Thursday, June 09, 2005
How To Switch ON
Have you ever been kicked while you were down?
Or, to put it another way - is there a time when you were down that you were NOT kicked?
Chances are, your answers were 'Yes' and 'No' - In that order.
Why? Because that is the way the universe works.
When we are having a bad trot, Murphy kicks in, and everything goes wrong. Doesn't it?
The power of that principle is awesome to behold. And totally destructive.
And do you know what? Its reverse is just as powerful. And just as life-changing.
'Like attracts like' ... 'Birds of a feather flock together' ... 'You're judged by the company you keep' ...
They are all phrases you are familiar with. Because, again, they are principles. Enduring patterns. Facts you can use to improve your own situation.
The critical trigger, however, is the one most likely to be missing when you need it most.
How to recognize that you are in a 'downer' and summon the inner strength to reach out and flick the positive switch from 'off' to 'on' .
The Amazing Race television series serves up a continuing series of examples for those who want to learn this inspirational key.
The show pits 12 pairs against each other to overcome challenges and get to a destination first. The last pair into the 'pit stop' on each leg may be eliminated.
Occasionally, the 'losers' are allowed to remain in the race, but are stripped of all money and resources.
They are the folk to watch. They are down, and they are being kicked. What do they do?
Most go to beg for money from the citizens of whatever town they are in.
One older couple faced this situation in an African country where the people lived in absolute poverty.
Their consciences would not allow them to ask those poor people to bail them out of their million-dollar race. So they asked their competitors to fund them for the next leg.
Perhaps that is why it's called the 'amazing' race.
Those 'beaten' competitors drew a line. Though they desperately wanted to go on and win the million dollars, they would not kick the locals who were already down.
And amazingly, as a direct result, the other competitors agreed to finance the very people who could come back up and take the million away from them.
Can you imagine that happening in an Olympic final?
That is the power of the switch.
Now all you need to do is learn to control it. And use it.
How? By simply looking around at reality. The poor people around you. No matter what situation you are in, count your blessings.
The fact that you are reading this means that you have access to a computer. That presupposes that you can read. Which presupposes that your eyesight is intact. Which presupposes that you ate today. And drank. And already you are inside four walls ....
Man, you are lucky! Two-thirds of the world's population cannot claim those things.
Run the drill on whatever your current 'downer' is. Draw the line. Decide to change your world.
Because only you can change your world. And as soon as you do, you will be amazed to find how much the rest of the world changes with you.
Kicked while you are down? Yes.
Try a smile. Feel it.
Instant. 'Downer' changes to 'upper' .
Stand up straight and square your shoulders. Now look around.
And count how many of the next ten people you see return your smile.
Try it ... You just might be very pleasantly surprised.
Or, to put it another way - is there a time when you were down that you were NOT kicked?
Chances are, your answers were 'Yes' and 'No' - In that order.
Why? Because that is the way the universe works.
When we are having a bad trot, Murphy kicks in, and everything goes wrong. Doesn't it?
The power of that principle is awesome to behold. And totally destructive.
And do you know what? Its reverse is just as powerful. And just as life-changing.
'Like attracts like' ... 'Birds of a feather flock together' ... 'You're judged by the company you keep' ...
They are all phrases you are familiar with. Because, again, they are principles. Enduring patterns. Facts you can use to improve your own situation.
The critical trigger, however, is the one most likely to be missing when you need it most.
How to recognize that you are in a 'downer' and summon the inner strength to reach out and flick the positive switch from 'off' to 'on' .
The Amazing Race television series serves up a continuing series of examples for those who want to learn this inspirational key.
The show pits 12 pairs against each other to overcome challenges and get to a destination first. The last pair into the 'pit stop' on each leg may be eliminated.
Occasionally, the 'losers' are allowed to remain in the race, but are stripped of all money and resources.
They are the folk to watch. They are down, and they are being kicked. What do they do?
Most go to beg for money from the citizens of whatever town they are in.
One older couple faced this situation in an African country where the people lived in absolute poverty.
Their consciences would not allow them to ask those poor people to bail them out of their million-dollar race. So they asked their competitors to fund them for the next leg.
Perhaps that is why it's called the 'amazing' race.
Those 'beaten' competitors drew a line. Though they desperately wanted to go on and win the million dollars, they would not kick the locals who were already down.
And amazingly, as a direct result, the other competitors agreed to finance the very people who could come back up and take the million away from them.
Can you imagine that happening in an Olympic final?
That is the power of the switch.
Now all you need to do is learn to control it. And use it.
How? By simply looking around at reality. The poor people around you. No matter what situation you are in, count your blessings.
The fact that you are reading this means that you have access to a computer. That presupposes that you can read. Which presupposes that your eyesight is intact. Which presupposes that you ate today. And drank. And already you are inside four walls ....
Man, you are lucky! Two-thirds of the world's population cannot claim those things.
Run the drill on whatever your current 'downer' is. Draw the line. Decide to change your world.
Because only you can change your world. And as soon as you do, you will be amazed to find how much the rest of the world changes with you.
Kicked while you are down? Yes.
Try a smile. Feel it.
Instant. 'Downer' changes to 'upper' .
Stand up straight and square your shoulders. Now look around.
And count how many of the next ten people you see return your smile.
Try it ... You just might be very pleasantly surprised.
