I like it when successful people talk about their failures. Take, for example, when another writer shares how many times their manuscript was rejected before they landed a contract. (The Help by Kathryn Stockett was rejected 60 times.) Or when a pro athlete shares his struggles. (6’7″ NBA pro Paul Pierce was cut from the varsity team in high school …
In Others’ Words: Focusing on Your Goal
When you look ahead, what do you see? Do you see your goal? Where you’re headed, what you want to accomplish, the finish line … You may not be able to say, “The end is near” but can you close your eyes and see whatever it is you’re working for in your mind? Or, when you look ahead, do you …
In Others’ Words: Make a Wish
Wishes can come true … … but only if you stop wishing and do something about them. How’s that for a practical thought to start your day? And yes, there’s a certain energy to wishes and dreams … a creative buzz, if you will. Dreaming isn’t a waste of time unless that’s all we ever do. Dreams are meant to …
In Others’ Words: Someone to Inspire You
To be honest, I tripped over the first few words of this quote by Emerson before I embraced the rest of the truth. While I agree with him that we all want to be inspired to be who we can be, I’m not so certain that’s our “chief want.” I want a lot of things. I need a lot of …
In Others’ Words: Taking a Closer Look at Failure
I wish I’d had a better understanding of failure when I was younger. I wished I’d known things like: Failure happens — to everybody. Everybody. Not. Just. Me. Failure may feel awful … like the end of the world … but most of the times, you wake up the next day and get a second chance at things. Failure …
In Others’ Words: Win or Lose … Like It!
I’ve seen poor losers … and I’ve seen poor winners, too. I’m not impressed when people sulk when they lose a game. I feel bad for a team when their coach is a poor loser and yells at them … or worse, walks away from them. I also don’t respect poor winners. You know what I mean: those people …
In Others’ Words: Decide What It’s About
Perspective changes everything. As my husband and I wandered through a local park early one morning before my daughter’s day-long volleyball tournament, I paused in front of this wire bench. The surrounding trellises were mostly bare. What few leaves remained were brittle and brown. The landscape was awash in grays and browns. And it had its own certain beauty. …
In Others’ Words: How Far are You Going?
Fear has motivated me to do things. Fear of losing someone I care about or of losing their approval — has caused me to do and say certain things. Sometimes I’ve even chosen to violate my personal values in the hopes of satisfying someone else’s expectations. That’s an ugly truth, but I strive to be honest with you all on this blog. …
In Others’ Words: Only You
There are some things only I can do. Being me, for example. Nobody else can be me. Brilliant deduction, I know. I spent some time — too much time, to be honest — doubting myself. (Yes, yes, I’ve admitted this before, so I won’t belabor it again.) Lesson learned: Spend too much time doubting yourself and you spend too little …
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