It is a very interesting time right now. Never have I heard of so much hope and so much fear at the same time. Almost every day, I see the same stories reported from different angles. Take for example Obama's budget proposal. Some report that it is exactly what the USA needs to get its economy back on track and others are reporting that it will be the end of capitalism and the beginning of socialism. I am not exactly sure what it is, but I want to believe that it will get us back on track.
It's All Invented
About a week after September 11th, I flew to Boca Raton Florida for an industry conference. Flying at that time was a remarkable experience. For a while it seemed like I had the whole plane to myself. You may recall that Boca Raton was thought to be a point of origin for the Anthrax scare and so security was pretty intense for arrivals and departures at the airport. The world had changed and it was still reeling. There was a gloomy feeling every where and I didn't like it. I felt a sense of lost freedom and I wondered, and still wonder how long the effects of that tragedy will effect our every day lives.
One morning I was having breakfast in the hotel restaurant. I was alone and enjoying the morning paper. Suddenly a man appeared, introduced himself as Benjamin Zander, and asked if he could join me for breakfast. I said sure and he sat down with me and began to ask me questions. He said he noticed by my name placard that I was there attending an industry conference and he wanted to know how the conference was going. He asked me about my business. Then he asked me about my feelings on the tragedy. The questions went on for a while and got more personal as we talked. It seemed like he responded to every answer with, "how fascinating." His positive energy made me feel very comfortable answering his questions, but after a while I started wondering, "Who it this guy?"
I finally saw my a break in the questions and I said, "Benjamin, I have answered a lot of questions. Tell me about you." The first thing he said was, "I am the conductor of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra and I am here to speak at the convention you are attending. I will be presenting at this morning's general session." Of course I was interested so I asked him what he would be speaking on. He said he had just written a book called The Art of Possibility and that he would be speaking on leadership and the many possibilities we have to influence the world. Now it was my turn, I thought to myself, "how fascinating!"
We finished our breakfast. I attended his lecture and it made an incredible impact on me and the gloomy mood I was feeling due to the current state of the world drifted into the back of my thoughts. After his presentation, I met him at his booth where he was signing books. We talked for a moment. I bought 100 books and we agreed to keep in touch. We did for a while. He invited me to come to Boston to one of his concerts and I invited him to visit me when he was out on the West Coast but we were never able to make it work in our schedules. I haven't seen him since, but his message still resonates within me. If you have not read the book, I would suggest that you get a copy. I have presented over 300 copies now to friends and business associates.
The key message to me, is that we invent the meaning that we assign to our lives. If I want to believe Obama and his plans are bad, I am free to do that. If I want to believe he is good, I am free to do that too. Chances are, whatever I decide, I am going to be right. By that I mean I can actually choose if I want to mire in the muck or soar with the eagles.
Both Exist Simultaneously
I found a great quote yesterday that illustrates my point and prompted me to remember my experience with Benjamin Zander. After pondering it for most of the day it became the inspiration for this post. The quote is from The Book of Positive Quotations and is attributed to Sarah Ban Breathnach.
"Both abundance and lack exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend… when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that's present — love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature and personal pursuits that bring us pleasure — the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience Heaven on Earth."
I truly believe that we get to choose which path we want to go down. In every role I play, in every situation I encounter, there are positive and negative forces at work. The parts I pick to focus on become the life generating or life draining forces to which I become subject.
I am not suggesting that if we all just have happy thoughts the bad experiences and ugly situations in our lives will go away. I am simply saying that when I focus on the positive experiences in my life, the negative experiences become bearable. My positive energy lifts me in my times of trial and makes it possible for me to carry on without feeling the weight of the burdens that could so easily weigh me down.
You Won The Lottery
I invite you to try a simple experiment this week. Every morning when you wake, please say to yourself the following; "I won the lottery." Then take a few moments and consider all the abundance that you have in your life. It may be difficult at first, but I am sure as the week progresses you will begin to feel a new sense of hope and purpose. You will be surprised at how good you feel by the end of the week. It won't make your problems go away, but it will make you excited about life and will generate in you a new awareness of the solutions that are available to you. You will have a new energy and life will be good.
Are you willing to accept my simple invitation? if you are, I would like to ask for a report on how it goes. Please email or call me at the end of the week with your thoughts on what you experience. If at the end of the week you feel worse, then I will buy you a two-scooper at the local Thrifty Drug Store. That's how sure I am that this will make your spirit soar.
Life is good!
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