Just recorded this brief video message for you — Enjoy!
Opportunity — What do you see?
Read this poem recently in a collection my oldest daughter
received from a friend…a powerful picture of two men facing
identical circumstances, but with very different perspectives…
and that made all the difference.
Kind of makes us reflect on how we’re looking at what’s before
us…what we’re saying to ourselves…and what we’re choosing
to do…
Enjoy!
Opportunity
This I beheld, or dreamed it in a dream:—
There spread a cloud of dust along a plain;
And underneath the cloud, or in it, raged
A furious battle, and men yelled, and swords
Shocked upon swords and shields. A prince’s banner
Wavered, then staggered backward, hemmed by foes.
A craven hung along the battle’s edge,
And thought, “Had I a sword of keener steel—
That blue blade that the king’s son bears,— but this
Blunt thing—!” He snapped and flung it from his hand,
And lowering crept away and left the field.
Then came the king’s son, wounded sore bested,
And weaponless, and saw the broken sword
Hilt-buried in the dry and trodden sand,
And ran and snatched it, and with battle-shout
Lifted afresh he hewed his enemy down
And saved a great cause that heroic day.
–Edward Rowland Sill
5 Keys for Networking…and For Life
While driving home from a networking event the other night and reflecting on my experiences of the evening, I thought about the 5 key tips below. I quickly jotted them down in my notebook before going to sleep, then filled them in over the next couple days as a reminder to myself…and to those of you on the path of life with me — here you go:
1) Be Yourself — you fill a unique space in the universe. No one else can be you. Your story and your journey add another unique hue to the rainbow of stories being created, and will have a unique impact on others’ lives. Owning your own value and becoming comfortable with yourself is a great starting point for connecting with others, and in itself is a gift to those around you.
2) Develop Yourself — continually invest in and develop yourself. Always be learning, practicing, & developing new insights & skills as you master your craft & the arena you’ve chosen to play in. This practice will build your self-confidence, effectiveness, and the tangible value you can contribute to others.
3) Connect & Contribute Value — become a person of value — someone who’s interested in others and sincerely seeking to add value to their lives, even if simply by noticing & affirming them.
Asking this simple question, “What can I contribute to this person’s life (or business) today?” is powerful. The answer may simply be a listening ear, a warm acknowledgement – a sense, as I heard Dave Blanchard mention recently, that “you matter” — or it could be something tangible such as a referral, a book or resource, or a practical tip or idea.
4) Invite with Abandon — this one is key to network marketers, but also applies to anyone who’s looking to invite partners or followers to an event, experience, or cause. There is a certain freedom to opening a door of possibility for people and then letting them decide whether they want to walk through.
5) Be unattached & joyful — this one complements #4 — being “unattached” to how a person will respond enables you to be joyful & continue moving forward regardless of potential disappointments or unexpected negativity, and a joyful attitude is always uplifting and attractive. In addition, people appreciate having their own freedom and autonomy honored, and that can actually draw them closer to you rather than pushing them away.
Finally, here’s a “Bonus” tip:
**Be Appreciative**
This tip alone will serve you both in life and business and especially in relating to people. Being appreciative is something you can practice just like a golf swing. Begin with your attitude and the words you say to yourself, and then extend this practice to the words and attitude you share with others. Being appreciative will put you in a state that’s attractive and a joy to be around…and no matter what, you’ll feel better…which is what all of us are seeking daily, anyway — to feel good about ourselves and others.
So there you have it — five keys and a bonus one for networking and all of life.
Which one do you choose to focus on today?
Morning Inspiration
Here’s a quick video message from The Silver Spoon in Valparaiso after a morning run with my wife Rachelle at a local county farm. Enjoy!
A “New” Definition of Success
My wife shared this wonderful affirmation from a card on her
desk with me this morning, “Success Is About the Joy I Feel”.
Reminded me of some reflections the past few days as we’ve
just moved into a wonderful new home –- some of our friends
and business partners have been calling it our “dream home”,
and it is indeed the next phase of manifesting a new chapter —
and space, both literally and figuratively –- in our lives.
But what I’ve noticed after moving into our new home, and with
this affirmation in particular giving me the words to express it
–- is that we carry our joy with us…and within us…
If we depend on a new home or some other “outer” thing or
circumstance to bring us joy, we may be setting ourselves up
for disappointment –- because when the newness wears off, we
may find ourselves even worse off than before, because what
we’ve been working toward doesn’t bring the lasting joy we
thought it would…
Conversely, if we realize we carry our joy within us –- and we
practice finding appreciation, joy, and wonder wherever we are –-
then we can move into new spaces and new situations and
fully enjoy them…while not depending on them for our joy.
So here’s to finding joy in your journey, and to creating more and
more joy around you because you realize you carry your joy within you.
And here’s to wonderful new “spaces” and new experiences for you
in the days ahead!
Dr. Ben
