Infuse Your Life with Passion

“Enthusiasm releases the drive to carry you over obstacles and adds significance to all you do.”

Norman Vincent Peale

I’ve been thinking . . . about inventing a passion injection.  I’m not kidding.  I’ve encountered so many people with an apathetic, poor me, life’s the pits mentality that siphons the energy out of others at an alarming rate. 

There has to be a solution.

President Ronald Reagan told the story of a little boy who had reached school age.  His mother worked very hard to get him enthusiastic about the idea by buying him his favorite new tennis shoes, telling him about all the new friends he would make, and the great teacher he was going to have.  He was excited as he left for school on the first day and came home with reports that lived up to everything mom said it would be. 

The next morning his mother went into the bedroom to wake him up.  Struggling to open his eyes, the little boy drearily responded, “What for?”  Mom replied, “You’ve got to go to school.”  The little boy said, “What, again?”

Life is like that sometimes.  We get ourselves up for the big event only to realize we have to do it again tomorrow.  Somebody once said the only problem with life is that it is so daily.

People who live lives infused with passion realize it is a perpetual lifestyle.  Enthusiasm isn’t something you get yourself up for and then its over.  A passionate life is lived by passionate people.  Napoleon Hill asserted that “Enthusiasm is the radio wave by which you transmit your personality to others.”  I like that.

While researching over 500 top performers from all areas of work, the arts and sports, Robert Kriegel concluded: “No two were alike, but the one quality they had in common was passion!  It was their drive, their enthusiasm, their desire that distinguished them.”

Kriegel went on to say that, “Passion kindles a spark that inspires you and others around you to greater heights.”  You can’t put life into your living if you’re living with a lukewarm heart.  Excitement for learning, a desire to grow, a willingness to try new things, creating lofty dreams, energizing talents and a positive outlook are all important for putting vitality back in life.

Enthusiasm is a mystery to many people.  It’s perceived as this mystical quality possessed by people who jump up and down, talk loud, or have a curious grin pasted on their face.  Enthusiasm is simply the psychological adrenaline that makes the difference between going through the motions of existing or really living.

The word enthusiasm has very little to do with a showy outward display but is created by an inner exuberance.  That’s probably why Eleanor Roosevelt believed, “Age wrinkles the skin, but to lose your enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.”

                                 

Think about this.  The furnace in our home is powered by natural gas.  During the winter season, a pilot light is always burning low, ready to ignite the flame that will produce the necessary heat to warm our home.  So it is with enthusiasm.  The power is inside ready to be ignited when life’s situations call for it.  It’s your job to light the inner fire.  But how?

I’ve watched enthusiastic people maintain their inner exuberance day in and day out with unwavering commitment.  I believe the primary reason for their consistency is the choice they make to be enthusiastic.  That may sound simplistic, but it’s true.  You become enthusiastic by deciding to.

I firmly believe with William Arthur Ward that, “Enthusiasm and persistence can make an average person superior; indifference and lethargy can make a superior person average.”

Here’s a few practical ways to infuse your life with passion:

• Approach every day, routine task, or common experience with the gusto you would if it was your first time.  Wake up every morning with a mind set that this will be a great day filled with opportunities and challenges I’m prepared to meet.

 

• As you approach your job, be motivated by the cause you believe in rather than the monthly paycheck.  You can never excel at something that you don’t passionately care about.  Involve yourself in work that inspires you to become “constructively obsessed.”

• Light your own fire.  Be self-motivated.  Smile enthusiastically.  Walk enthusiastically.  Talk enthusiastically.  Incorporate words like “fantastic”, “terrific”, and “exciting” into your vocabulary.  Act as if you’re enthusiastic.  Even if you don’t feel enthusiastic this very moment, fake it with your actions and you’ll begin to feel the emotion.

• Exceed yesterday’s performance today.  Never be content with “good enough”.  Strive for excellence.  Henry Ford once said, “You can do anything if you have enthusiasm.  Enthusiasm is the spark in your eye, the swing in your gait, the grip of your hand, the irresistible surge of your will, and energy to execute your ideas.  Enthusiasm is at the bottom of all progress!  With it, there is accomplishment.  Without it, there are only alibis.”

• Make your work fun rather than an obligation.  Seek out ways to add fun into your work or find a way to have fun doing what you’re doing.  Laugh.

• Be committed to set an enthusiastic example for others.  Don’t wait for others.  Be the most enthusiastic person you know.  You can never expect a fire in others unless it is burning within you.  I love John Wesley’s approach:  “I set myself on fire and people come to watch me burn.”

• Anticipate, accept, even welcome change as an opportunity to grow and draw upon your internal flame to go beyond where you are.  Loosen the limits of your comfort zone thinking and explore the adventure change introduces.

• Open your mind.  Don’t get stuck on today’s problems with yesterday’s solutions.  Raise your curiosity concerning what might be and be willing to try new methods to deal with nagging issues.  Develop a “whatever it takes” approach and accept responsibility for the outcomes.

• Make it an ongoing mission to draw the best out of others.  Believe in people and their potential.  “There is an energy field between humans,” wrote Rollo May.  “And, when a person reaches out in passion, it is usually met with an answering passion.”

• View mistakes and failures as temporary setbacks and stepping stones to future success.  People with passion continue to pursue their dreams when others give up.  Their commitment and dedication provide unstoppable energy even when the odds are against them.  Obstacles and hurdles are actually used to propel them forward rather than set them back.

Philosopher Soren Kierkegaard believed, “This age will die, not from sin, but from lack of passion.”  Helen Keller observed, “Science may have found a cure for most evils; but it has found no remedy for the worst of them all - the apathy of human beings.” 

Our generation needs a renewed passion.  We need to insure the pilot is burning and ready to ignite the flames of enthusiasm.  As the Italian poet Dante so aptly said, “A mighty flame followeth a tiny spark.” 

Think of three things that ignite your passion.  How can you get that same level of excitement in other areas of your life?  Determine what adds spark to your daily living and keep those fires burning.  There are many things in life that will catch your attention, but it’s more important to find the few things that will capture your heart and ignite your passion.

Infuse your life with passion!

“If there is no passion in your life, then have you really lived?  Find your passion, whatever it may be.  Become it, and let it become you and you will find great things happen FOR you, TO you and BECAUSE of you.”

T. Alan Armstrong

Do The Thing You Fear The Most

“People worry for only two reasons.  Either they stand to lose something they want to keep, or they stand not to gain something they want.”

Nido Quebin

I’ve Been Thinking . . . about all of the things I could be worrying about.  However, I’ve decided not to waste the energy.  That may sound incredibly disciplined.  Not really.  I learned the hard way that worry is wasted energy that resolves absolutely, positively nothing.

As a teenager I struggled with an addiction called worry.  I could worry about almost anything, almost all the time.  It was great having me in the family so I could do all the worrying for everyone.  I figured it was my God-given privilege to bear the load.

I recall a personal dilemma in high school that gave me reason to shift my worrisome lifestyle into high gear.  Homecoming was just around the corner and I wanted to ask Judy to attend the activities with me.  But, I convinced myself of several reasons why Judy would turn me down (a common practice of professional worriers).  However, mustering what little courage I possessed deep inside, I decided to go for it.  Of course, I could never ask her face to face.  It would be too devastating to be face to face when she declined my invitation. 

My heart was pounding and my mouth went dry as I dialed Judy’s number.  Maybe she wouldn’t be home.  I’ll bet someone has already asked her.  Her mother will never let her go out with me.  “Hello, Judy,” I said, my voice shaking; “You wouldn’t want to go with me to homecoming would you?”

“I’d love to,” Judy replied.  “You would?” I responded recognizing the surprise in my voice.  “Good. I’ll talk to you later.”

You might think this was the end of my worry campaign but the anxiety had just begun.  I began worrying about the meal, the dance, and finally how I would give Judy a good night kiss.  I invested a multitude of energy into possible approaches for kissing Judy when the evening was over.  I finally decided on a romantic approach but was convinced, as good as it was, that rejection was eminent.

I was only fifteen at the time, so Judy and I double-dated with friends.  As the evening’s activities drew to a close, we made our way back to Judy’s home.  Driving into the driveway, I immediately noticed her father had turned on the yellow bug light above the front door. I hadn’t planned on this less than romantic addition to my plan.  But I was determined to go forward.  It had been a fabulous evening and I wasn’t about to let it end without a goodnight kiss.

Judy and I stood facing each other.  It was time to implement my plan.  “Judy,” I began, “Oh that I had ten thousand eyes to behold you with, my dear.”  (Not bad for a fifteen year old).  “Judy, I wish I had ten thousand arms to hold you with, my dear.”  I knew it was working because Judy just looked at me with a blank expression on her face.  Finally, I said, “Oh Judy, oh that I had ten thousand lips to kiss you with my dear!”

To this day, I’ll never forget her response.  Judy looked me square in the eye and with passion in her voice replied, “Glenn, why don’t you use what you have!” 

And I did.

I learned a lot about worry and fear that night.  Ralph Waldo Emerson was right when he said, “Do the thing you fear the most and the death of fear is certain.”  That simple advice can alleviate an unnecessary waste of energy.  Action is worry’s antidote.  Substitute positive action for worry and you’ll find the anxiety begin to subside.  

“It doesn’t pay to worry.  If you went through last year’s files marked “important,” chances are the only things you’d keep are the paper clips.”

 Robert Orben

Living the Rich Life

 “If you want your life to be a magnificent story, then begin by realizing that you are the author and every day you have opportunity to write a new page.”

Mark Houlahan

I’ve Been Thinking . . . about the difference between being rich and living a rich life.

 

Samuel Beckett wrote a play in 1940’s entitled Waiting for Godot.  The play is now considered a classic.  The play involves two men standing on an empty stage, hands in their pockets, staring at each other.  That’s it!  All they do is stand and stare.  There is no plot, no action, no smooth transition to reveal the mystery of their behavior.  They just stand there waiting for Godot to come.

So, who is Godot?  Is there some symbolism here?  Does Godot represent God?  Is there a hidden message just waiting to surface?  Apparently not.  As the play ends, those men are still standing on the stage doing nothing, just waiting.

During the 50^th anniversary celebration of the play, someone asked Mr. Beckett, “Now will you tell us who Godot is?”  He answered, “How should I know?”

Waiting for Godot represents the dilemma in many people’s lives.  There is a pointless waiting, anticipating, and meaningless pursuit of something that will turn our lives around.  The more we wait the more futile and restless our lives become.

Today’s culture certainly celebrates the successful pursuit of people who achieve this world’s wealth and riches.  We put their pictures on magazines, write full-length articles about their success and build pedestals in our mind for them to stand on.  Numerous books, television infomercials and amassing riches schemes lure the wealthy want-to-be into believing that once achieved; riches will turn their lives around.  Yet, even the rich and famous haven’t necessarily achieved a rich, fulfilled, meaningful life.

Living a rich life; one that’s filled with precious moments, valuable experiences, and a wealth of splendid memories isn’t possible by standing on a stage waiting for “Godot” to come.  Getting what you want out of life doesn’t suddenly appear by waiting for a miracle to happen.  Although we are placed on this earth to live, few people understand the magnitude of what awaits those who understand what it means to really enjoy living, relish every minute, and acquire the habit of proactively putting life into their living.

Life can be described a lot of ways.  Sometimes it’s boring, sometimes life is just okay, sometimes it is exciting, sometimes it is funny, sometimes life is demanding, sometimes it is just plain hard, and sometimes it is unexplainable.  Whatever your description of any given day, the richness of life is ultimately what you make of it.

An army chaplain was walking a convicted soldier to the gallows to be hanged.  On the way, the chaplain said to the soldier, “Things will be much better in heaven for you.”

“Do you really believe that?” asked the soldier.

“Why, yes I do,” replied the chaplain.

“Then switch places with me,” said the soldier, “because I like it here.”

Although we might mentally concur with the soldier “we like it here,” our lifestyles often reflect an attitude of life being unfair or believing things should be better. Still others are in a continual struggle to find the good life.

I happen to agree with the chaplain that heaven will certainly be a better place, but I’m also convinced I have a responsibility to make the most of every moment, appreciate the opportunities, and pursue the possibilities of living each and every day. 

I don't know your particular situation, age, profession or personal information, but I do know you can become one of those fulfilled people who have determined the richness of your life.  One who has decided that just drifting through life and staying alive isn't enough.  There is a curiosity to determine how your life will work out and you've made a profound commitment to enjoy the journey.  Begin navigating your way through the opportunities, obstacles, adversities, and dreams.

Today is a great day.  Live it.  Love it.  Learn from it.  Savor the richness of each moment.  Invest in your future by investing first of all in today.  Every decision, action, attitude or investment you make in today will dramatically impact the quality of tomorrow.  Now is a great time to put a healthy down payment on tomorrow.

It’s tempting to sit and wait for life to come to you.  But it can’t.  It’s too busy.  Life is out there.  You have to go for it.”

Harry Beckwith

There’s A Price To Be Paid

“There are only three things to know about how to get what you want.  One, decide what you want.  Two, decide what you are willing to give up to get it.  Three, go for it.”

H.L. Hunt

I’ve Been Thinking . . . about the responsibility that accompanies getting what we want.

A late night flight home from New Jersey provided a perfect example.  Two men made their way down the aisle of the 737 displaying behaviors common to people not accustomed to flying.  They struggled to find their correct seats and nervously asked a flight attendant for assistance as they neared my row.

One man was dressed in a tee shirt with a picture of a fish spreading from his plump stomach over his right shoulder to the middle of his back.  The shirt was about three inches too short (you get the picture).  His face hadn’t been shaved for several days and neither had he taken the time to wash and comb his hair or wash his jeans.

His buddy was dressed in a black and red wool coat, complimented by a green and brown camouflage cap.  His blackened teeth, greasy hair and significant body odor led me to think he was not well versed in appropriate personal hygiene.

The men seated themselves across the aisle and a few rows ahead of me.  I found myself watching them and their insistence on leaning over each other and the woman in the window seat so they could see out the window. 

Suddenly, both men jumped up and moved to the row behind them -- one in the window seat, the other on the aisle.  Thirty seconds later, the man in the plaid coat quickly made a dash to the window seat in the row behind him, now directly across from me.

The flight attendants began their pre-flight safety instructions.  One of them asked the man who had just moved to the window seat if he was aware that he was seated in an exit row.  “Are you capable of performing the duties required of you in the improbable event of a crash?” the flight attendant asked.

“What responsibilities?” he responded with surprise in his voice.

“You must be able to remove the exit door so passengers can escape,” she replied matter-of-factly.

A startled look came across the man’s face as he quickly replied, “No way, I don’t want that kind of responsibility!”  He jumped out of the exit row and situated himself in an aisle seat.

I thought to myself, as I watched him settle in for the lengthy flight:  This is so indicative of people naive about what it takes to get what they want.  Rarely are they willing to assume the responsibility that goes with the privilege.  Success in any endeavor demands more than a casual investment.

H.L. Hunt made it quite clear that, to get what you want, you must decide what you are willing to give up and then go for it.  Successful people “give up” the convenience of doing only what they want to do when they want to do it.  Be prepared every day to do something you don’t want to do but know you should do to achieve what you want.  It’s a price every winner knows they have to pay. 

Zig Ziglar confirmed this prerequisite for success when he said:  “When you do the things you ought to do when you ought to do them, the day will come when you will do the things you want to do when you want to do them.” 

The next time you are tempted to move into the exit row aisle seat (or any other desired position in life), decide first if you are willing to do whatever it takes to make the trip.

People who take personal responsibility for the quality of their lives often end up with more quality in their lives.  What level of responsibility are you comfortable assuming to achieve the level of success you desire? 

“It is easy to dodge our responsibilities, but we cannot dodge the consequences of our responsibilities.”

 Sir Josiah Stamp

Acquiring An Awesome Attitude

“The greatest discovery in our generation is that human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives.”

William James

“I’ve been thinking. . .” about my attitude.  In fact, I’ve been thinking about your attitude as well. 

Charles Swindoll hit the nail square on the head for me when he said, “I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.  And so it is with you . . . we are in charge of our attitudes.”

I’ve been a fan of the Peanuts cartoon for many years.  Charles Schulz had the uncanny ability to capture real life messages inside his characters.  I recall one strip in which Lucy announces: “Boy, do I feel crabby.”

Her loving little brother Linus, always anxious to relieve tension at home, responds, “Maybe I can be of help.  Why don’t you just take my place here in front of the TV while I go and fix you a nice snack?  Sometimes we all need a little pampering to help us feel better.”  Then Linus brings her a sandwich, a few chocolate chip cookies, and some milk.

“Now is there anything else I can get you?” he asks.  “Is there anything I haven’t thought of?”

“Yes, there’s one thing you haven’t thought of,” Lucy answers.  And then suddenly screams, “I don’t want to feel better!”

Lucy never wanted to experience change in her life where bad attitudes were present.  It was more “fun” to wallow in her misery.

I’ve come to the profound, undisputable (in my mind) conclusion; there are a lot of Lucy’s in this world. 

We have the privilege and responsibility to choose everyday the attitude we will adopt for the day.  That single choice dramatically influences the perceived and real quality of everything we encounter.  By activating our ability to control our reaction to life’s situations, we will be amazed at how events begin to change.

We literally live in a world of our own making.  Our attitudes determine our actions.  Our attitude toward life determines life’s attitude toward us.  Our personality is a reflection of our attitudes.  Attitudes impact the way others see us and ultimately treat us.  Further, our attitude so often determines the quality of the results we achieve.

Many people are one positive attitude away from having a great day, pursuing a dream or rebuilding a relationship.  People who have outstanding talent, impressive knowledge, and prime opportunities will undoubtedly experience average results unless they possess an expectant, “can-do” attitude.  Attitude certainly isn’t the only thing that determines success but it is an important something.

For those people who need a few bullet points or specific strategies, here you go. . .

First, expect the best.  Seriously, people who expect things to always go bad will not be disappointed.  A positive ‘expector’ adjusts your view on life and allows you the flexibility to enjoy the blessings and deal with challenges.  These people are commonly known to be “inverse paranoids.”  This is someone who believes that the world is conspiring to do him good.  How refreshing!  Seeing every situation as being heaven-sent would certainly put a new face on life’s experiences.

I read about a man who lived on the outskirts of town.  He developed quite a business selling hot dogs along the side of the road.  The man was hard of hearing so never listened to the radio.  He had trouble with his vision, so he never read a newspaper.  But he knew how to sell hot dogs and had a booming business.

He built attractive signs and put them up along the highway advertising his delicious hot dogs.  He stood along the side of the road and solicited every person who passed by to try his fabulous hot dogs.  People bought his hot dogs and made frequent return visits.  He increased his meat and bun orders, and he bought a bigger grill to prepare his famous dogs.  The business was a resounding success.  He made enough money to educate his son at one of the finest colleges.

Unfortunately, the son came home upon graduation as an educated pessimist (the worst kind).  He observed his father’s business and then remarked, “Father, haven’t you been listening to the radio?  Haven’t you followed the stories in the newspaper?  We’re in the middle of a huge recession.  Businesses are failing all around the country.” 

The father was astounded at his son’s wisdom.  He thought, “Well, my son’s been to college.  He reads the paper and business journals.  He listens to the radio and keeps himself well informed.  He must know what he is talking about.”  So the father cut back on his meat and bun order, removed his roadside signs, and no longer stood alongside the road to promote his hot dogs.

Of course, his sales fell dramatically.  “You’re right, son,” the father said to his boy.  “It’s a good thing you came home.  We are certainly in the middle of a huge recession.”

Expectation is often a self-fulfilling prophecy.  Remember, the press has accurately predicated 8 of our last 2 recessions.  Sharpen your positive ‘expector’.  Expect the best.

Next, decide to be cheerful.  I tend to respond to the request “How are you?” with “Wonderful” or “Fantastic”.  Periodically someone will say, “You can’t always be fantastic.”  True.  But I choose to believe I will be any minute.  Choose to be joyful because every minute of life is a gift never to return.  You only get one shot.  It takes no more energy to decide to be upbeat than to be downbeat. . . in fact, probably less.

Cheerfulness, and its negative counterpart, is normally visible on someone’s face.  When I was in the second grade, I had a fabulous teacher.  Mrs. Krull was better to me than I deserved.  I think it’s because she lived across the alley from my grandparents.  She was also a strong disciplinarian.  One day during recess, Randy and I were pestering the girls.  Mrs. Krull approached us and said, “Boys, when I was a child, I was told that if I made ugly faces, my face would freeze, and I would stay like that.” 

I was appalled at the potential outcome.  However, Randy looked intently for a moment and then said to Mrs. Krull, “Well, teacher, you can’t say no one warned you.”

Looking downtrodden, depressed, negative, bitter, gloomy, discouraged, apathetic, resentful, and hopeless is pitiful.  Smile!  Be cheerful!  By the time you’re 30, you wear the face you deserve.

Be a solution finder.  Problem finders are a dime a dozen.  Rare are those people who can spot a solution in every problem rather than a problem in every solution.  Like the old saying goes, “when you change the way in which you see things, the things you see will change.”  It’s amazing how the slight shift in your perspective on things will alter habitual attitudes.  Remember the words of psychiatrist Frank Minirth: “The more you complain about the problems you have, the more problems you’ll have to complain about.”

Talk Positive.  Listen carefully to your conversations.  The words you use, the tone of your voice and your non-verbal’s not only communicate your attitude to others but further ingrain your personality characteristics.  Psychologist Shad Helmstetter advised, “You can’t change from a negative mind-set to a positive mind-set without changing from negative talking to positive talking.  To do that you must change the input from negative to positive.”

I read about a man who joined a monastery where, in addition to the vows of celibacy and poverty, was required to take a vow of silence.  The monastery was so strict he was only allowed to speak two words a year.  The man lived his first year in absolute silence.  At the end of the year, he was invited in to his superior for his annual performance review.  His superior asked what two words he would like to share.  “Food cold,” the man replied.  Then, he was back to his room and routine to spend his second year in silence.  At the year’s end, when he went in for his annual review, he was allowed to speak again.  The two words he spoke were, “Bed hard.”  He then served his third year in silence.  At the end of the year he told his superior in two words, “I quit!” and he got up to leave.  His superior immediately responded, “Your decision doesn’t surprise me at all.  All you’ve done for the last three years is complain, complain, complain.”

Lesson:  Talk Positive.  No matter how few words you speak, make them positive.  Quit complaining.

Develop a spirit of understanding and acceptance.  Look around you.  People who display a genuine, caring attitude and love for people normally display an affirmative, upbeat attitude. 

John Maxwell tells the story of a mother and her adult daughter shopping one day, trying to make the most of a big sale the weekend before Christmas.  As they went from store to store in the mall, the mother complained about everything:  the crowds, the poor quality of the merchandise, the prices, and her sore feet.  After the mother experienced a particularly difficult interaction with a clerk in one department store, she turned to her daughter and said, “I’m never going back to that store again.  Did you see the dirty look she gave me?”

The daughter answered, “She didn’t give it to you, Mom.  You had it when you went in!”

Ouch!  Your attitude toward the people around will determine the attitude they have toward you which impacts the attitude you have toward life which…..you get the message.

Act as if.  Act ‘as if’ you have a great attitude.  Act like the kind of day you want to have.  Act like the person you want to become. Act like the attitude you want.  A staff member once said to me, “I’m just waiting for someone to come along and motivate me.”  I immediately responded, “what if they don’t show up?”  Don’t wait for a great attitude to tap you on the shoulder.  If you want a quality, act as if you already have it and the chemistry to produce it will be activated. 

Much of what we do every day comes from habitual behaviors.  Our attitudes are no different.  We have been perfecting our current attitudes over a period of time.  If we desire to get different results out of life, then we will need to address current habits.  I especially like Psychiatrist William Glasser’s belief that; “If you want to change attitudes, start with a change in behavior.  In other words, begin to act the part, as well as you can, of the person you would rather be, the person you most want to become.  Gradually, the old fearful person will fade away.”

I came across a prayer recently that seems like an appropriate way to close this conversation.  It said,

Dear Lord,

So far today, I am doing all right.  I have not gossiped, lost my temper, been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, or self-indulgent.  I have not whined, cursed, or eaten any chocolate.

However, I am going to get out of bed in a few minutes, and I will need a lot more help after that.  Amen.

One of the most important choices you make today is your attitude.  You and you alone are in charge.  This is the greatest day of your life.  Do something positive with it – acquire an awesome attitude.

The optimist pleasantly ponders how high his kite will fly; the pessimist woefully wonders how soon his kite will fall.

William Arthur Ward

Finding Freedom From Fear

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.  You are able to say to yourself, ‘I lived through this horror.  I can take the next thing that comes along.’  You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”

                                          Eleanor Roosevelt

I’ve Been Thinking . . . how fear has impacted my life.

Several years ago a local community college contacted me to do a workshop on supervisory skills.  I immediately suggested they had the wrong person.  “I’m sorry,” I remember saying, “I don’t do public speaking.  I can’t even lead a silent prayer in a phone booth... by myself.”  The conversation ended and I figured that was the last I would hear from them.

Two weeks later, another call came to my office.  “Glenn, we would really like for you to do the program.  You work with personnel and we know you could offer a lot of insight.”  What I realized later is that they had probably called a half dozen other people who turned them down and I was the last one on their list.

“How long does the program have to be?” I asked.

“Two days.”

“Two days!  I don’t know ‘two days’ worth of information about anything.”

To make a long story short, I gave in.  The next few months provided considerable learning about the crippling effects of fear.  I had heard all of the clichés about fear like, “We have nothing to fear except fear itself,” or “Fear is interest paid on a debt you do not owe.”  Those were empty thoughts as I wrestled with my decision and attempted to write a workshop that I had agreed to do because I wasn’t courageous enough to say ‘no.’

It’s now thirty plus years later.  I’ve conducted a thousand seminars and keynotes to thousands of people, and learned that facing the fear head on allowed me to gain the confidence to not only speak in front of a group, but attempt other things I thought I couldn’t do.  In addition, I gained valuable insight into fear’s personality.

Fear Reproduces Itself.  The more I thought about doing the seminar, the more nervous I became.  In fact, those feelings carried over into other facets of my life that were normally in my comfort zone.

Fear produces hesitancy...which breeds lack of risk...which results in a lack of experience...which produces limited insight...nourishing the belief that we can’t do the thing we fear.  This cycle perpetuates itself until we create a string of negative thoughts that chain us to self-imposed limiting expectations.

Fear Breeds Inaction.  I had a substantial amount of material to write and organize to insure the workshop’s success.  Yet, I found myself daydreaming and worrying about the outcome of the program rather than digging in and getting the work done.

Jack Canfield rightly asserts that, “Fear keeps us from taking action, and if we don’t act, we never get beyond where we are now.”  When fear permeates your thinking, it becomes virtually impossible to push ahead and achieve desired results.  Once you allow fear to take control it generates a thousand reasons to procrastinate.  Unchallenged fear paralyzes.  John F. Kennedy suggested, “There are risks and costs to a program of action, but they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction.”

Fear Snuffs Out Confidence.  Amen!  I started out with minimal confidence that I could pull off this public speaking commitment.  The self-doubt compounded and filtered into more areas of my life.

Norman Cousins said, “People are never more insecure than when they become obsessed with their fears at the expense of their dreams.”  Cousins made a critical point.  Fear isn’t necessarily bad, but when it controls you there are damaging consequences.  Fear is only as powerful as the extent we submit to it.

You can have all the talent in the world but allowing fear to be in control will squelch your belief in what you can do.  If you don’t believe you can do something, you will inevitably sabotage your own efforts.  It’s at this point fear becomes more powerful than our dreams.

Fear Keeps Us From Realizing Our Potential.  The only “potential” on my mind for several weeks was the potential public disaster and humiliation I was going to face.  Thinking about “being my best” took a back seat to thinking about “surviving.”

Fear-strapped people struggle to try new things, dream, excel, and produce beyond their current level of functioning.  They live in a relatively small box nailed together by insecurities and covered with the lid of fear.

Former NFL quarterback Fran Tarkenton was undoubtedly acquainted with fear yet he achieved phenomenal success by learning to overcome it.  Tarkenton believes, “Fear causes people to draw back from situations; it brings on mediocrity; it dulls creativity; it sets one up to be a loser in life.”

Your hunger and passion for developing yourself is an important component to creating the drive to disarm fear’s power.  Blasting through our fears puts us in position to grow and develop.

Eleanor Roosevelt endorsed a novel and effective way of handling the fear of trying something new.  She suggested, “Anyone can conquer fear by first doing three things:  do it once to prove to yourself that you can do it.  Do it a second time to see whether or not you like it.  And then do it again to see whether or not you want to keep on doing it.”  Ms. Roosevelt believed that by the time you’ve moved through the third step, fear is extinguished.  What has changed?  Simply, you have handled the fear.

You probably noticed a common theme in this approach -- taking action.  There is no victory over fear by sitting in your favorite easy chair and attempting to wish it away.  In fact Dale Carnegie believed, “We generate fears while we sit; we overcome them by action.  Fear is nature’s warning signal to get busy.”

Notice that no one suggests you pretend fear doesn’t exist.  Just the opposite.  The first step in overcoming fear’s restrictive power is to acknowledge it.  Then, Fred Pryor suggests, “One of the best ways to conquer fear is to move toward it.”  When you find yourself submitting to fear’s temptations, remember that we tend to give our fears more power than they deserve.  By failing to confront them, we permit them to dominate our lives.  The answer?  Fears diminish and lose their control and power over you as you confront them.

Take your greatest fear and turn it into a motivator.  “The hero and the coward,” said boxing manager Cus D’Amato, “both feel exactly the same fear, only the hero confronts the fear and converts it into fire.”

What’s your fear?  If you have a fear of . . .

. . . failure -- you have kakorrhaphiophobia

. . . poverty -- you have peniaphobia

. . . responsibility -- you have hypengyophobia

. . . loneliness -- you have monophobia

. . . being looked at by other people -- you have scopophobia

. . . crowds -- you have ochlophobia

Turn your fear into a driving force for moving into uncharted territory.   You are stronger than your fears or you wouldn’t have made it this far.  Henry Ford once declared:  “One of the great discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn’t do.”

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself -- and possibly the boogey man.”

     Pat Paulsen

Vibrant Visionary or Blatant Blah

I never predict.  I just look out the window and see what is visible—but not yet seen.”

Peter Drucker

I’ve Been Thinking. . . about what I see when I look out the window and into the future.

Rate yourself on a scale from 1 to 10.  One if you are a Blatant Blah up to a ten if you are a Vibrant Visionary. 

Blatant Blah is satisfied with the present, hates the idea of change and believes the status quo is a trophy to be attained.  A number ten Vibrant Visionary is just the opposite.

In my opinion, Roberto Goizueta was a '10'. . .  a Vibrant Visionary.

The name Roberto Goizueta is well known at the Coca-Cola Company and throughout the business world.  Goizueta was the chairman and chief executive of the Coca-Cola Company for nearly two decades.

In a speech he reportedly gave to the Executive's Club of Chicago a few months before he died, Goizueta made this bold, visioning statement:  "A billion minutes ago, human life appeared on Earth.  A billion minutes ago, Christianity emerged.  A billion seconds ago, the Beatles performed on 'The Ed Sullivan Show.'  A billion Coca-Colas ago. . . was yesterday morning.  And the question we are asking ourselves now is, 'What must we do to make a billion Coca-Colas ago this morning?'"

That is a question of a Vibrant Visionary!

Mr. Goizueta was undoubtedly committed to making Coca-Cola the undisputed best company in the world.  When he took over Coca-Cola in 1981, the company's value was $4 billion.  Under his leadership, the company experienced a 3500 per cent increase in value to $150 billion. 

Goizueta's success stretched far beyond the dollars.  His commitment to people motivated him to nurture, coach and mentor others to assume increased levels of leadership.  As Robert W. Woodruff, the namesake of Coca-Cola, took Goizueta under his mentorship, Goizueta continued the people building culture.

Visionary leaders know it takes people to achieve those lofty visions.

Goizueta believed that:  "At end of every day of every year, two things must remain unshakable; our constancy of purpose and our continuous discontent with the present."

Discontent with the present. . .  An inherent characteristic of every Vibrant Visionary. 

Blatant Blah is ordinary, stagnant, boring and forgettable.

Vibrant Visionaries are a bit weird, with crazy ideas, unquenchable passion and a unique sense of 'what could be.'  Goizueta's results speak for themselves. . .

Vibrant Visionaries separate themselves from group think.  They make us think.  They think anything is possible -- like a cell phone, Facebook, cruise control, cure for cancer or a host of other ‘unthinkables.’

How do you go from Blatant Blah to Vibrant Visionary?  First, we need to understand some of the differences.  Here are a few comparisons. .  .

1.  Vibrant Visionaries see the world as a blank slate where they have been placed to produce a masterpiece.  Blatant Blahs see the conditions of the world dictating the make-up and quality of their masterpiece.

2.  Vibrant Visionaries consider the impossible possible.  Blatant Blahs are convinced the seemingly possible is really impossible.

3.  Vibrant Visionaries are always looking for the next calculated risk.  Blatant Blahs calculate the risk and avoid anything with less than a 92% chance of success.

4.  Vibrant Visionaries stick out.  Blatant Blahs fit in.

5.  Vibrant Visionaries continually evaluate HOW they think.  Blatant Blahs just think they think.

6.  Vibrant Visionaries make sense out of weird.  Blatant Blahs think anything is weird that doesn't make sense.

7.  Vibrant Visionaries are always searching for the next peak to conquer.  Blatant Blahs are desperate to find a plateau where they can rest.

8.  Vibrant Visionaries are contrarians.  Blatant Blahs hate contrarians. 

9.  Vibrant Visionaries relish the privilege to challenge 'what is.'  Blatant Blahs enjoy the security of 'what is.'

10.  Vibrant Visionaries welcome the potential misery of uncertainty.  Blatant Blahs prefer the certainty of misery to the misery of uncertainty.

It's evident, the world of Vibrant Visionaries and Blatant Blahs are worlds apart.  We all exist somewhere on that continuum.  I guess the question is whether the remainder of our lives will be a blah repeat of the past or forgetting the past to create a fresh vibrant future.

“As a visionary leader, you’ll find beauty where others do not.  You’ll seek opportunity where others find only problems, and you’ll see answers where others haven’t recognized the questions.”

Sheila Murray Bethel