Personal Growth: Embrace Change, Achieve Goals, Find Support

1. 丘中仁 主持 Practice is Personal修行在個人

2. 什麼是修行？

3. 修行 • Solving problems • Where you are ---> where you want to be • No need to compare with others • Other's experience may be useful

4. Personal Assessment • Who am I? What's unique about me personally? • Be comfortable with who you are • What do I really want accomplished before I die?

5. Goals • Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely • Goals change over time, by progress or self-understanding • Supporting factors for your goal -> goals • Focus your time and energy on what really matters

6. Motivation: Are You Committed? • Visualize how your goal fulfills you • Turn your mind towards the goal when making decisions • Use pros and cons to motivate yourself • Reserve time in your routine; make time

7. Change is Hard • I wish there is an easy road for change. • Think of it this way: • You can either grow at you own pace at less cost, or • let the situation force the medicine upon you. • Keep in mind your improvement to arouse energy.

8. Get Support • Think of how your family and friends would benefit from your practice • Befriend people who practice, respectable, knowledgable and experienced • Limit time with people who obstructs/distracts from your goal if you can't influence them

9. Taking Advice • If 2 teachers prescribe similar practice for you, • beware of your blind spots • Be candid with a teacher about your situation. • Rehearse your questions. Don't waste a good teacher's time when asking for advice.

10. Create Your Plan • Buddhist teaching are organized towards goals • Focus on factors you don't take seriously • Potential blind spot/weakness

11. Practice: Just Do It • Be honest with yourself • Be practical. • Review for gaps and revise plan

12. What Did the Buddha say • Right view - personal assessment • Right intention - goals • Right effort - motivation and support • Right speech, righ livelihood, right action