Maximizing Your Potential!

“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.”
- – Helen Keller, 1880-1968 American Writer & Lecturer

In order to achieve anything worthwhile in life, one must first, believe that it is worthwhile and second, believe that it is achievable.

Then one can muster up the courage or design the plan necessary to it’s achievement. It seems that anything worthwhile is going to take some courage to achieve, otherwise, why do it? Remember, in order to have a game their must be freedoms, barriers and purpose.

One needs courage to overcome the barriers, even if they are only in one’s mind. Let’s say someone wants to lose weight, maybe 20 pounds. Let us also suppose that that person has tried in the past and failed. It would take a certain amount of courage to overcome the voices in their head saying that they are a loser and you already tried this once before and failed so what makes you think you can do it now and succeed.

I’ve been there, that takes courage. Or, I heard the story of another gentleman who wanted to own a Porsche one day and he would go each week and pick up an Auto Trader magazine. One day his boss told him that he would never get his car. He should stop wanting his time.

Good news, he did not listen to his boss and eventually he did drive up in front of the shop where he used to work driving the car of his dreams.

He never lost his dream, in spite of all the naysayers, and always had hope and confidence.

You too, can achieve your goals. Read books, get inspired. Hang around people that are making things happen and achieving their goals. They will help you.

See yourself accomplishing your goal every day. Experience the wind rushing through your hair, if it driving a convertible or see yourself thinner in a mirror and be happy about your accomplishment.

You CAN do it! Just decide!

“The very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is to live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under it’s roof.”
- – Barbara Kingsolver, b. 1955 American Novelist

So, one can not set a goal and then ignore it if one wishes to be truly happy. It must be nurtured. It must be reinforced.

I had a goal as a child to live in Montclair in the Oakland Hills. I loved all the trees, the wildness of it. Every time I passed through the area with my folks on Highway 13 I would avidly look out the window.

I would reinforce my desire. I would picture myself living in Montclair. I would go to the market. I would walk down the street.

When I was 17 years old, I met a gentleman, we fell in love. Guess where he lived? Montclair. And for 4 glorious years I lived my dream. It was incredible. I had the squirrels come down and eat out of my hand. I shopped in Montclair, I ran up and down the hills, I walked through the town.

It was a blast. Of course, life can sometimes take a different turn but I look back on that time with much fondness and appreciate the gift that Bob gave me for those 4 years.

Needless to say, for a while, I lived “Under that roof” as Ms. Kingsolver so eloquently puts it.

Live your dream. Believe!

“I have become my own version of an optimist. If I can’t make it through the door, I’ll go through another door – or I’ll make a door. Something terrific will come no matter how dark the present.”
- – Joan Rivers, b. 1935 American Comedian

I thought we should define optimistic in the dictionary so I went to the Oxford English Dictionary, which states:
adj. Hopeful and confident about the future.

The derivation (one of my favorite parts of the definition) is: from French ‘optimisme’, from Latin ‘optimum’ meaning ‘best thing.’

So, as you can see, Joan Rivers, Sir Winston Churchill and others where always looking for the best thing,whether it was in their specific situation or in the people around them.

This is certainly true of our best and brightest leaders. I had a great boss in a gentle man named Gary Whitehouse. He pulled me in to his office and said that he had evey confidence in me that I could turn our division around in the company that I was working for.

The Board of Directors wanted to shut us down as we were losing money but he held them off long enough for me to make good on his confidence and make something happen.

It did not happen over night but over the course of the next year, with planning, hard work and a little ‘luck’ we were able to make our little division profitable and fostered continued growth.

It was very gratifying and Gary made sure he rewarded me with a nice raise the following year. I am glad he saw the good in me and gave me the latitude to do what I needed to make things happen.

Thank you, Gary!

“All things are possible until they are proved impossible – even then the impossible may only be so as of now.”
- – Pearl S. Buck, 1982-1972 American Writer and Missionary

Like the last quote it proves the indomitability of the human spirit. Most people feel that nothing is impossible.

When I was a child it was believed that we as a race would not be able to achieve space flight or the ability to land on the moon.

Slowly but surely the will of some very dedicated people was brought to bear on the problem and eventually all obstacles were over come and we achieve space flight and Neil and Buzz landed on the moon.

I can tell you, it was a very big event in my lifetime, to have witnessed that.

Whether you want to scale a mountain or build you dream home, if you apply the principles we have been discussing, you WILL accomplish your goal.

“I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything else.”
- – Sir Winston Churchill, 1874-1965 British Prime Minister

Is it any wonder that some of the most successful people are always optimistic. They are always looking forward and striving to make something better of their own lives and the lives of those around them.

There are some key points that insure their success.

First and foremost, they plan. They look at the situation and formulate a strategy for how to achieve their objective.

Second, they don’t just think about what they want to accomplish, they do something about it.

Third, they have a real thirst for knowledge and are always trying to hone their skills in all areas of their lives.

Fourth, they are naturally curious about people and the situation which occur in life.

Fifth, they build their networks all the time. Whether it’s meeting a new mechanic or a new business contact, they realize they are in the ‘people’ business.

Sixth, they are passionate. The love life and they enjoy experiencing it, both the good and the bad.

Seventh, they persistent in the achievement of their goals, like Tomas Edison with his 10,000 filiments.

Eighth, they are patient. They do not rush the people around them or the process.