Most of us are quick to judge, and quick judgments are often wrong. I love this story from long ago about a farmer who practiced Sufism (wisdom) — he was a Sufi master.
In the ancient land where this farmer lived, a family’s wealth was measured by how many horses it had, because more horses meant more fields could be plowed to grow food. This old Sufi master had one horse, and one day the horse got out of the corral and ran away. His neighbor observed this and said, “Oh, that’s bad.” The farmer smiled and said, “Maybe yes, maybe no.” Three days later, the farmer’s horse returned leading 15 wild horses into the corral, and the farmer closed the gate. The farmer’s neighbor came over and with amazement said, “Wow, now you have 16 horses. That’s great.” To this, the farmer replied, “Maybe yes, maybe no.”
Jan, a highly successful entrepreneur, endured tremendous hardships throughout life, including both of her parents dying before she was 6 years old. Later, in corporate America, she hit her head on the glass ceiling early — being a woman without a college degree. So Jan started her own business, building it to 40 employees. Things were going well until her company exposed a Fortune 500 company’s unethical business practice and wanting to cover it up. In their cover up this company attacked and destroyed Jan’s company.
Never the victim, Jan started over with a new idea and rebuilt her company to 70 employees, this time offering different services. But years later she again faced adversity — she caught her CFO embezzling and the police caught him flashing. Then her chief technology officer turned out to be a feared rapist. Regarding all her adversity, Jan said with a laugh: “TC, you can’t make this s*it up.”
When I asked Jan how she stayed positive and kept going forward, she told me this story: “When my parents died, I was adopted by my mother’s best friend and her husband, who were farmers. I remember standing with my adopted dad watching a hail storm completely destroy our corn crop, which was about 4 inches high. When the storm was over, my dad just walked along the rows of destroyed corn and said, ‘I guess we’ll have to replant.’ I just live my life the way I learned on the farm.”
Neither Jan nor her father ever felt victimized; they took responsibility for creating positive outcomes. They didn’t waste their energy blaming; they took positive action … and replanted when necessary.
“The evasion of responsibility is the major cause of most people’s frustrations and defeats.”
–Ayn Rand, author, philosopher
Please leave you thoughts and comments. I look forward to them.
Elite performers including entrepreneurs, sales professionals and athletes all have an element of boldness, they’re gutsy, courageous in their thoughts and actions. For example, the destitute orphan, who didn’t even have a pair of shoes who promised himself and his brother, “I will become a world champion, move out of this country and never live in poverty again.” A bold statement for an impoverished, uneducated child. But he developed his raw talent and became a world champion in an endurance sport. He also attended college and has become a very successful businessman.
You too have genius in you … we all do, you must find it.
What bold thought or action might be genius in your life?
Sometimes an entire team will hold the same beliefs and fears that can empower or hold the team back. Which are you choosing? This video shares an example of a sales team that dramatically increased sales by eliminating negativity and how the positive team belief system of John Elway helped the Denver Broncos win two super bowls.
Accept your life just as it is, no excuses, no finger pointing, no complaining. With acceptance as your starting point, you can improve your life.
This acceptance of what is frees your energy to improve your life. You brain is like a computer with different operating systems competing to take control the computing system. You have a confident neuronetwork (operating system) and a fearful neuronetwork (operating system). To be more confident, especially under pressure, strengthen your confident neuronetwork and weaken your fearful one.
There are specific brain training techniques that will help you strengthen your confidence and weaken your fears. One world-class athlete who had a very strong fearful neuronetwork, got so anxious at a world championship he almost committed suicide.
The next year, after working on strengthening his confident and weakening his fearful neuronetwork, he competed very successfully at the world championships.
The beginning of improving your life, is beginning with full-responsibility and acceptance of it now.
Victims blame, high performers accept responsibility and Jan, a highly successful entrepreneur in high tech who had endured tremendous hardships throughout life, including both of her parents dying before she was 6 years old. Later, in corporate America, she hit her head on the glass ceiling early — being a woman without …
