James Arthur Ray

The question for the true student of growth is: What has to happen for the stuff that strengthens you and moves you forward in life to be considered fun?

Integrity (from the same roots as the word integrated) comes when a person’s words and behaviors match up. True integrity—the true test of character—is to live what you say is important to you—even when you don’t feel like it—to live your values above and beyond your moods.

It’s easier to have courage and trust the process when you feel you’re making headway. Mastery is not persistence when you see a light at the end of the tunnel. True mastery is persistence when you don’t yet see the light.

We live in a world that’s addicted to the concept of maximum return for minimum investment—it’s an epidemic. Let that not be you.

There’s a big difference between being grateful for your current affairs and being stuck in the death of complacency.

Consider what you want, then work enthusiastically on all levels to create it.

You want to go big? You’ve gotta get big.

Therefore, where is God not? Where is spirit not? Where is energy not? What I consistently hammer home to my students is that all goals are spiritual goals. So, to say that you’re going to abandon the material world to become more spiritual is nothing more than escapism. In fact, it’s total bullshit. How do you measure being more spiritual? You can’t. But what you can measure are the results you’re creating in the physical world, all just a reflection of who you are. Jesus said, ‘By their fruits you shall know them.’ (Matthew 7:15–16). When you’re someone who believes that we all have God within us and that everything happens for a reason, then isn’t everything spiritual?”

“Appearances only tell you who you were, not where you’re going or who you’re becoming.”

There’s a law in our universe that’s backed up by physics, which states, ‘Energy flows where attention goes.’ Our challenge is to shift our attention to what we truly value... and keep it there.

Knowing that nothing dynamic’s happening when you’re in balance, why would you want to be? Harmony is where it’s at; harmony is dynamic and full of life, even if you choose to venture temporarily into choppy seas. While it’s true that you can’t control the waves, who said you can’t learn to surf?

People will look at your life and think, My God, it’s magic. They’ll be right: You created that magic.