across as untrustworthy, and we tend to question their behavior. You may know of someone who is a big talker. They sing their own praises whenever they get the chance, but they don’t actually do all the things they say they do. In fact, they are often missing in action when it’s time to do some real work.
Now for the tough question: are you one of those people? What do you talk about the most? Does it have anything to do with your reality? Do you talk about all of the wonderful trips you plan to take around the world, but the truth is you’ve really only taken one vacation, and it was two hours from home? Do you boast about what you would do if you ran the company, but you never take any concrete steps to become part of a management team? Do your actions match your words?
Your assignment today is to shut up. Refrain from talking about yourself. If you do good work, people will notice. You do not need to tell anyone how wonderful you are. If you do great deeds, those actions will speak for you. Trust that you will get the attention you deserve if you make the right choices and put your words into action.
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Samantha had a gift for imagining worst case scenarios. She spent a lot of mental energy thinking about what might happen to sabotage the good things in her life. When she got a promotion, Samantha worried for days about what would happen if she couldn’t handle the added responsibilities of her job. Her mind wandered through horrible scenes where she failed on projects and ended up being fired by the boss who originally promoted her.
She took those images with her to work every day and wore them like a heavy coat. Pretty soon, Samantha began to believe in her terrible imaginary things, and her misgivings showed up in her actions. Every day she was more paralyzed by fear and less effective in her job. She was living out her negative fantasies.
Do you have an active imagination? Imagination is a very powerful tool that may have a positive or negative effect on your everyday life. Your assignment today is to test that power. Use your imagination to visualize great things happening in your life. Imagine a successful presentation at work or a productive meeting. Imagine a fun day with relatives, free of bickering and pettiness. Imagine people turning to greet you when you enter a room, because you glow with excitement and positive energy. Drop any negative thoughts that enter your mind today, and concentrate on happy, useful, and positive visualizations. At the end of the day, write about your experience.
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Bear Bryant was a long-time coach at the University of Alabama who was known for his trademark houndstooth hat. He was also a man of few words, but his carefully chosen gems are terrific phrases to ponder.
Consider what Bear Bryant is saying in the passage above. You really don’t know what you are capable of achieving until you hook yourself to a heavy load. It is natural to want things to go your way and grumble about the obstacles in your life. On the other hand, if those difficulties weren’t there, you would never have a chance to discover your true power.
You are not likely to unleash all of your potential unless you are forced into situations that require every bit of energy you hold. This year your goal is to achieve success, so every time you find yourself carrying a heavy load— celebrate! You are being handed exactly what you need to achieve more than you ever dreamed possible.
If you do not experience defeat, sorrow, pain, or setbacks along your life journey, then you will also never experience the uniquely satisfying achievement of pulling through those difficult times. On Day 52, we talked about life as a game you play to win. Do you want to miss that experience? If there is no challenge, there is no game.
Your task today is to look at your burdens with new eyes. Consider them as opportunities for success and chances to unleash your true power. You have no idea of your capabilities until you are hooked up to that heavy load.
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