James Earl Jones is an extraordinary American actor, who is probably most widely known for his portrayal of Darth Vader in the popular Star Wars movies. Did you know he is also a stutterer? He said in an interview that he practically gave up talking until high school when an English teacher found out he secretly wrote poetry.
The teacher said, “No one will believe you wrote this, Jim. You should get up in front of the class and read it.”
The mere idea must have struck terror into the heart of James Earl Jones, but it was a big compliment coming from his teacher. He wanted very badly to prove that the poem was his, so he overcame his fear and got up in front of the class. He was able to read the entire poem without stuttering.
The teacher’s response was, “Now we have something to work with.”
It’s hard to believe that someone with the big, booming, confident voice of James Earl Jones was afraid to speak in public when he was a young man. What an amazing talent emerged when he was able to overcome his obstacle and continue to move toward his destiny.
What obstacles do you face today? List them in your journal. Then write about ways you can overcome them. No one on earth is without challenges. The trick is to conquer them and continue on toward your goal. Success will be so much sweeter after you’ve overcome difficulty to get to the rewards.
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Theatre is not real. Sometimes it imitates real life, but it is a fantasy world. However, there is a very important real-life lesson that can be learned from life on the stage. Every exit is an entrance somewhere else.
What would happen if you treated your real life that way? Often an exit seems like the end of something in the real world. If you are fired from a job, you may think you will never find such a great position in another firm. You feel like you are at a dead end, or at least a brick wall. Change that thinking. The end of your job is actually the first day of a new adventure, and you have no idea where that new entrance will take you. You suddenly have opportunities that you never had before. You can try your hand at a completely different profession if you want. Maybe you left an accounting firm, but you’ve always secretly wanted to be a chef. Now’s your chance! What a terrific twist of fate!
You are the one who chooses whether an event is labeled as an obstacle or an opportunity. You are writing this script. A change in plans is only devastating if you make it so. Pick one of the obstacles you listed yesterday and work on some concrete ways you can turn the obstacle into an opportunity. How can you make that exit and entrance to a whole new world? Don’t come up with a superficial answer to this assignment. Really get into some tangible ways that you can change your circumstances. You are in control of this play, and you can choose where this entrance will lead you.
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Chad was only five years old when he was captured in a fire in his apartment building. His mother rushed to retrieve his baby brother from a crib in the bedroom, and when she returned, Chad was gone. He had been too scared to stay put and retreated to the roof to escape the smoke and flames.
A firefighter found him coughing on a ledge twenty-five stories above the ground, and he coached Chad along the narrow ridge and into the safety of a cherry picker where the he was waiting with open arms.
After a tearful reunion with his mother, Chad was interviewed by one of the local TV news crews. They asked him how he was able to have the courage to balance along that thin ledge to safety.
Chad replied simply, “I walked to the fireman.”
Sometimes it’s best not to even look at obstacles. They can be a frightening sight. If you keep your eyes fixed on your goal and continue moving forward, you may never know about some of the close calls you had along the way.
What are some ways that you can concentrate on your goals for success and avoid wasting time and energy worrying about the obstacles along your path? That doesn’t mean that you remain ignorant of the problems you face. The suggestion here is that you give more time and attention to your goals. Obstacles can be frightening, and the more you pay attention to them, the stronger they become. Don’t give them an audience.
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