DO YOU FEEL…..
- Stuck, blocked, out of control?
- Stressed out, overwhelmed?
- Your life lacks zest, meaning, or purpose?
- Confused about what to do next?
- You haven’t accomplished as much as you wanted?
DO YOU WANT…..
- Greater joy, peace, and happiness?
- Greater abundance, success, and prosperity?
- Greater confidence and courage?
- To take your talents and skills to higher levels?
- A deeper, more powerful faith?
LIFE is meant to be a GRAND ADVENTURE …… a journey of great and joyful
discovery. It’s never too late to hit the trail and fulfill your dreams.
As your tour guide on life’s journey, I can help you achieve greater
WHAT IS THE SECRET OF YOUR GREATNESS?
By Harry A. Olson, Ph.D.
If someone were to ask you that question for real, how would you respond? Would you be shocked? Would you say, “Who, me?” Would you feel uncomfortable, not having a ready answer?
Truth be told, the vast majority of us would say “yes” to these responses, if for no other reason than no one has probably ever asked you that question before.
I’m asking it now – to you – for real!
Most of us don’t see ourselves a possessing “greatness” . . . nor “genius”, nor “creativity”, nor “brilliance”. Why?
Society has bamboozled us on this one. We have been conditioned to believe that only a very small percentage of the population possesses these qualities to any great degree.
Furthermore, society has also taught us to pay much more attention to our, and other’s, mistakes than to our successes. The result? We all carry around a much heavier bag of inferiority feelings than necessary. We have been conditioned to fear releasing our full potential. So we sell ourselves short on the things that matter most.
Greatness – Your Birthright
The human being was created for greatness. Look at the vast possibilities built into the human musculature and mind. The limits of our greatness don’t lie with our capabilities, but with our definition.
We all have the potential for greatness – in skills, in mind, in deeds. All too often, however, we don’t realize our true greatness because we don’t “see” ourselves as “great people” in any more than a vague pat-on-the-back sense. Our self-image says its not “natural” for us to be great.
We all have different, unique sets of skills, assets, talents, capabilities. It doesn’t matter if the playing field is unequal, because the expression of our greatness isn’t a competition.
We don’t need to be celebrities, or nationally or locally acclaimed heroes to be great. We just need to believe in ourselves, to do our part, to do our best with the strengths and talents at our command, to play well the hand we have been dealt. First, however, we need to know what those strengths and talents are.
An Exercise
Think about all your strengths, assets, talents, capabilities and write them down. Brainstorm. Don’t censor this list. Add to this list frequently. Note which of – and how – these strengths show up in your daily behavior, either in direct expression or behind the scenes (such as, you’re using your creativity when you come up with a good idea on the job.) Also list specific adversities or limits you have coped with or overcome.
Sometimes greatness comes from our strengths, and sometimes it comes as we rise to the occasion to meet positive or negative challenges. Sometimes it is born out of tragedy. Difficulties often teach us more important lessons than does success.
Pay particular attention to your adaptive strategies and overall character strengths which you used to cope with difficulties. Daily continue to collect all the “positive evidence” that you can. How you describe yourself impacts your self-image.
Once you have completed the list, take a few moments to relax, close your eyes and visualize yourself as a person of greatness. See yourself acting out your greatness qualities in some way, at work or in your family, or social life. See others benefiting from what you do. You may also choose to zero in on one strength or talent and set a goal to develop it further. Have fun!
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This article has been reprinted from Harry’s 4th book, The 8 Keys To Becoming Wildly Successful & Happy.
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Contact Information
Harry A. Olson, Ph.D. – maker of champions – Maximum Potential, Inc.
E-mail to: ho@harryolson.com 410-581-0817 Fax: 410-581-3293
Web Site: http://www.harryolson.com
GET THE WINNING EDGE! Executive coaching, public speaking, corporate training and consulting for personal/career peak performance and improving corporate retention, productivity and profit.
Author of 5 books including The 8 Keys To Becoming Wildly Successful and Happy, The New Way to Compete, and Power Strategies of Jesus Christ, numerous audiocassettes and articles. Syndicated columnist for Comcast On-line.
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