way of the Peaceful Warrior? So, when he turned 60, he wanted to do something special. He wanted to learn how to ride a unicycle. So a friend lent him a unicycle. Here’s what he wrote. He said, “At first it felt impossible and, quite frankly, humbling. I would practice every day for three weeks, no matter what. What I noticed: that there were some days where everything fell apart — crisis days. I was worse than the day before and it was discouraging. But then I realized that the day after the bad days I made a breakthrough. If you stay with it when it gets hard, you can have breakthroughs to new levels in all areas of your life.”
So what we need to do is trust the process and keep doing the work. Trust the process and keep doing the work. Trust the process; keep doing the work.
There’ll be some good days; there’ll be some bad days. Some days things will work well; some days things won’t work as well. But keep working the process.
How many people have heard of Domingo German? He’s a pitcher for the New York Yankees. And last week he pitched a perfect game! Twenty-seven batters, twenty-seven outs. And he was only the fourth Yankee in history to pitch a perfect game. Only the 24th pitcher ever in the history of Major League Baseball! Hadn’t been done in 11 years! He pitched a perfect game!
But do you know the game before that he gave up 10 runs in three innings, and they booed him off the field? Because they were playing against the worst team in the league. There’ll be some good days; there’ll be some bad days. [Congregation laughs] Trust the process! Trust the process! Trust the process!
Don’t give up because you have a bad day, because a great day is on its way! And that’s the thing we need to remember. It is “The 1% Rule.” It will build momentum, but you’ve got to trust it. You’ve got to hang in there with it. Whatever it is you want to do: study 1% a day; eat well 1% a day; or pray or practice or make the phone calls or do whatever it is! Do the little bit. Commit and you build a strong foundation. Commit to that little bit of activity every single day and you will build a stronger foundation. And no matter what storms come, you will hang in there and stay tough and break through to something greater.
And then the final one to build a strong foundation is to CELEBRATE YOUR PROGRESS AND LOVE THE PROCESS. We need to celebrate the progress that we showed up; that we did our best; or that we made a mistake and we learned from it.
I’m doing this fitness thing. And last week I had three really good days! I was in the flow! And I had three really not-so-good days. And while I was not — I was feeling tight and I wasn’t able to do as many push-ups and I wasn’t moving as easily — I said to myself, “Hey, you’re doing a great job! Just the fact that you’re showing up is a good thing! You’re making progress!” And I felt really good about it. Because in the past I’d be, “Oh, God; I had a horrible day.” But it’s, “No! I had a successful day!” I was out there. I was improving. I was getting better. And I was knowing, even while I was doing it, that a better day would come. And I was glad that I was doing that work today.
It’s the tough days, I think, that really are absolutely key. When we hang in on those days, it gives us the traction to rise to a higher level. When we celebrate, appreciate and acknowledge the good that we’re doing, by the Law of Attraction, what happens? We will have more to celebrate, appreciate and acknowledge the good that we are doing!
And sometimes I think it’s so important that we need to appreciate ourselves. Because sometimes we’re so tough on ourselves. We’re so brutal on ourselves! A part of this celebrating thing not only gets the energy up that will attract more, but it makes us feel good about ourselves. It honors us. It affirms us. It supports us. And it really helps us appreciate ourselves in a greater way.
And when we do that, we get more excited about the process. When you celebrate the progress, you get excited about the process.
I watch a lot of things about comedians. And when comedians get together, you know what they talk about? They talk about all the tough times they’ve had, and all the things that didn’t go well. And what it was like working on their material in the clubs. The process for comedians is: They write material; they go to the clubs and they work that materials; and then they can either keep touring with it or do concerts and so on. And the thing is: They love the process! They get that that’s what it takes! To work that material; to get the wording; to get the timing. They’ve got to work at it over and over again.
Seinfeld says it; Christ Rock; Dave Chapelle. All of them! That is how they do it. That’s what makes them great!
But let me as you a question: Do you think if they had a choice between that and someone just handing them material with everything — perfect timing … Do you think they would feel more fulfillment with the perfect timing or doing it the way they’re meant to do it: through the process? And I would suggest it’s the process. It is what gives meaning; it is what gives value; it’s what gives purpose and a sense of accomplishment. And it isn’t just about just the doing; it’s the becoming. It’s the being. And I guarantee you who they are is more confident in themselves; they feel more joy; more fulfillment.
Let me give you another example. Suppose in September Roger Goodell goes into the Cardinals changing room — their locker room — and presents them with the Vince Lombardi reward and dubs them Super Bowl Champs. We don’t even have to play this year! Do you think they’d be fulfilled being handed a trophy? No; they would not! Because it is the sweating and it is the working and the striving and the learning and the failing … all that together. Going and enduring through that — that’s what makes us feel great! That’s what makes us feel alive! That’s what makes us feel a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment!
I’m beating this to death, but you know I love Naked and Afraid. [Congregation laughs] You know that show? They take people and put them out in the wilderness: no clothes; no water; no food. And they’ve got to fend for themselves for 14 days and sometimes 21 days. I watch that show because I would never do that! [Congregation laughs] One night you couldn’t pay me enough to do that! My idea of roughing it is the hotel without room service; that’s rough! [Congregation laughs]
But the reason I watch it is because I love how, at the beginning, they say, “I’ve always dreamed of doing this, and I wanted to come and conquer the desert” … or the Amazon … or wherever they are. And at the end, they just talk about how proud they are that they went through all of those struggles, and they made it. That they achieved it! And they talk about how it changed them and how they became more and different. And they showed up in life in greater ways.
Sometimes we’re scared about hard work and this being difficult. That’s what makes us! It is engaging in that process and learning and being willing to get involved and appreciate the process. Celebrate the progress. It changes how we feel and experience life. It is a fuller and richer way that life becomes when we’re willing to go there.
We are not here to live lives of quiet desperation. We are here to live lives of amazing aspirations. We’re amazingly powerful spiritual beings, and we have the ability and the power within us to do great things.
And so the first thing I want to encourage you to do: See your life through the eyes of possibility. Engage in the power of possibility by engaging your desire; your imagination; and your faith. And then, finally, build a strong foundation. Build your spiritual foundation. Build your foundation of trusting the process and doing the work daily. And celebrating the progress and loving the process.
Success and happiness are ours in greater ways than we can think. The question is: Are you willing to commit to the practice, to the process and the progress of “The 1% Rule”?
God bless you, everybody!
Copyright 2023 Unity of Phoenix Spiritual Center/Rev. Richard Maraj