It’s all about the story!

Let me tell me a story

Most of us have heard the quote that it is not what happens to us, but how respond to what happens to us that makes all the difference. While I agree with this, by itself, I believe there is a HUGE part missing to this statement. It is true that we all have events/circumstances/situations/setbacks/challenges/struggles etc…of varying degrees that happen to us on a daily basis, but it’s not so much about our single response to the event as it is about the STORY that we tell ourselves consistently about the event. The story we tell will determine how we see the event and the actions we take moving forward. When something happens to us, it usually happens once, but the story that we replay about that event in our mind happens over and over again. Which one do you think is more important, the single event or the ongoing story?

Don’t limit yourself

The story we tell ourselves is the single biggest factor that will  either help us to grow or hold us back. Negative stories create limiting beliefs, self doubt and turn us into “victims”. Positive ones create confidence, belief, growth and make us “victors”. How many people know someone that when they were little had a teacher or loved one or friend tell them something about themselves, that may have been true at the time, that they are still carrying with them today, maybe 20-30 years later, as a limiting belief? How many times do we personally accept the “labels” assigned to us by society as truth?

The point

Here is the point: to develop a leadership mindset, we need to look at every experience that happens to us as a positive, teachable moment. Just think how much faster we can grow if we see everything, success or failure, as an opportunity to learn a lesson and get stronger. Just remember it is up to us, individually, to determine what we will accomplish in this life and what story we will tell ourselves about what we experience. Just because someone has labeled you doesn’t mean it is true. Just because you have experienced loses or failures in the past doesn’t make them final or you a failure. In the end, You are the one who is telling the story, make it have a happy ending!

A Few Thoughts

What if we all, as a nation, looked inward and focused our energy on becoming the best we could be as individual people? What if we became a nation of common interests instead of special interests? What if we stopped focusing on the faults of the others around us and turned that energy into personal character development? What if we became more interested in the service of others than on our own selfish ambition? What if we focused on and amplified our blessings instead of our setbacks? Maybe then we would have less time to fight about our differences and more time invested on working together to make a difference. Just a thought.

 

Use your gifts to add value

Gift: a notable capacity, talent, or endowment. 
Value: relative worth, utility, or importance. 

We have all been given unique gifts that are specific to us that yield tremendous value. So by default, everyone is valuable. It doesn’t matter what you have or haven’t done or what the world tells you, you are extremely valuable. God doesn’t make junk! There was a plan when you were created and you have been given the gifts and have been equipped to accomplish that plan.
Don’t play small or sell yourself short. Don’t believe the lie that you are just an average person meant to do average things of little value. There is world changing potential within everyone, all we have to do is unwrap the gift and share it with others. “There is nothing more tragic then to be given the gift of life and to return it unopened.”

God Bless,

Adam

Happiness vs. Joy

Happiness and joy are two very different things. Happiness is situational and joy is eternal. Happiness is an endless pursuit of fleeting pleasure that always needs to be topped by the next “best” thing. Joy comes from God, knowing you are secure in his will. Joy is inside and can’t be taken away by any event, person or circumstance. Happiness is an external emotion that is always trying to be fulfilled but is usually short lived. It is so weird, but when you truly have joy, then happiness in life is usually an automatic byproduct. Find joy, don’t just chase after happiness.