Inspiration is Nowhere

Dear High Achiever:nnOH, MY APOLOGIES. Since this weekly FYI is intended to mean For Your Inspiration as well as Information, did you think that I had a pretty outrageous typo in the headline of today’s message?nnOr did you recognize this version of a challenge we’ve put forth in this Ezine from time to time?nnActually, I intentionally “forgot” to add a space to capture your full attention.nnIt should read Inspiration Is Now Here!nnBIG DIFFERENCE.nnIt is my belief that inspiration is not only Now Here, Inspiration is Everywhere! — if you have the right mindset and know how to spot it.nnMy desired outcome for you after reading this FYI is that you’ll begin to look for Inspiration in Everything. You see, some people look at life as “partly cloudy” versus “partly sunny” and are challenged at finding inspiration in anything or many things.nnnIt’s taken a lot of years and re-programming of my thinking for me to put a positive spin on almost everything I see and hear. This strategy has transformed my life and I’m positive (see) it can have the same positive outcome for you. But like anything –nnIt takes work. It takes asking yourself the right questions when you are evaluating the meaning of events, engagements and exchanges of dialogue in your life. It takes reframing your thoughts and changing your internal conversations. You must rethink the words you say to yourself when something doesn’t quite go your way. And –nnIt’s not always easy to do. You may have seen the bumper sticker “Mean People Suck.” Anyone who has that sticker on their car has two challenges. They’re probably in need of a new car and they are definitely in need of an attitude adjustment or perception adjustment. Make that three challenges: They probably weren’t born and raised in Jersey.nnBut when you decide that Inspiration Is Now Here and Everywhere, you’ll also discover –nnEven mean people inspire you. That’s true for me not only because I live in Jersey, but because when I’m confronted with someone who is “mean” or acts “out of character” I now ask myself better questions.nnMy mentor Jim Rohn has a great strategy when someone acts out of character, says or does something that is seemingly unexpected. Here is what Jim has taught me to say…nn“Isn’t That Interesting?”nnJust three little words. But saying those three words — “Isn’t That Interesting?” — has changed Everything for me. It inspires me. I don’t get angry with people or let someone’s behavior or words ruin my day. I just say to myself, “Isn’t that Interesting?” It changes my perception and allows me to stay positive.nnIt also opens the door for me to ask a second empowering question, which is…nn“What’s Good About This?”nnBy asking myself these two simple questions I begin to think creatively. Creative thinking inspires me. So I turn a possible negative situation into a positive, action-oriented event.nnNow, this next sentence may sound simplistic but it’s actually quite profound, if I may say so myself. So get ready to let it sink in.nn“It’s easy to get inspired over inspirational events”nnCase in point #1: When I produced the Empower New Jersey event at the Lakewood BlueClaws stadium in October of 2004, Christopher Reeve was the keynote speaker. If you had any trace of humanity in you, it was pretty easy to be inspired. The only reason why you wouldn’t have been inspired is because you weren’t there.nnYou could make an easy-inspiration list, too. Of course I was inspired in the delivery room with the birth of my five children (not all at the same time - thank God). I was inspired when the NY Giants won the Super Bowl in 2008 and when Dallas Cowboys didn’t make the playoffs last year. (That felt good to type). I’m inspired when I see or hear about other people reaching their goals and achieving success or overcoming personal or physical challenges. It’s all good and there are certainly easy places to find inspiration.nnUse the easy inspiration? Absolutely! I think of such occasions as “mini-moments of inspiration” or “Instant Inspiration.” Recalling them comes easily. (When you’ve got five kids you treasure it can happen multiple times every single day.) Inspiration has a lasting effect. It stays with you. And it’s visceral. I still think about Christopher Reeve almost every day.nnBut don’t stop at “easy” inspiration.nnFYI ACTION IDEA: What I’m challenging you to do is find inspiration in the not-so-seemingly-inspirational events.nnCase in point #2: I also think of a not-so-seemingly-inspirational-event that happened over twenty years ago when I walked into my parents’ house with my brand new Disc Jockey Sound System. The mobile DJ business was beginning to emerge in the mid 1980’s and I was equipped and ready to emcee weddings, bar-mitzvah’s and any event that I could book.nI vividly remember setting up and testing my equipment in my parents’ dining room when my Dad walked in and said “This is a good part-time business, but you can never make a living doing this.”nnAt that time I was already committed to personal development and self-growth. So instead of hearing criticism (and he wasn’t being critical, just parent cautious and practical) his words inspired me. They actually fueled and ignited my desire to be super successful with this new “DJ Business”.nnInspiration fuels success. Five short years after my Dad said those words to me, my company had 17 DJ systems operating every weekend, performing at over 1,250 events a year and generating millions of dollars in revenue. I went on to build one of the largest private party DJ companies in the Northeast. Not bad for a part-time job. I sold the DJ Company in 1998, bought a sales training company and created Empowerment Group International so I could pursue my motivational speaking and consulting career and befriend and be inspired by guys like Christopher Reeve.nnIsn’t that interesting? Inspiration IS Everywhere! — when you know how to spot it. And when you master that, you’ll have another strategy that enables you to –nMake It Your Best Year Ever!nnP.S. Inspiration is also HERE. The weekly video blog “Instant Inspiration” is Officially Launched. Please take a minute, watch it and give me some feedback if you would like. Your Feedback will Inspire ME!