P.S. If you don't like what you see when the Google results come up... CHANGE IT! If you love what you see, then find ways to improve or polish what is already there. We can always get better!
Espresso Shot #5
Love is always the answer! Share more of it! Give it away like a virus! Infect others with love and watch how the world would transform! Everyone else wants to bring you down and wants to pass around their negative feelings and emotions. Give them love too! They may look at you crazy but it will not be forgotten! Spread Love, Not Slugs!
Chapter 9: Be Your Extraordinary Self
So I thought to myself, as I do on many occasions, why isn't everyone shooting to be extraordinary? The definition is fairly simple isn't it? ‘To be remarkable or unusual’ is the definition that Google gives us when describing the word extraordinary. This means everyone has the power, if they so choose, to be extraordinary. Now, no one said you had to be the next Bill Gates or Steve Jobs because that is just one level of being extraordinary. In order to be extraordinary you have to be remarkable or unusual. That's it! That can be done anywhere, at any time, and at any given moment! No cool software inventions needed!
So, this means you can be extraordinary in the way you treat your friends, the way you perform your tasks at work, even the way you study for an exam. There are so many ways that we all can be extraordinary, but we first must choose this path of greatness to walk along. I get that everyone doesn't want to be extraordinary, or that some may not care, but as we can see with all of the startup businesses, the YouTube explosions that form by the week (which probably took years to come about) and with how technology advances - the world wants more people to be extraordinary!
We enjoy people who are awesome, do we not? Well, some of us at least. We enjoy people who are happy even though they go through so many struggles. We enjoy people who give back to the youth and help out charitable causes. We enjoy being unusually happy and we love to be loved. All of which, can be done in a very extraordinary fashion.
No matter what you choose to do in your life, try to add a little spice to it. The iPod was no new creation, but it was reinvented and made "better" than it was before. Why can't we do that? Why can't we take the normal ideas of life and then flip them for our advantage? Are we not extraordinary people? Think about how many things you think of in your mind and yet you let them fall by the wayside because you feel like it isn't good enough. You think Duke Ellington became one of the greatest composers to walk this planet overnight? It took him years to become a great, and he still had many musicians who were better than him when he first began performing. The difference between Duke and the rest was that he did everything with an extraordinary flare. After a while, his competitors were only memories that could be seen drifting behind the A-Train.
Hopefully, I am making sense. I feel that we all have the power to be extraordinary doing something. Even ‘doing nothing’ may be extraordinary if you can find a way to do nothing better than anyone else can! But whatever it is you strive for in life, be extraordinary with it next time, and the time after that! You will be appreciated in the long run
BE EXTRAORDINARY... Forget about the doubters, forget about the people who can't see past the END goal, and forget about any obstacles blocking your vision of greatness. There is greatness waiting on you, but patience is one of those virtues we just hate to understand. As I read Tony Dungy's book entitled the "Uncommon Life," I think about how extraordinary it is that this man would create a book devoted to help others improve all year long. The book is to be read once a day for an entire year. He knows people struggle with reading books, and attention spans may be short, so what does he do? He creates a book that only requires you to read one page a day. Yes, it has been done before, but he found his own way of doing it - which means you can too. He wasn't the great man he is today overnight! So with that said, keep pushing, keep praying, and soon enough you will find your extraordinary self! And sometimes, there really isn't much to find because you have been extraordinary the entire time.
If you want to see someone extraordinary look up or Google ‘Nick Vujicic’. If you want to get an example of being extraordinary that young man will show you a great example! We should all be like Nick Vujicic in our everyday lives.
Chapter 10: Fear Is Killing You
Remember the person you use to be? You were SUCH a dreamer. You were so passionate about that career or field of choice, and then something happened. Yes, something happened. A few roadblocks, a few detours, a few pit stops, and then you... DIED. You stopped being the inspiration that you once were. That child-like look that was once in your eyes every time you spoke of the future was gone.
Where did you go? Where did YOU, go? Where did that dreamer go? There was once this passion that burned for each and everything you got your hands on. No one could stop you. Not your mother, not your teachers, not your friends; you used to be so determined. But I guess the key phrase is "Used to be!"
You got so caught up and so focused on all the negativity that you let it eat you up inside. You had so many dreams and then you failed a few exams and said, "You know what? Maybe this isn't for me." Even though your experience was lacking and it had nothing to do with you as a person. You just needed a little more effort and time with everything!
But you are not alone. There is another group of fearful individuals with great jobs, but they aren't living inside either. They are scared. Scared to leap. Scared to fall flat on their face. Scared to lose that security that they have. They have other passions, and other desires, but they stopped reaching for them. Now they are stuck in their own mental slavery. Stuck in the 9 to 5 lifestyle of waking up, driving to work, sitting down, turning on their computers, and then zoning out for the next 8 hours. At work they dream all day, and quote "what if's" or they complain about how much they hate where they are. It is interesting to see people who hate something, but continue to deal with it each and every day. Sometimes you have to do things that you don't want to do. I totally understand. But when it starts eating at your soul, and it starts to bring you down mentally and physically, something is wrong.
It makes me think of that chant we would do as kids, "SCAREDY CAT, SCAREDY CAT, NANA BOO BOO." Well, maybe not me, but in all of the white sitcoms I watched growing up, that was the popular phrase. And then what would happen? That kid would then challenge the world and make sure he or she would never be dubbed as a "scaredy cat" again. But I guess that was the difference between us as kids and us as adults.
When we were kids the world was so big and we wanted to conquer it all. If we wanted to fly we jumped off of our bunk beds or couches. If we wanted to be explorers or captains of ships, we would put on the first hat we could find and pretend to be steering our battleship. We fought crime, and we had some of the coolest noises to go along with our fighting skills. But then that kid died to. You let society put you in a box and nail it shut! They told you what you had to do in order to make it. They told you what they thought was "best for you!" And of course, some things made sense. But other things stopped you from being who you were destined to be.
After reading ‘Linchpin’ by Seth Godin, my eyes were opened. I learned about what it truly means to be of value to this great planet. I saw some of my deepest fears dissolving. Trust, I can be just as scared as everyone else. But, I refuse to let "FEAR" keep me in a box any longer. We all quote that epic Philippians quote. You know the one! ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.’ Yeah, you quote it and you may even have it tattooed across your back, collarbone, or somewhere else on your body, but there is no way you could quote that and then think about the things you want to do in life and then say "I can't do it," "I am scared," "I'm so nervous no one will give me a chance." And while I understand that being nervous is normal, when it starts to stop you in your path then things change.
You have basically stated, ‘Yeah, I know I can do all things through He that strengthens me, but that one thing, I just can't do!’ - tha
t one thing that stands in your path of greatness - ‘I just can't do’. Sorry! I guess that is what happens when you are living for yourself.
You ever thought about what you would do for your close friend, or family if anyone ever tried to hurt them or if you saw them going through something and they were scared? You lose all of the fear that you have in order to protect and provide for them. You become their comfort and their beacon of light. All of the nervous settles and then you are able to push them into being great individuals. When you are doing things because of a bigger picture, life changes. When you stop thinking about how scared you are and think about how many more people will be helped or healed because of what you do, then it all changes.
But you know what? I will stop here. Because at this point I am either only preaching to the choir or I am preaching to the fearful. I don't want to run you away and make you think of yourself as nothing. I want this to be a lesson in empowerment. Fear is a dangerous thing when used incorrectly. Let that fear be that motivation to fly! Let that fear be the motivation to keep pushing! Channel it into something else and then keep pushing forward. A lot of people are rooting for you. A lot of people are in your corner. The more they see you come alive the more they are able to develop who they should be or what dreams they should be going after.
If you have been letting fear kill you and tear you up on the inside it's okay. You are not alone, and now that you know you are not alone, you shouldn't let it bring you down any longer. I do hope that this reaches your heart because it came from the bottom of mine. Don't let fear kill the greatness that you have inside of you.
Espresso Shot #6
Write down all of your fears on a sheet of paper. After you write all of your fears down read them aloud once. After reading them aloud crumble up the paper and throw them away! Throw all of your fears away and never let them be roadblocks stopping you from living out your dreams! Do this daily, weekly, and see how your life is transformed!
Chapter 11: Failure Is Not An Option
They say that ‘impossible’ is a word that the human mind creates. Certain things such as fear, or just the lack of resources, can hold many men and women back from reaching their true potential. Others have it all, and yet, they still cannot get it together. So how do we curb this common problem of failure? Endurance! We must endure this thing called failure and keep pushing through it for as long as we can. Sometimes we will meet our match and learn that something isn't for us, and in other occasions we will reach success if we just don't stop plowing through the field. The funny thing about success is that it doesn't come when you would always like it to come.
Successful people are usually visionaries. They can see the forest through the trees, and they can see the end goal before any of it happens. I remember when I heard Talib Kweli talk about Kanye and how he got started in the rap game. He talked about how he thought Kanye was crazy because he was talking about his second album before he even put out the first one. He found it so interesting that Kanye could just see something that no one else could see at the time. The mind is an interesting thing. How we use it can truly make or break us as we tackle our careers, whether it is for school or the work force.
But as I continue reading the ‘Uncommon Life’ by Tony Dungy, it makes a valuable point in regards to the concept of failure. We rarely embrace failure, nor do we teach kids how to deal with failure. We assume that we are supposed to be perfect. We think that we have to get the best grade on everything that we do. The moments that we don’t, then we try to execute ourselves verbally and physically. Failure comes. That is life. But, what are you going to do when failure throws a dagger through your shoulder and pins you to the wall? Give up? Because that is what you spent 4 to 12 years in school to do, QUIT!?
Just because life is tough and often filled with roadblocks doesn’t mean those roadblocks have to stop you. Think about when you are driving and you see a roadblock sign. It is usually met with a detour sign showing you another way to go, or you turn around, and you go back to where you began. That is life. If you are not going to make a detour, then you need to go back to the beginning. Learn from those mistakes. Then, improve yourself for the next time.
Also, how much time have you put into this craft before quitting? How many hours did you really put in before you said you were finished? A couple hours? A few days? A few years? And how was your attitude while doing it all? Did you already predict failure before it could happen? Did you go into thinking whatever happens, happens? Instead of claiming your victory? Your words are powerful. We have discussed this before, and I can't begin to tell you how truthful it is.
But, once again, what do I know? As I write this book, I will tell you honestly that I am not that good of a writer. And some days I trash things grammatically. I have grammar editing applications, and I have friends proofread my writing each and every time (and even with all of that, I will still end up sending out an email blast spelling things wrongly). But does that stop me? NO! There was always a bigger picture to keep my eyes on and I knew people were still being impacted either way. If I don't write what I am writing, one soul will be lost. One person will quit. One person will lose it all. And yeah, maybe I shouldn't put that all on me but I do it anyways. So it keeps me motivated to keep writing regardless of how many errors and typos I put out. Eventually, I will get it right. If I don't, then I will keep trying! But I won't let the trees shadow the forest. There is an end goal in mind and I won't be defeated.
So I say this... Failure is not an option you want, but it can definitely happen! Create a new path, take a detour, start over, and get on it again! Take a break. For a day, month, or maybe even a few years. But if it is still on your heart then I suggest you try again. After you do that then you can bow out gracefully. But you didn't fail. You accepted the challenge, and the outcome wasn't the most favorable. But you probably did something that many were afraid to do. So tell your story. Teach others where you went wrong. Help others get through the forest with the map of failures that you have created to light your path.
Espresso Shot #7
Hey you, it is okay to fail! It is okay to lose! It is okay to not get that job! There is something greater being set up for you. There is another opportunity being created and something a little more powerful than before coming your way.
Powerful Failures
They told Marilyn Monroe, at one point in her life that she wasn’t pretty enough to be on the big screen. Her first contract with Columbia Pictures expired and that was their reasoning for ending it.
A newspaper editor fired Walt Disney because of his “lack of imagination and good ideas.” Walt had many other businesses that would fail after that, before Disney was formed.
Einstein didn’t start talking until he was three and wasn’t able to read until the age of four. They called him “slow” and labeled him as stupid as well.
They told Oprah, once upon a time, that she wasn’t fit to be on the screen and then she was fired from her television reporting job.
Dr. Seuss’s first book was rejected 27 times!!!! 27 times!!! Do you think you can fail something 27 times and still push forward? Now he is one of the most iconic authors to live this earth.
J.K. Rowling was unemployed, divorced, and raising a daughter all while writing the first Harry Potter novel.
Steven Spielberg got rejected from film school.
The BEATLES were dropped by their record label. They were told that their songs were not that good and that they had no business being in show business.
Steve Jobs was once fired from Apple. Yep, many people don’t know that once upon a time, even the great Steve Jobs was hit with the boot.
Lastly, have you heard about Cole Hernandez? Cole Hernandez is an ordinary kid just like you and me. He loves to dance and he makes YouTube videos of himself doing what he loves, which is obviously to dance. So what is so interesting about him you ask? Well, for two years he decided that he would send his videos to Rob Dyrdek, popular host of MTV’s ??
?Ridiculousness.” What did this get him you ask? After two years, he got the biggest thing that any fan could ask for, which is to be brought in to be on the live show with Rob for a day. Think about this story in its essence. A young boy sends videos of himself dancing for two years, non-stop and then he finally gets pulled on to a popular television show for a day! How many things have you quit after a week? A month? A year? Do you have what it takes to be a great at failing and never look back?
There are so many more stories that I can refer to I am sure, but the point is that even the greats fail! Did that stop them? Did that get them down? Nope! They just built their own door and then opened it up on their own!
Do you know how many people told me not to do what I am doing? Help people live out their dreams? Huh? You want to inspire others? That’s silly! Nobody cares! I remember being told in ELEMENTARY SCHOOL by a teacher that I will never have any friends when I grow up! I have had other teachers call me stupid and that I wouldn’t amount to anything.
When I worked at Wendy’s, back in high school, I had customers say all kinds of negative things to me just because I was a server. Some told me that I would be a burger flipper forever. Others called me out of my name and pretty much let me have it all in the drive-thru!
But I never stopped smiling! I used it as fuel! I used it to keep going and to keep pushing! That is what you do with the negativity! Eat it up and spit it out! NOM! NOM! NOM! There will be a lot of people trying to block your sunshine!!! We won’t allow that to happen anymore! Believe that!