Instant Freedom |
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By: Paul Kearley Posted: 2007-03-10 07:20:01 |
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They say, whoever "they" is, that "when the student is ready, the teacher will appear". I'm sure that you've heard it too, and I'll bet that at one time in your life, when you needed it most, someone or something just dropped out of the space-time continuum and either led you or taught you a great truth about yourself or of life in general. It may have been as simple as how to change a tire on your car, or it may have been as complex as how to understand and reason with the mind of a teenager, but it is certain that an opportunity to learn was placed in front of you. What you chose to do with that information or "teacher" is probably another story. But if you "got it", your life was changed for the better. Sometimes, if you don't get the message the first time it often will come back at you in another way. Let me give you an example.About 10 years ago, as I was still cutting my teeth in sales, I came across a framed picture in one of my clients office of something called "The Ten Scrolls". The picture was a hand printed summary of 10 principles that supposedly any person could apply to make them the greatest salesperson in the world. As I read them, I got that warm feeling inside that I often get when I see something that touches my soul, and so, while I waited for my client to come back to the office, I started to write them in my notebook. After writing the first principle the client entered and my attention shifted from what I was writing to the clients needs. I never did finish writing the principles that day but I thought of that quote often over the years, but it slowly faded into the network of quotes and books that I have read and became simply words without much meaning.Back to the present: I was in my office on Monday, shifting and moving things around, trying to make room on my bookshelf, when I came across that old notebook. Taking it off the shelf, I opened the book up, and strangely, it fell open to that exact page. The page had the numbers 1-10 written down the side, but only the first line was filled in. It said. "Today is a new day. The problems that you had yesterday will remain there, and the problems that you will have tomorrow are unknown and remain yet to be seen, all you have is today. Whatever good you can do in this 24 hours, do it with energy and enthusiasm, because you will never get this opportunity again."Then today, as I was in my car driving the 9.5 hours that it takes to drive to Vermont, I played a cassette audio book that I got from the library called "The Greatest Salesman In the World" by Og Mandino. I had heard of that book before, but I never got the chance to read it, so, when I found it at the library, I thought that it would be a great book to help pass the kilometers. Little did I know or expect the impact that it would have on me, and little did I know how just listening to it would shake me to my core, and create a powerful sense of urgency to banish my doubts, to finish my current goals and to create new ones.You see, recently, I have been having conversations with my head office about the future of my company here in the Maritimes, and on occasion, the uncertainty of it has kept me awake at night, tossing and turning in my bed. The changes are good, and I don't doubt that they will bring even greater success to the region; it was me that I doubted. Could I do what they were expecting of me? Was I able to make the changes in my actions to bring about the desired results? Would I be able to work effectively with the new people that we were thinking on bringing in in a joint venture? The uncertainty was starting to eat me up inside, and I found myself wasting a lot of time wondering where this was all going. To add to that, I have been struggling with the editing and publishing of my book "The MUST Factor", and the size of the task was causing me to lose momentum. This too was eating away at my available time.Back to the audio book. It was one of those experiences that when it happens, you don't really expect it, but you somehow instinctively knew that it was going to happen. From the moment that the narrator's voice started talking, I was captivated. I was transported away to another time and place, yet I was able to focus on driving the "Airline", Maine route 9, which is a daunting task at any time! I won't tell you the story here, I'd like you to go out and get the book and read it yourself, but I will tell you that the book talks about 10 scrolls that, when applied, will make the doer, possibly the greatest salesperson in the world.Of course, you know what the first scroll said. Yes, you're right! It said "Today is a new day. Take off the coat of yesterday, for it is cold. Live in the coat of today, let its challenges and successes keep you warm, but don't get too attached, for it will soon enough become a memory. Don't worry about where the coat of tomorrow will come from, for with the rise of each new day, there it will be, waiting for you to don it."There was my teacher reappearing. 10 years ago, when I saw it for the first time, I wasn't ready to hear or understand the message, but I knew enough then to know that there was something there that I connected with. Today, the circle became complete. It was one of those things that once I knew it, I couldn't not know it; It became a part of who I was.There is a kind of instant freedom in the knowledge that we have it within ourselves to choose the depth, breadth and width of our lives by the choices that we make in the available time that we have been given. I discovered today, that the most important choice that I can make is to choose to live one day at a time.Each and every day that I live has with it it's own issues, and trying to guess what will happen, or worry about what did happen will not change the fact that something happened. What happened, happened in the present moment of the today in which it appeared. Worrying about it didn't make one bit of difference, except make me tired and frustrated. What about you? Are there things that you have been holding on to that need letting go? Are there things on your horizon that are looming, yet while standing in their shadow you can't make them out? Agree to let them go, and fill your today's with actions that will build strengths in you so that you will not fear tomorrow, for you will know that come what may, you have done your best work so far today, but tomorrow, you will do even better.To all the success that you can handle!
PaulFor 22 years, Paul Kearley has thrived in the personal development and coaching business. As a Master Coach for the past 10 years, Paul's passion is in developing and creating increased potential with both clients and other trainers. A columnist for two newspapers in Eastern Canada, and editor for his own weekly ezine, Paul writes articles that address the everyday challenges we all have and face in life and in business, and offers suggestions for success. |
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