Thursday, September 3, 2009
"An idiot repeats his mistakes. A smart man learns from his mistakes.
But a genius learns from the mistakes of others."
GET A LIFE
By Brian Houston
There is a quality that is the possession of every person. It is an inheritance available to all, but claimed by few. This quality is called POTENTIAL.
There is a proverb that tells us that “much food [potential] is in the fallow ground of the poor”. Just under the surface is an abundant lifestyle, but many people miss it and live frustrated, dissatisfied, under-productive lives.
Potential is “what might be or could be, but does not yet exist.”
A young child is seen running around the football or baseball park showing extraordinary flair and skill. With incredible agility and the quick thinking of a veteran he steers his team to victory. Talent scouts mark him as someone who “COULD be anything. Several years later we witness that very same person. He’s the overweight storyteller at the bar having one too many drinks, the has-been who COULD HAVE BEEN anything. Through lack of discipline, lack of integrity, lack of determination or wrong choices the young man voted “Most Likely To Succeed” has missed his true potential. In reality this make-believe scenario, is repeated far too many times all around the world.
What is the difference between “should be” and “should have been”, or “might be” and “might have been?” It is the fine line between FULFILLED OR FAILED POTENTIAL. It is the fine line between getting a life, or missing it completely.
One day while I was walking through the streets of Sydney with my father, we were almost knocked over by a drunk man who came flying out the front door of hotel. The smelly, dishevelled man landed on the pavement in front of us, covered in alcohol and vomit. I thought to myself, “This man’s life appears to represent a series of wrong choices.” His life, like all humanity was full of potential, full of could have beens, but he appeared t be forfeiting his opportunity.
Many people live captive to a victim mentality - a passive, powerless philosophy. This defeated thinking believes you have no control over your future. “Whatever will be, will be. You get what you are given, and that’s that.” What a lie! Potential is within every person. Potential to change your world for the better. But in order to have it and utilise it we first have to actively seek it out.
In the hit movie Forrest Gump, winner of seven Academy Awards, the central character believed that life was like a box of chocolates: “You never know what you’re going to get. Life may hand out challenges and trials and no-one has any influence over the outcome.”
Gump’s philosophy, which he wisely used to deflect any attempt to put him down, was Stupid is as stupid does.” In other words, you are rewarded according to what you believe about yourself.
If you believe that you’re clumsy, you will be. Believe you’re unemployable and you won’t find a job. Believe you are not worthy of success and you will never achieve anything. And if you believe you are stupid, you will do stupid things.
When I was a young boy at school, a teacher decided to play a game. He lined up the students around the edge of the room and asked each one to spell a word. Any child who failed had to sit down. The well meaning teacher thought this “game” would teach us to spell better, but the game was actually humiliating, and emphasised weakness. The medium is the message.
What you believe IS, sets the tone for your life. That belief then establishes foundations in your life which are vitally important. It is possible for a person to live their entire life on a platform of perception which may be ripping them off. It is imperative that you and I genuinely believe that we have a purpose in life and that we are capable of fulfilling it.
Understanding this then establishes a starting point for realised potential. If you live with a positive foundation and act according to that belief, you will be rewarded.
Helen Keller once said “Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.” How many times has somebody emerged from mediocrity to become great because they had MORE courage, MORE perseverance and MORE faith than the average person? We see this in the sporting arena, music industry, the arts, and it is clearly seen in the business world.
During one of my speaking trips to Queensland , I met a young man who told me his brother lived in my hometown of Sydney and captained a football team. I asked which team it was, expecting an answer such as the C Grade Guildford Brawlers, but he replied “The Manly Sea Eagles.” Straight away he had my attention. Manly is one of Australia ’s finest professional rugby league teams. When I asked who his brother was, I was again impressed. It turned out that he was a famous international footballer who later became a TV commentator and the host of one of the most popular sports shows in the country.
This young man explained that he also had had great potential as a footballer, but a heavy tackle damaged his knees and from that moment his rugby league career was reduced to what could have been. Rather than take the soft option and retreat to a life of unfulfilled memories and lost potential I’m happy to add that, unlike many people who give up, he changed his focus and is succeeding in other areas. Serious injury could not deter him from achieving great results.
[Clara's note: BELOW IS IMPORTANT!]
Realising your potential requires that you ignore:
· the limitations and expectations of others.
· the limitations and restraints of your own thinking.
· the limitations of your environment and upbringing.
When you subject yourself to these limitations you become an underachiever. But when you choose to live according to your potential, you find yourself going above and beyond, far exceeding all limitations.
· ABOVE – discovering the higher way
· BEYOND – going further
· EXCEEDS – easily surpassing
These words describe a life of success, a life that impacts others, and a life of plenty. Now that is not the life of an underachiever. Napoleon said “
Impossible is a word found only in the dictionary of fools.” Extraordinary people do extraordinary things. They push past the acceptable levels that many settle for. They push through the barriers that contain and they go over the top in the arena of achievement. They are the kind of people history tends to record.
Much of today’s established perception stifles potential. It has people thinking “from behind”, from the “bottom of the pile”.
Looks at modern day living in the light of wisdom for the heart. It endeavours to reveal the quality of life available to you. It unlocks the process of claiming that potential, living it to it’s maximum and helps you discover fulfilment along the way.
“You only live once, but if you work it right, once is enough.” (Joe Lewis)
GET A LIFE! IT’S YOURS FOR THE TAKING.
Race's record:7:25 AM
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