Get Rice: Ronnie O'Brien Rice, Ph.D., Lawyer

Knowing yourself is one of the healthiest mindsets to have. It allows you to perform at a higher level than most. Also, knowing yourself determines the level of your goal attainment. Some primary ways to getting to know your self is to recognize your goals; focus on the goals you want to achieve, and block out distractions. Know your goals You can determine your goals by (1) taking a personality evaluation, (2) enrolling in some stimulating continuing education courses, (3) or trying different activities that peak your interest. Doing chores, helping with the kids’ homework, and working are all apart of life. However, they do not define us. We must spend genuine time with ourselves to define who we are and what we want out of life. We have the ability to achieve anything we set our mind to accomplish. The key to success is to set our minds to do it. Focus on goals Next, write down your goals in a concise format and never let them leave your sight. This not only remin...

“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” William Arthur Ward (Writer). I believe that gratitude changes how we look at life and the opportunities that it offers. Life can always be better, however, gratitude shows an appreciation for the way it is now.   Gratitude allows a person to understand that there is good in life in every situation. I have found that looking at the positives of life improves my success in it more times over. If you have two people who are in the same situation of a lost job. One person looks at the current situation and beats themselves up. And another person who looks at their current situation and find ways to appreciate this moment in life. I find that the person who has a high level of appreciation always go further in life than one who continuous to beat themselves up. Melody Beattie, an author, put it best, “gratitude unlocks the fullness of life....

  In this world where there is a high demand for people’s time and energy, some may find it difficult to focus on the aspects of life that matter. Often times, people say that the most important things in life are family, their spiritual walk, money, etc. However, their actions rarely line up with these beliefs. I have found that simply matching one’s belief with their actions provides abundance of success in all areas of my life. Several ways one can match their belief with their actions are to (1) meditate on desired goals; (2) create goals; and (3) reward yourself or those around you after completing those goals.   Meditating on your goals simply involves sitting still (literally) and thinking about where you want your life to be for about five minutes a day. Some call this a form of prayer. However, I think prayer is a little different as it is a conversation between you and God where He does the talking. One can incorporate meditation into prayer. Next, crea...

 Investment is one of those concepts that is usually associated with money. However, I think it should be stretched to every aspect of a person's life. First, I think everyone should learn how to investment their money in the stock market, business venture, and other people. In my short period of time, I have come to find out these three areas provides the biggest return on investment. Their effects can go on for generations. Warren Buffett ’ s states, “Only buy something that you ’ d be perfectly happy to hold if the market shut down for 10 years.” I think this is true in all aspects of life. If you invest into a marriage, a friendship, or an employer-employee relationship with this thought, many more people will be successful. When the world shuts down on you; you will continue to grow and become more successful. Benjamin Franklin states that "an investment in knowledge pays the best interest." I would like to go a step further to state that the application...

Life is like a bicycle. In order to keep your balance you must keep moving. ~ Albert Einstein. This is a statement that has stood the test of time. Achieving your goals and becoming more successful depends on you moving forward through ups and downs of life. Three ‘mantras’ help me move successfully through life:   (1) March 4 th ; (2) Energy is neither created nor destroyed; and (3) Be real with yourself. March 4 th :   Les Brown mentions in his speeches about a lot of his friends dying on March 4 th . He suggests this is a way for his friends and family members to encourage us to March forward in life. Through the seemingly adverse times in life, it is essential to keep moving forward. Keeping thine eyes set on the positives and advantages of life gives your ability to capitalize on life’s opportunities. Energy is neither created nor destroyed. Maintaining your energy, i.e. emotions is imperative when maintaining your balance. One way to maintain your energy is to...

I’ve always heard of this while going to church when I was younger. However, I’m learning the importance of it as I’m older. For those who may not know, ‘standing in the gap’ stems from the biblical scripture Ezekiel 22:30. However, I have extended ‘standing in the gap’ to mean to speak up for and to defend someone. Often times, there are people who may be going through difficult times and simply need someone to speak for them and/or defend them. Sometimes, this includes people who are wealthy, highly educated, and operate in the lime light. Two ways to stand in the gap for someone is to (1) speak nicely of people even if they offended you; and (2) stand up for those who can’t speak for themselves. Always speaking nicely of person forces one to look at that other’s strength. Speaking nicely about a person allows you to see opportunities to grow that other person. Also, standing up for those who can’t speak for themselves allows room for progress. People who can’t speak for t...

"We want people where ... every aspect about their personality makes you want to be around them. ... Trust first, ability second." – Charlie Munger Pay people through time, wisdom, money, etc. This shows a respect level for that person’s experience, time, and being. Everyone has something to say, but only listen to the ones who have something worth to say. I’ve came into contact with so many people who has inspired me to become more successful. The key to meeting and listening to them was paying them through my respect of who they are and the amount of wisdom they possess. Stand in the Gap. This is something you hear in a lot of Southern Baptist Churches. However, it applies in everyday life. Help those who may or may not have helped you in the past. Everybody has fallen in life. On the other hand, there is a thin line between helping and needing to be help; recognize the difference. " Develop into a lifelong self-learner through voracious reading; cultiva...