Where to hide their divinity was the question. So Brahma called a council of the gods to help him decide. "Let's bury it deep in the earth," said the gods. But Brahma answered, "No, that will not do because humans will dig into the earth and find it." Then the gods said, "Let's sink it in the deepest ocean." But Brahma said, "No, not there, for they will learn to dive into the ocean and will find it." Then the gods said, "Let's take it to the top of the highest mountain and hide it there." But once again Brahma replied, "No, that will not do either, because they will eventually climb every mountain and once again take up their divinity." Then the gods gave up and said, "We do not know where to hide it, because it seems that there is no place on earth or in the sea that human beings will not eventually reach."

Brahma thought for a long time and then said, "Here is what we will do. We will hide their divinity deep in the center of their own being, for humans will never think to look for it there."

Why women can't put on mascara with their mouth closed?

Why don't you ever see the headline "Psychic Wins Lottery"?

Why is "abbreviated" such a long word?

Why is it that doctors call what they do "practice"?

Why is it that to stop Windows 98, you have to click on "Start"?

Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavor, and dishwashing liquid made with real lemons?

Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker?

Why is the time of day with the slowest traffic called rush hour?

Why isn't there mouse-flavored cat food?

When dog food is new and improved tasting, who tests it?

Why didn't Noah swat those two mosquitoes?

Why do they sterilize the needle for lethal injections?

You know that indestructible black box that is used on airplanes? Why don't they make the whole plane out of that stuff?

Why don't sheep shrink when it rains?

Why are they called apartments when they are all stuck together?

If flying is so safe, why do they call the airport the terminal?

If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of progress?

Naturally you go through all the relaxation and visualization exercises you've ever heard of. Take deep breaths. Picture success. Get yourself into the "zone." And if you take that approach, you are an idiot.

Despite what we think we know about self- actualization, there's a new school of thought that claims that traditional performance-enhancement techniques are not only wrong, but they may actually hurt your ability to excel. At the vanguard of this thinking is John Eliot, lecturer in business and psychology at Rice University. A onetime visualization believer, he now thinks that in pressure situations, our bodies automatically shift into a mode that'll give us the highest performance possible. Our hearts beat faster so that the nutrients and oxygen in our blood get to our muscles and brains. And stomach butterflies are caused by the acid that's produced as a result of the digestive system shutting down. Instead of fighting these physiological reactions, you want to use them to your advantage. Here's how.

Practice less. There's a huge difference between practicing and playing. And while you definitely need to be technically proficient, you can practice too much. And that leads to too much thinking.

Invariably, when the best performers are asked what they were thinking about when they turned in a superlative performance, their answer is "nothing." They were so focused on the task at hand that they weren't consciously thinking. They were just doing.

So instead of rehearsing, just do it. "Only spend 40% of your time practicing," says Eliot, who has outlined his philosophy in Overachieving (Portfolio, October). "The rest of the time you want to be out selling, or performing with an orchestra, or whatever it is you do."

Make it real. When you practice, replicate real-world circumstances as much as you can. Actors hold dress rehearsals in front of a live audience. You should too. You don't want to practice your big speech alone in your office. You want to give it in front of people to get used to the pressure of performing.

Don't set goals. One way people try to deal with daunting tasks is to establish an objective. A person who is shy might say, "I'll make five sales calls, and I'll be done for the day." A so-so athlete will say, "I only want to make the team." But these goals are inherently limiting. If you want to find out what you're capable of, you can't limit yourself. You don't want to do just the minimum.

Firstly, understand that a Journal is NOT a diary. Although the line is definitely blurred, a diary largely deals with externals. A Journal is about your inner being. It is actively used as a tool for self- improvement, as opposed to passively recording events.

The benefits of keeping a Journal are that through doing so, you monitor your own internal processes. It can be used to integrate psychological parts within yourself that have long remained in conflict. A Journal can help you see the changing cycles within your life - processes that only become evident when rigorous self-examination is used. It helps you to remember your dreams, and begin to understand and gain insight from them. Most importantly, the keeping of a Journal puts you ever closer in touch with the Higher Self - the highest part of you responsible for creativity, wisdom and for orchestrating the events of your life.

"Donald G. Carty offers a unique glimpse & perspective to the inner workings & mind of man. Whether one be a follower of the various faiths of this world or other worlds , the design of D.G.C.'s work is enthralling. Take a moment & let the power of his work draw you into a new reality." United Global Artists

The key to Personal Development is self-knowledge. The Personality Profile is often our starting point for coaching and mentoring.

If you are exploring what truly motivates you, the Personal Potential Assessment will help you identify your natural motivations, interests and talents for work.