May 29, 2007

Anything is Possible   "I feel amazing," the ebullient Ohno said. "You put your mind to something, you give 100 percent, sacrifice and dedication, anything is possible."   That's Apolo Anton Ohno.   He is the Olympic speed skater, who with his partner Julianne Hough, was awarded the mirror ball trophy on the season finale of "Dancing with the Stars" this past week.  OK, I admit I am a fan of the show (I like to be entertained when I watch TV).   His words ring true for all of us.  What does it take to succeed in life, business, and sports?  You have to put your mind to something, you have to give 100 percent, you have to sacrifice, and you have to be dedicated.  Then, anything is possible!   Put your mind to something: What is your vision?  What is your goal?  What is the end result you want to achieve?  You must put it out there before you can begin to take action steps.  Start with the end in mind, and then you will be motivated to act continuously in pursuit of that goal.  Ohno wanted to win so he was willing to do whatever it took to prove that he was worthy of the trophy.   Give 100 percent:  Or, better yet, give 105%.  "Personal initiative is absolutely necessary if you are going to realize your goal," said Andrew Carnegie.  When you go the extra mile and do more than is expected of you, your chances of success become much greater.  Practice a few more dance moves on the floor, study just an hour longer, finish your work in thirty minutes, not one hour, spend five more minutes with your patient, and give 105% to the task at hand.   Sacrifice:  Yes, success takes sacrifice.  Most often, success is not handed to you on a silver platter.  You set your sights on your goal and then you work the plan.  Sometimes you must forfeit the "extras" to have what you really want.  Sacrifice takes self-discipline.  A vacation in theBahamasor paying down your credit card debt; which will it be?  Don't forget the balance beam, though.  All work and no play is never good.  AND, never sacrifice your values!   Dedication:  When your will to succeed is strong, you will be dedicated to the path you are on.  Your persistence is only as strong as your will to win, so how hungry are you for the triumph?  Winners never quit; at best, they know when to quit and get on a different path. They never lose sight of their goal.  What goal are you dedicated to?   Yes, anything is possible if you put your mind to it, give 100%, sacrifice, and dedicate yourself to the "anything".  You never know.  You could be holding the mirror ball trophy in your hand!  Now, that's a winner.          "You give 100 percent in the first half of the game, and if that isn't enough in the second half you give what's left."             Yogi Berra   "Don't be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs.  Every time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger.  If you do the little jobs well, the big ones will tend to take care of themselves."             Dale Carnegie   "Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "Press On" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race."             Calvin Coolidge   "I know the price of success: dedication, hard work, and an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen."             Frank Lloyd Wright        I remember all too well the effort, sacrifice, and dedication it took to get through college and then dental school.  But, that was only the beginning.  Owning a dental practice took all of the former qualities and then some.  Furthermore, there was never any slacking; you're always on call.  These days, I've just switched my dedication to writing, speaking, and coaching.  I still have to follow the formula above to achieve success.  It's universal to all that we do.   I will be traveling later this week toCharleston,SCfor the Linda Miles Speaking Consulting Network. (www.speakingconsultingnetwork.com) It will be a chance to reconnect with old friends and meet new ones.  I have never been toCharlestonso I have built in some time for sightseeing.  Yes, some work and some play.    The Balance Beam will return on Tuesday June 12 with some exciting news.  Stay tuned!   Have a fantastic couple of weeks and remember that anything is possible.   Stephanie        We grow by "word-of-email" so please feel free to forward this newsletter to anyone whom you think might benefit from and enjoy it. Thanks so much! Contact Us: stephanie@7steps2abalancedlife.com