Today we have friends joining us from the University of North Texas. Welcome.
Last week I did a leadership presentation for a group of residents assistants. I promised them I would use today's post to respond to one of many questions submitted on index cards. I also promised my Mean Green friends that I would select two additional cards and award those students with a prize that shines.
The good news about the question I selected is that a lot of us will find it interesting.
"How do you keep your shine going on days when everything seems to turn against you? How do you push through?" Submitted by Diedre Hurley.
Interesting story about this question, so be sure to read to the end. Two thoughts immediately come to mind:
First. Shining is about using talents and gifts to brighten your corner of the world. I often wonder if someone like Martin Luther King expected his work to be easy. I suspect, no. He might not have known the roadblocks he would encounter, but he was so committed to making a difference that he saw no way around his roadblocks but through them. When I start feeling down, I sometimes ask myself why I thought it would be easy.
Expect your contribution to be hard work and anticipate roadblocks. That way when everything seems to have turned against you, you will be more prepared to work through the roadblocks and less inclined to feel sorry for yourself.
Second. The time to decide whether or not you have what it takes to move through roadblocks is not when everything seems to have turned against you. The time to decide is well in advance. I am committed to powering the planet with shine and as part of that, I post a blog six days a week. Some days, however, I wonder if anyone at all is reading my blog and the last thing in the world I want to do is carve out the two hours it often takes me to write and edit a post. I push through because of the commitment I made three years ago. I am always, always, always glad I did.
Decide now what you are committed to doing and make a pact with yourself. Then, when you are questioning if you can really push through the barriers, you will know you don't really have a choice.
Interesting Example: Tonight, after being awake for sixteen hours, I sat down in the lodge where my Leadershape friends and I are staying. They socialized while I spent close to two hours writing today's post. With literally only the salutation left to type, my power cord came unplugged and I lost the entire post. Gone. I spoke a few choice words, but in the end, I knew I had no choice but to pick myself up and begin again. Now I have been awake for 20 hours and finally I can head to bed.
Making your corner of the world a better, brighter place takes hard work and commitment. Some days it will seem like everything has turned against you and still, you must push through. I shared my thoughts on how I do it. Now how about the rest of you? Visit us in the Community Forum labeled, Today's Post and tell us how you keep shining.
Shining off from Day #4 of Leadershape...
The element of scarcity can make something feel like it shines more than it would if it were in abundance. Sweet cereal is that way for me.
Growing up, my sisters and I were only permitted to eat sweet cereal one day of the year - January 13. We started counting down days beginning December 25, immediately after opening our last Christmas gift.
In all reality, though it isn't really about the sweet cereal. In fact, if you have ever eaten a box of Captain Crunch in a single day then you know it will literally shred the roof of your mouth. No, what makes Sweet Cereal Day shine is that it is scarce. It only comes around once a year.
Scarcity is also what elevates sweet cereal in the eyes of those around me. I get phone calls and cards from former colleagues and friends who used to join in on my Annual Breakfast of Champions Sweet Cereal Buffet. I call my sisters and my parents first thing in the morning to make sure they joining in on the day's fun. The tradition has been passed down to my boys who, once a year, also have fun eating sweet cereal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Ironically enough, sweet cereal - because of its scarcity - is also one of my most valuable tools for talking to the boys about healthy food choices and enjoying treats in moderation.
I even use Sweet Cereal Day to continue our thinking about Shine.
What makes sweet cereal shine is that this simple and otherwise accessible item, when made scarce, will get a second glance, become worth remarking on, evoke positive emotions, and even foster community connections. Paper towels don't do that for me. Crayola makers don't do that for me. Romaine lettuce doesn't do that for me.
Come to think of it, the only other thing I can think of that does that for me is the Starbucks holiday cup. And, it's scarce. Available for a finite amount of time, only during the holiday season. How about you? Visit us in the Community Forum labeled, Today's post and give us your example of scarcity. What carries extra significance for you, specifically because it is scarce?
P.S. Consider grabbing a box of sweet cereal today, so you can join in on tomorrow's fun. I am at Leadershape this week, but you can rest assured I will be sharing my fun with the students and staff!
Shining off from Day #3 at Leadershape...
Edie is credible and her credibility inspires action.
She is a loyal member of Rotary, faithfully attending weekly meetings and genuinely taking an interest in members new and old.
Rather than sitting at the same table each week, Edie moves from table to table, always spending her weekly lunch hour with a different cast of characters. And, always making a polite plug for the Middle School Computer Program she started.
It seems years before I joined Rotary, Edie had an experience which left her shocked at the number of middle school children whose families could not afford a computer. She immediately set to work gathering discarded computers and restoring them for local families in need. Rotary members do all the work preparing computers for delivery, reviewing and evaluating student essays, purchasing additional accessories, and installing them in students' homes.
Edie, a woman in her mid-70s and a Rotary matriarch of sorts, is the creator and credible spokesperson for this program.
On Wednesday, December 15, she stood before the members of our Rotary Club holding a large mason jar filled with dimes. Edie explained that filling the jar took one year of emptying her pockets each night. Just dimes, no nickels or quarters.
With all the demure and dignity of a matriarch, this passionate woman challenged us to consider doing the same in 2011. I have no idea how many people decided to take her up on the offer, though if it is like most other things, I suspect it was few.
But I respect Edie. I love the genuine interest she takes in other people and the fearlessness with which she approaches anyone and everyone for support with her program. I love that every time she talks about the program she developed it is with the enthusiasm and energy of someone who is sharing it for the first time. I love she remains eternally hopeful that even a single person might take her up on her requests to get involved.
All of that, and more, is what makes Edie and her cause so credible. That is why on December 15, 2010 I decided I would join her in collecting dimes for one year. She has no idea of my plans and I won't tell her. Instead, I will march into Rotary on Wednesday, 21, 2011 and present her with my mason jar filled with dimes.
Maybe you will consider helping me by collecting your dimes for one year and passing them along to Edie. Or maybe you'll even ask a friend or colleague or spouse to join in. You don't know her, but it the love involved in saying, "yes" to my offer would not escape this incredible woman. Don't tell me if you plan to participate, in the same way I didn't tell Edie. Just collect as many as possible dimes between now and Wednesday, December 14, 2011. Send them to my home and I will present them to Edie on your behalf the following week.
From Day Two of Leadershape, shining off until tomorrow...