The Power of Decision
"One hundred percent of the shots
you don't take never go in."
-Wayne Gretzky
Patrick Hughes was born blind and crippled, but when someone asks about his disabilities he says, "What disabilities? I'd call them abilities." Instead of focusing his life on areas in which he is disadvantaged, he has exerted all his effort into his talents, one of which is music. He made the decision to focus on what he does well.
Patrick is an amazing pianist. He is also in the University of Louisville marching band! Just as inspiring as his accomplishments in life is Patrick's father's devotion for him, which enables him to achieve so many of his goals. Working the night shift so he can help his son in school and other areas of life, Patrick's father is a true example of love and dedication.
Here's a short and inspiring video you may enjoy watching to hear the story about Patrick and his dad: http://www.appreciatelife.com/blog/patrickhughes
On a recent ESPN newscast about Patrick's story, Tom Rinaldi said, "Patrick Hughes plays so that we might hear the music of opportunity and the sound of potential."
What can we learn from people like Patrick? His story has helped me examine my self-talk about what's possible and let go of some old beliefs that have not served me well.
My husband loves baseball and he has participated in a fantasy baseball league for about 30 years. Every season, he closely follows the stats of his players and is very excited because right now his "team" is almost in first place. What amazes me is statistically how often the best players strike out – 7 out of 10 times! And that's for the BEST players. Babe Ruth's average was .342! That's less than three and a half times for every ten times at bat!
Why don't baseball players quit with such averages? Because they understand how the Law of Averages work. The more you swing, the more you learn and the better you get at what you do. And if you don't swing, you'll NEVER get a hit!
Life is a lot like baseball. If you don't step up to the plate and swing, you'll never hit a home run. George Bernard Shaw said it very well: "A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing."
Jack Canfield shares his thoughts about success: "Success is not for the faint of heart. To achieve your dreams, you'll have to overcome obstacles and conquer fear, self-doubt, and worry. You'll have to undo negative childhood programming ... and contend with criticism, nay-saying and perhaps even sabotage from others. You may contend with financial pressures or even bankruptcy. You may face legal challenges. You may be blindsided by illness or tragedy. The deciding factor in whether you give up or succeed in the face of these challenges is the level of your determination."
Success is a decision!
Average people place limits on how much they will commit to achieving their goals, if they have even set goals. When the obstacles appear, average people give up their dreams and settle for less.
High achievers don't give up in the face of adversity. They are determined to succeed, whatever the cost.
Success leaves clues! When I look at what separates those who achieve great success from those who do not, I always find three success ingredients in common.
- Habits
Strategic business coach John Di Lemme says, "Your habits speak louder than your excuses." Whatever actions you take today will determine your tomorrow. Are your habits supporting what you choose for your life?
- Network/Associations
Jim Rohn once said this: "You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with." Those you associate with will speak louder than anything you could ever say. Who are you spending time with? Do the core people in your life support you or put you down when you talk about your dreams?
- Your bigger "why"
What are you so passionate about that--no matter what obstacles get in the way--nothing will stop you from reaching your goals? Unfortunately, many people stop following their dreams and listening to what makes their heart sing because they simply never made the decision to do so.
Oliver Wendell Holmes said: "The biggest tragedy is the waste of human resources. The average person goes to his grave with his music still in him." Fortunately for Patrick Hughes and those who enjoy his talents, nobody will ever accuse him of this!
Here are a few powerful questions to ask yourself:
- What makes your heart sing? What's your why?
- What habits will propel you forward once you've made the decision to go for it?
- What associations do you choose to develop? What network of people will support you in following your dreams?
- What decision will you make today--right now--that will set you free?
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Is this you?
- Do you often wonder where the time went?
- Does your to-do list keep getting longer, even though
it feels like nothing is getting done?
- Have you totally given up on keeping a to-do list?
- Do you have trouble finding what you need?
- Do you feel like you’ll NEVER catch up?
If you answered "yes" to
any of these questions, I can help out by teaching
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Imagine
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is an additional 365 hours or over nine 40 hour work weeks of
extra time. Think of this next time you make the statement, "I
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Here's what you'll be able
to accomplish when you attend my upcoming webinar
and put what you learn into practice:
- Set your priorities and focus on what matters most (do this
and you'll be amazed at how fast you can start crossing things
off your to-do list).
- Remember important follow-up tasks BEFORE rather than AFTER… (wouldn't
that save tons of stress not to mention embarrassment?).
- Efficiently handle mail, filing, returning phone calls and
other repetitive tasks so you'll have more time to do the things
you LOVE to do.
- Streamline information management and communications (no
more time wasted on information that's "interesting but
not relevant" to what you need NOW).
- Relax and enjoy a less cluttered environment.
Register for a FREE monthly
90-minute webinar.
Next webinar is Tuesday, July 12, 2011
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