This is http://www.essayz.com/a9208032.htm Previous-Essay <== This-Essay ==> Following-Essay Click HERE on this line to find essays via Your-Key-Words. {Most frequent wordstarts of each essay will be put here.} ========================================================== %EFFORT ACTION EARN BUY APPROVAL AFFIRM AFFECTION 920803 Our efforts and deeds may be poisoned by our regarding them as means to earn or otherwise get approval, affirmations or affection from critical other persons. We may have been encouraged by our family, friends, schools, churches, professions and associates to approach our efforts and deeds in this poisonous way. If so, it is exceedingly difficult to transcend the pattern in the absence of true love which frees people of the anxieties, concerns and fears associated with the poisonous approach. Our community may have encouraged us to be perfectionists, doubtful, critical and judgmental. We may have been encouraged to stand off at a distance and make unbiased judgments regarding any thing or person that lacks perfection. Others so encouraged are unlikely to be affectionate, affirming, supportive, accepting and loving people in their approach to us. Within the context of such negative encouragement we are prone to approach our efforts and deeds in a manner which poisons their fruits. The fruits of our efforts and deeds flow as much from the motivations which drive and guide us in our approach to them; as from the knowledge, skills and technical sophistication with which we carry them out. Too often we focus upon improving our store or resources and technologies; and too rarely do we seek to be wise about our motivations, fears, anxieties and apprehensions---and about their sources which we rarely recognize or understand. (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy) ==========================================================