The title of this blog comes from a principle theme within a book entitled Change The Way You See Everything by Kathryn D. Cramer and Hank Wasiak. Most people are busy juggling a life that includes an overwhelming amount of work, home, family, and children, as well as faith-based and community activities. Each event or activity in isolation has priority and importance, however many of us deal with colliding priorities every day. For example, you need to get the final numbers to accounting by 5:00 today and you are behind schedule. Your daughter has a soccer game right after school at 3:30. You become instantly stressed. Perhaps you rush through the project at work, get it turned in to accounting but all the while you are at your daughter’s game you are rethinking your work wondering if you made any mistakes. While you stand on the sidelines worrying there is no way you are really watching and enjoying your daughter’s soccer acumen and her love of the game.
Your competing priorities are not going away. Therefore the question becomes how can you contribute your best to every priority as well as be the best you you can be!
Stop and breathe. Not every situation or competing priority deserves crisis status. Stop … take a deep breath and think. Take an extra minute to think about what the next best step really is. When you take these few minutes to breathe and think, you will be much less reactive and much more proactive. Living in a constant reactive state reinforces feelings of frustration, self-criticism, and self-doubt. Being proactive reinforces confidence and competence.
Forget perfection: Pursuing perfection is not an asset. Mistakes and challenges are inevitable; therefore, the pursuit of perfection only serves to focus on what did not go well or right. However, if you give yourself permission to believe you are perfect just the way you are, you give yourself permission to focus on your strengths. Commit to always maximize your strengths and you will find the flaws slip away. Babe Ruth held the title of most career home runs for 39 years with 714 until Hank Aaron achieved 755, and most recently Barry Bonds hit 763. All three of these men stood at-bat thousands of times in order to achieve this greatness. Many of those at-bats were even strikeouts. Focus on your home runs as they are what really matter and not your strikeouts! “I swing big with everything I got. I hit big or I miss big. I like to live as big as I can.” Babe Ruth
Focus on what is next. Get out of the past and focus on the future. Learn to widen your view so you do not miss any opportunities. “Illuminating the possibilities and opportunities that abound in everyday circumstances increases your options, energizes situations, and inspires you and others” (Cramer and Wasiak). Develop the habit of looking ahead. Where do you see yourself tomorrow, next month, or next year? All accomplishments begin with an idea, a seed, a dream. Create a Dream Inventory (copyright symbol) and list all of your ideas and dreams that matter to you—no matter how extravagant or insignificant they may seem. It’s impossible to emphasize strongly enough the power of creative and uninhibited imagination. Do not let life stifle yours.
Your unlimited success depends on your ability to magnify your strengths and focus on your future. Start today!
