“There is an electric fire in human nature tending to purify — so that among these human creatures there is continually some birth of new heroism. The pity is that we must wonder at it, as we should at finding a pearl in rubbish.” ~John Keats
The ABCs
What I love about the ABCs is their simplicity. What I love about acronyms is their ability to make what otherwise might be complex, simple. Yes, there is indeed an underlying theme of simplicity developing here. How do we take complex ideas with multiple facets and turn them into memorable nuggets of applicable information? In a world where we have more knowledge than we could ever use in a lifetime, it is information that is readily applicable to our lives that creates genuine value. This is where acronyms come in. This is where the ABCs of this article come in.
I considered titling this article The ABCs Of Excellence, but then I realized I might be alienating those individuals who don’t YET feel they are worthy of excellence or worse yet, don’t believe excellence is an attainable outcome for them. Yes, there are some who believe excellence is reserved for the few, for someone else, but not them. If you are one of those who believes excellence is for others but not YOU, I have some great news for you and by the time you finish this article it is my hope that you will agree with me.
Excellence might not be readily available to everyone, but effort is. Heroic effort is available to all of us because we all have the potential to become the heroes of our own stories.
AUDACITY
“You have to believe in yourself. You need to have the audacity to be great.” ~Rosie Perez
Audacity is the belief that you, simple old YOU can do, be, or become whatever you COMMIT to!
Audacity is believing with all your heart that you can make a career of whatever you choose if you’re willing to embrace the unconventional, be bold in your pursuit of opportunities, and courageous enough to ACT in the face of FEAR.
Perhaps the best way to describe audacity is by describing what it’s not. Sometimes having a better understanding of what something is not, is the best way for us to get a clear understanding of what it is. This is particularly helpful when a word, a word like audacity for example, has been given a bad rap by someone who has demonstrated characteristics that are incongruent with what it really means to express audacity.
Audacity is believing that you can go from obscurity to influential in a matter of months rather than years. Audacity is believing you were born with a gift and having the courage to do everything in your power to discover and share that gift with the world.
Audacity is writing when no one reads your work. Audacity is painting when no one buys your paintings. Audacity is speaking when no one listens to what you have to say. Audacity is believing that you can somehow make a difference in the problems of the world that seem overwhelming to others and then having the conviction to follow through on whatever small thing it is you believe you can do to make your difference.
Audacity is believing you can and will find a group of likeminded individuals to collaborate with so that you can make the difference you know that only you can make. Audacity is admitting that you can’t do it alone. Audacity is having the courage to start a movement where none exists.
Audacity is growing up in obscurity as an Idaho farm boy and having the courage, belief, and conviction to make your way to Beverly Hills.
Jim Rohn did that!
Audacity is being given the opportunity to rewrite a paper and having the courage to tell your teacher they can keep their “F” and you will keep your dream.
Monty Roberts did that!
Audacity is two bicycle mechanic brothers believing so absolutely in their dream that they would risk everything for its fulfillment.
The Wright Brothers did that!
Audacity was one woman who refused to give up her seat on a bus where she never should have been faced with such a courageous decision.
Rosa Parks did that!
Audacity was one President with the vision to go to the moon in a rocket that would be built with materials that had not yet been invented, not sometime in the future, but in the decade, we found ourselves.
John F. Kennedy did that!
Audacity was one man who had learned the tenets of peaceful protest from another man who brought a monarchy to its knees with his methods and the courage of that man to follow his convictions in the face of those who not only encouraged, but fomented violence against him.
Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. did that!
Audacious was the way Vince Lombardi led his team to victory and inspired them to go on and win two more Superbowl’s when no one believed it was possible except him.
I could go on and on about “AUDACITY”, but I think by now you get the idea…
“Audacity is the willingness to believe in yourself and your ability to overcome obstacles and the overwhelming feeling of the impossible.” ~Bobby Kountz
BOLDNESS
“Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.” ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Boldness is a characteristic I believe most people possess. Unfortunately, it’s a characteristic that often remains hidden until the right set of circumstances emerge requiring us to take an action that is considered to be bold. In other words, boldness is a characteristic that often lays dormant until it’s called for. Many of us are not naturally bold even if we could be bold, we reserve boldness for situations requiring bold actions instead of employing boldness as a regular strategy.
Why?
According to author Mike Robbins, “even when some of us have moments of boldness, these moments can be scary and are often few/far between.”
He goes on to ask why is this?
“Because we sometimes don’t have the courage to be bold or we don’t find ourselves going for it in our work and our life — or not nearly as much as we’d like (especially during these difficult times).”
If you would like to read more about Mike’s position on boldness you can check out his article here.
Boldness is often looked down upon by others. It can easily be perceived as something other than boldness. It is often misunderstood as arrogance. People who tend to be bold typically have high levels of confidence which they have developed over long periods of time. There’s a definite difference between boldness and carelessness.
A person who constantly jumps into action without a plan isn’t necessarily bold and might even be a fool. People who display the qualities of boldness typically know their objectives and regularly prioritize their outcomes clearly. The reason they can afford to be bold it’s because they possess the ability to recognize an opportunity when it comes along. They also have the wherewithal or chutzpah to be able to say no when they realize the opportunity is not for them. They can say both yes and no with the same level of boldness.
People who are bold are not necessarily overly loud or boisterous and the reason many shy away from boldness is because they don’t want to be labeled loud and boisterous. Being bold is not about being a loudmouth or a bully. Actually, it’s just the opposite. It’s having the quiet confidence to make a bold decision because you have the information necessary to make the decision with confidence. Bold leaders are typically tactful and empathetic. Both leaders also understand the power of silence. A bold leader will often say less than more because they know that more words don’t necessarily equate to a better outcome. They will typically boldly state what they have to say and then they’re done.
People who are bold have the tendency to take advantage of small wins. Boldness requires taking advantage of small opportunities and getting the most we possibly can from all we can give and all we can do. It involves taking action before the right opportunity comes along. Bold people are aware that the right circumstances and the right opportunity may never align, so instead, they create opportunities and make the most of circumstances as they reveal themselves. They don’t wait for all the information to come in before making decisions and they have a high level of trust in their own intuition.
Boldness doesn’t require the complete understanding of a situation before acting. Bold people work to create a series of actions or small steps that allow them to break free from inertia and create momentum in the direction of their desired outcome. They understand that small win’s help build confidence. They understand that small losses help build confidence too! They look to make the most of all opportunities and circumstances without needing a big victory. They would rather experience a few small losses and a series of small wins rather than one big win.
Boldness is a combination of knowledge, reflection, and action.
COURAGE
“With courage you will dare to take risks, have the strength to be compassionate, and the wisdom to be humble. Courage is the foundation of integrity.” ~Mark Twain
When someone acts courageously, they demonstrate their willingness to confront uncertainty, to face danger, and even pain. The willingness to face your fear is courage.
Being courageous isn’t always easy. There are times in our lives when we have more courage than others. Typically, when faced with extreme circumstances, this is one of the times we can readily find our courage. Another time that we often find our courage is when our own values are challenged, and someone is wronged, and we feel the need to stand up and say no more.
Courage is often associated with extreme danger and difficulty, the reality for most of us though is that we must be courageous in the face of our everyday lives. The challenges of everyday life force us to adapt, to change, to grow, and to face our fears.
What would you be willing to do or try if you knew you could not fail?
Remember, being courageous isn’t about fighting a single battle. It’s about the willingness to make a small step or a small change in the direction of a dream, it’s about getting up each day and trying again. It’s about being brave in the face of adversity. Courage is hanging on just one moment longer when you would rather give up instead.
Courage is the thing that either shows up or doesn’t when we face challenges. Have you ever felt like giving up because you weren’t making any progress? Have you had a difficult decision to make but you didn’t feel you were up to it? Maybe you’ve lost patience because you weren’t making the progress you thought you should be making. The willingness to continue is a courageous act.
Courage is about baby steps taken in the face of adversity. Sometimes life can be incredibly challenging, and we can feel as though we’re not getting anywhere. We must remember that every courageous step counts, and if we take small steps every day, one day at a time, we will get to our destination if we don’t give up.
Here are some examples of what courage looks like in action:
Courage is apologizing to someone you’ve hurt. Courage is asking for help. Courage is starting something new with no guarantee of success. Courage is believing in yourself for the first time. Courage is learning to say both yes and no. Courage is speaking up for yourself or a cause you believe in. Courage is the willingness to walk away from the ordinary. Courage is also the conviction to follow your heart. Courage is walking away from all the negativity and gossip that you will likely face when you attempt something you’ve never done before. Courage is believing in yourself and your ability to do amazing things. Courage is believing that YOU are amazing.
There is a superhero in all of us, we just need the courage to put on the cape. Courage is a mindset. Courage is not something you either have or you don’t, it’s something you develop over time. According to the author Brené Brown, “Leadership is not about titles or the corner office. It’s about the willingness to step up, put yourself out there, and lean into courage. The world is desperate for braver leaders. It’s time for all of us to step up.”
Here’s another quote that speaks to what courage is…
“Courage is not the absence of fear or despair; It is the capacity to continue on despite them, no matter how great or overwhelming they become.” ~Robert Fanney
As a reminder, courage doesn’t always roar. As a matter of fact, as Mary Anne Radamacher expressed in her book, “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, I will try again tomorrow.”
Her book is dedicated to those who “understand the difference between explicitly expecting success and working in a construct where to “try again” requires the deepest courage of all.”
“When is courage a little voice instead of a roar?” For more on this topic, you can read this article by Kat Sandershere.
What if the only thing between you and everything you want from life is the willingness to find your voice, to take up space, to speak your truth? What if TODAY was the day, you found your voice because the words on this page gave you the permission you needed to BE who you are?
What if?
What if the ABCs, your ABCs, were all you needed to apply the heroic effort required to turn your situation around so you could begin to live the life you know you deserve? What if?
Start your QUEST today. Start with your ABCs!
I will continue to Advance Confidently, but the advance will be in the direction of my highest calling NOW which is to fulfill my desire of completing my Create Your QUEST™ course for anyone who has struggled with making a commitment to their ideal highest expression of themselves.
With so many demands, and so many distractions, it’s easy to get off course and find ourselves deeply involved in great work that’s unfortunately not moving us in the direction of where we most choose to go right NOW!
Create Your QUEST™ has been formulated to help YOU focus on what’s most important to you not only now, but also in the future. It’s a framework that was designed to take you from where you are to exactly where you choose to be, not overnight, but one step at a time, one moment at a time, one day at a time, one breath at a time!
It’s called Create Your QUEST™ because I believe each of us has the potential to be the hero of our own story and I knew I could create a compelling framework to guide individuals through the arduous process of making a commitment to their dream and the future they desire to create for themselves and their families.
Therefore, I decided to put my next book on the back burner and will instead focus all my efforts on the completion of the project I am most excited about which is Create Your QUEST™!
It’s my intention to have the course ready for release by the end of October with a soft launch and a beta group to make sure it’s ready for prime time in the coming new year when most people are struggling with what to do next and how to make sure next year is different than last year.
If you are interested in potentially being part of my beta group, send an email to bkountz15@gmail.com with BETA in the subject line.
I know the course I am currently creating and the book I will still eventually release, will be worth the wait because that’s my commitment to you, my readers. Thanks in advance for your trust and patience!
In the meantime, enjoy this special audio short story I originally released on Twitter to commemorate my Independence Day and my 31st year of sobriety. You can watch/listen here ( https://youtu.be/9zP4kk5OTlo ). You can find me on Twitter @bobby_kountz
Keep Pedaling, Keep Going, Keep Growing!
Advance Confidently!
If you enjoyed and found value in this article, please share it.
In Gratitude,
Bobby Kountz, Author, Speaker, Sobriety Scholar, Inspirationalist!
PS. You can find out more about me here. You can find my book on Amazon.
“Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.” ~Oprah Winfrey
Inspiration is all around us. To experience it though, we must be willing to give ourselves permission to slow down, to focus, to breathe. With so many shiny objects vying for our attention, it’s quite easy to become distracted.
One of the best ways to come back to our center is to breathe. We have this underlying belief that somehow, probably because we are human and capable of amazing things, that we can multitask our way to success.
After all, if doing one thing is good, then doing several things must be better, right?
WRONG!
An old memory of a book title came knocking and it got me thinking about multitasking or focusing on multiple projects at the same time and in breaking down the title of the book, I realized it would be impossible to do the two tasks of the title at the same time.
The book title is Chop Wood, Carry Water.
As I tried to picture myself chopping wood and carrying water, it was immediately apparent that it would be impossible to do both at the same time. Can you imagine the chaotic scene of a character attempting to both chop wood and carry water at the same time?
It made me laugh!
Well, for a moment anyway… Then I paused long enough to take a breath as I reflected on how as human beings, we are continuously trying to chop wood and carry water at the same time. My mind quickly shifted to an image of an entertainer on stage spinning plates. As we watch the show, we are mesmerized as the entertainer adds more and more plates until the inevitable crash brings that segment of the show to a conclusion.
How many plates are you spinning? How many tasks are you managing? How many jobs are you doing? How many hats are you wearing?
If you are like me in any way, shape, or form, you probably believe you are a better multitasker than you actually are.
It wasn’t until I recently slowed down long enough to enjoy a vacation to Maine that I realized I was trying to do too many things at a time. I have been writing a weekly article for over a year now while I have simultaneously been working on my second book and trying to create a small business and create an online course to help people turn their dreams and aspirations into a tangible outcome by designing a course that would systematically and logically take them on a journey of discovery, opportunity, and action, a QUEST. And, I have been trying to do all of this while also working a full-time job…
When I finally came back to my breath, opened up my shirt and found there indeed was no large “S” emblazoned on my chest, I realized it was time for a change. Perhaps it was the changing of the seasons that prompted this idea of a need for a change. The trip to Maine was all about taking time to “enjoy” the changing of the season from Summer to Fall.
To enjoy the trip, I had written my weekly article ahead of time and had it prepared and ready to send out on time which is normally Wednesday. Today is Friday and I am only just now writing my weekly article as it finally came to me in my sleep. Yes, I awoke with the idea of this article in my mind and arose from bed before the alarm went off because I knew there was something profound that needed to be captured and that something is the words now methodically materializing on the page.
The profundity remains to be seen…
The reality is far more striking than anything remotely close to profound. I have simply been trying too hard to do too much and watering down and fragmenting my results in the process.
My mind has been silently working on a way to present this idea to my ego for some time now and it took me slowing down long enough for a vacation to begin to listen.
In the silence of the woods, surrounded by beauty, I found my mind wandering away from where I was and onto each of the various projects I have ongoing in different states of completion and I remember thinking to myself, this is crazy, look around you, this is where you need to be right now, all of your projects will be waiting for you when you get back, FOCUS and enjoy the moment…
As I processed that thought, I came back to my breath and I came back to the moment and as I became fully present, I was in awe of my surroundings. If I hadn’t given myself permission to be present, to be in the moment, I would have missed it!
What would I have missed? I would have missed the mushrooms growing in places we wouldn’t expect to see them.
Photo from Author’s collection.
I would have missed the fallen leaves laying on the ground in all their majesty, a tapestry that became natures carpet…
Photo from Author’s collection.
I would have missed the trees that held the leaves until they were reluctantly released…
Photo from Author’s collection.
I would have missed the stunning reflection of two hills majestically resolute and unmoving…
Photo from Author’s collection.
I would have missed all the different colors of green, a monochrome rainbow of tone and texture, from the moss, to the lichens, to the ferns, to the trees…
Photo from Author’s collection.
I would have missed the sound of the babbling brook and the raging waterfall, one subtle, one not…
Photo from Author’s collection.Photo from Author’s collection.
I would have missed seeing natures finest example of resilience, determination, and persistence…
Photo from Author’s collection.
I would have missed all these things and so much more and thinking about this got me thinking about how many other things I have been missing… It inspires me now to ask the question about how many things you might be missing too?
What have you been missing?
I know I have been missing golf and it wasn’t until I gave myself permission to watch some of the Ryder Cup matches that I realized just how much I miss playing and isn’t it interesting how the world will make us even more aware of what we are missing once we finally realize we are missing it. Like this article from my friend and fellow writer Billie for example who wrote an article about golf (it’s more than just another article on golf).
It’s not necessarily the game itself that I miss, its what happens to me as I play. When I play golf, I slow down and as mentioned at the beginning of this article, as my friend and mentor Michael constantly reminds me, slow is smooth and smooth is fast. When I combine the intentionality of the awareness of my breath with the understanding that golf is a game that can only be played and never won, I give myself the permission to enjoy being outside and at one with my surroundings.
Breathing is a huge part of golf because there is no way to make a smooth swing if you are not relaxed. We tend to hold on to our breath and the club too tight, and it is actually the relaxed grip that better serves the swing. Loose muscles flow, and golf, although a sport of speed when it comes to striking the ball, is also a sport of opposites. A great example is for the ball to go up, you must hit down on the ball. It is the descending blow in combination with the loft of the club that gets the ball into the air. It’s counterintuitive. You might think that swinging harder might give you a better result and I can assure you the exact opposite is true.
Ok, enough about golf and back to the article at hand.
Before I left to go on vacation, I discovered an article by Darius Foroux that got me thinking about this idea of trying to do too much. There were many other elements equally as influential as the article, but for some reason, the words of the article really resonated with me and I believe before I ever got on the plane, I knew that Fall would have a special significance for me this year, one well beyond the splendid colors and the experience of being away would afford me…
I will continue to Advance Confidently, but the advance will be in the direction of my highest calling NOW which is to fulfill my desire of completing my Create Your QUEST™ course, designed for anyone who has struggled with making a commitment to their ideal highest expression of themselves.
With so many demands, and so many distractions, it’s easy to get off course and find ourselves deeply involved in great work that’s unfortunately not moving us in the direction of where we most choose to go right NOW!
Create Your QUEST™ has been formulated to help YOU focus on what’s most important to you not only now, but also in the future. It’s a framework that was designed to take you from where you are to exactly where you choose to be, not overnight, but one step at a time, one moment at a time, one day at a time, one breath at a time!
It’s called Create Your QUEST™ because I believe each of us has the potential to be the hero of our own story and I knew I could create a compelling framework to guide individuals through the arduous process of making a commitment to their dream and the future they desire to create for themselves and their families.
Therefore, I decided to put my next book on the back burner and will instead focus all my efforts on the completion of the project I am most excited about which is Create Your QUEST™!
It’s my intention to have the course ready for release by the end of October with a soft launch and a beta group to make sure it’s ready for prime time in the coming new year when most people are struggling with what to do next and how to make sure next year is different than last year.
If you are interested in potentially being part of my beta group, send an email to bkountz15@gmail.com with BETA in the subject line.
I know the course I’m creating and the book I will still eventually release, will be worth the wait because that’s my commitment to you, my readers. Thanks in advance for your trust and patience!
In the meantime, enjoy this special audio short story I originally released on Twitter to commemorate my Independence Day and my 31st year of sobriety. You can watch/listen here ( https://youtu.be/9zP4kk5OTlo ). You can find me on Twitter @bobby_kountz
Keep Pedaling, Keep Going, Keep Growing!
Advance Confidently!
If you enjoyed and found value in this article, please share it.
In Gratitude,
Bobby Kountz, Author, Speaker, Sobriety Scholar, Inspirationalist!
PS. You can find out more about me here. You can find my book on Amazon.
Will you seek it out? Can you quiet your voice of judgment long enough to embrace the infinite power of curiosity and imagination? Can you quell the desire to be right over the desire to learn and grow? Can you hold two opposing ideas and maintain the ability to function effectively?
Listen to understand rather than listening to reply
Let the other person finish expressing themselves completely and then instead of adding to the conversation, ask if they have anything else to share before you reply.
I will be the first one to tell you that this is a real challenge for me. It is something I find myself working on continuously. All change comes through awareness. Now that I’m aware of my propensity to interject what I have to say into a conversation, I am intentionally trying to focus on letting the other person finish completely before I say anything.
Sometimes I do well, and other times not so much… Like most human beings, I am a work in process. However, it is only through my awareness of this behavior I have chosen to change that I can make progress. It is also only by being willing and vulnerable enough to talk about it that it will become something my mind is more focused on and when the temptation to speak without letting someone else finish, or the temptation to interrupt, or the temptation to express my opinion, particularly when it is uninvited, will I be able to control the urge!
Since this is something I have identified as an opportunity rather than labeling it as a shortcoming, I would ask all those engaged in conversation with me to be patient as I work through this process. Also, if you read this article then you’re a follower of my writing, or a friend, and I hope to empower you to be an even better friend by gently reminding me when I am not taking my own advice.
It is my intention to let the natural design of our communication system be what guides me as I work through this process. We were given two ears and one mouth and that might be a great indicator that communication might be better if it occurs in a 2:1 ratio by listening twice as much as we speak.
My new mantra when listening is: “Be curious!”
By listening with curiosity, I will be listening with the intention to understand rather than with the intention of preparing my reply. I will be listening from a place of presence, from a place of interest, from a place of curiosity for what the other person wants to share.
Embrace knowledge over achievement
Instead of being so focused on your goals, focus instead to acquire knowledge for what it will make of you in the process. Some of the greatest gifts are missed when we’re over focused on the outcome of our goals. When we’re only focused on achievement, we miss many of the lessons to be discovered along the way.
One of my mentors, Jim Rohn, always encouraged his audiences to ask better questions. What better questions can we be asking about our goals? Jim also encouraged us when communicating to be inclusive and one of the ways we can do that is by using the word “we” rather than “you.”
If you go back and read the previous paragraph you will see that I used the word we in reference to how it is easy to miss out on the potential lessons awaiting us while pursuing our goals.
Mr. Rohn also had another unique way of describing success that I am rather fond of. He said, “Success is not something to be pursued, it’s something we attract by the person we become.”
Is the person you’ve become a person that attracts success? If not, why not? What would you need to change to become a person who continually attracts more success?
When we pause long enough to ask ourselves empowering questions, the answers are sure to emerge.
Stop seeking approval
There is nothing wrong with approval as long as you don’t “need” it to validate whatever it is you are contributing to the betterment of society. If you are working within whatever it is that you have discovered as your gift, no approval will be required. It will be enjoyed, but it is not required. My friend and Author Larry G, Maguire has written extensively on this topic and it’s all about creating your “Art” whatever that is, not for a specific desired outcome, but instead for the sake of it. Creating art just for the sake of it is one of the purest forms of expression available.
For those of you reading this thinking I’m not an artist so this doesn’t apply to me, please allow me to clarify.
Your “Art” is whatever you do, whatever you make, or whatever you create. When you are in your gift, your “Art” almost oozes out of you without any effort the same way appreciation and gratitude oozes from a crowd at their favorite live performance.
The music artists don’t need the appreciation of the crowd, but they love and enjoy it and their passion for what they do fuels both their desire and the crowd’s desire to reciprocate equally. It’s a truly symbiotic experience.
At a live performance, there is a different vibe because the performers get to feed off the energy of the appreciative audience. And, the audience gets to reciprocate by expressing their gratitude and appreciation for the “Art” and they do so freely even though they may have paid handsomely for the opportunity. Remember, there is no requirement to applaud. It may be inherently understood that it’s appropriate, but the level of the applause will usually match the energy of the performers.
Here’s an interesting side note on needing approval. The less you “need” it, the more it will naturally flow your way. Think about it, the people who least need approval are often the ones who receive the most. If you can find a way to stay in your gift before the payoff makes its way to you, then eventually, you will receive praise for whatever difference it is you are committed to creating.
Be willing to begin at the bottom
Talking about the performers everyone was cheering for in the previous paragraph is a great transition to the topic of being willing to begin at the bottom.
Most performers didn’t start out with standing ovations. Most Artists spend countless hours working on their craft, often in the face of massive scrutiny and at the mercy of those around them who don’t understand their commitment. Instead of support and praise for following their gift, they get comments like, “You might want to consider getting a ‘real job’ if you ever hope to make anything of your life.”
The artist or writer everyone is talking about today, most likely came from humble beginnings and had a ton of courage and conviction along with a powerfully passionate level of persistence that no amount of negativity or adversity could ever extinguish!
Breaking through, is what happens when an artist, an actor, an entrepreneur, a writer, or speaker finally makes it in public, but long before they ever made it, they made a commitment to just make their art until they succeeded, no matter what.
Success is available to all of us, but just like the touchdown that is scored on any given Saturday or Sunday, it wouldn’t have any significance if adversity weren’t involved, if the defense weren’t doing their best to keep the offense from scoring. It is often the team with the deepest level of reserves that wins the game. The most talented team does not always win.
This is why many teams play like champions and practice like underdogs!
This is the same reason the Artist who knows their ability needs no recognition yet basks in the glory of it when it comes as a result of them sharing their gift!
Treat others the way you wish to be treated
Put yourself in the position of the struggling writer or artist who is passionately committed to their craft and ask yourself how you would like to be treated if you were the one performing? If you were the one who felt like they were always writing and never knowing whether they were hitting the mark with readers because no one could be bothered to slow down long enough to provide some feedback, how would that make you feel?
Questions like these ground us in the importance of making time to tell someone that whatever they did that made your day, or your experience a little better, it might just be worthy of praise. When we express our gratitude for what we appreciate we are creating a gratitude experience for both the giver and the receiver.
I find inspiration everywhere and Wayne Dyer has been a huge influence in my life. One of the best stories ever offered on the importance of guarding against things like hatred, bitterness, anger, and resentment is easily understood as Dr. Dyer speaks to the audience about what happens and what comes out when you squeeze an orange. When an orange is squeezed, the only thing that will come out is orange juice and not because it’s an orange, but because that’s what’s inside.
When we are squeezed by the challenges and difficulties of life, and make no mistake, we will be squeezed, what will come out, is what’s inside… If you harbor anger, anger will come out. If you harbor hatred, hatred will come out. If it is jealousy, jealousy will come out. If it be envy, then envy will come out… Guard your heart!
Guard your heart. Don’t harbor the things that will come out when you are squeezed. Because like toothpaste squeezed from the tube, it is impossible to put back once squeezed out… And once out, then you might have to add regret to your list, and no one wants that.
Guard your heart. Be curious, not judgmental.
Advance Confidently is the title of my next book, you will have to wait to celebrate its release as I celebrate my 60th birthday. I have concluded the world doesn’t need another self-help book from me right now, so I am listening to my muse and will write a sci fi personal growth story of self-discovery instead. Hmmm? Almost sounds like a QUEST, right? I believe you will be INSPIRED with the story that chose me to write it! I never saw it coming but now that it’s here, I can’t wait to share it with all of YOU! I know it will be worth the wait because that’s my commitment to you, my readers. Thanks in advance for your trust and patience!
In the meantime, I released a special audio short story on Twitter to commemorate my Independence Day and my 31st year of sobriety. You can watch/listen to the story here ( https://youtu.be/9zP4kk5OTlo ). You can find me on Twitter @bobby_kountz
Keep Pedaling, Keep Going, Keep Growing!
Advance Confidently!
If you enjoyed and found value in this article, please share it.
In Gratitude,
Bobby Kountz, Author, Speaker, Sobriety Scholar, Inspirationalist!
PS. You can find out more about me here. You can find my book on Amazon.
“Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.” ~My mother’s favorite scripture, Steve Harvey
As an Inspirationalist, I am an Architect of Light.
What does that mean?
It means that most of what I have stumbled upon, learned, and built, was discovered in darkness. As stated in the quote above opening this article, I have found that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. My translation is faith is belief without proof. Faith is listening to your intuition, your inner coach. Faith is commitment and belief in an outcome you have yet to experience in the physical realm.
Whether you attribute these words to Steve Harvey or to the Bible where they came from makes no difference. What Steve Harvey says after he utters these words is what’s important to me.
Quoting Albert Einstein he says, “Imagination is everything. Imagination is the preview of life’s coming attractions.”
What does that mean?
In its full context as stated in an interview from the Saturday Evening Post in 1929, Einstein said, “I believe in intuitions and inspirations. I sometimes feel that I am right. I do not know that I am. When two expeditions of scientists, financed by the Royal Academy, went forth to test my theory of relativity, I was convinced that their conclusions would tally with my hypothesis. I was not surprised when the eclipse of May 29th, 1919, confirmed my intuitions. I would have been surprised if I had been wrong.”
He was then asked the following question: You trust more to your imagination than to your knowledge?
His answer was as follows:
“I am enough of the artist to draw freely upon my imagination. imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.”
Source for the above: Quote Investigator
In other words, imagination is infinite!
Here is another quote many people are not familiar with also attributed to Albert Einstein and whether he’s the one who actually said it or not is immaterial because the message is pure and in my mind that’s all that matters.
“I see a pattern, but my imagination cannot picture the maker of the pattern. I see a clock, but I cannot envision the clockmaker. The human mind is unable to conceive of the four dimensions, so how can it conceive of a God, before for whom 1000 years and 1000 dimensions are as one?” ~Albert Einstein
If you know God, you don’t need me to tell you what God is; you already know! If you don’t know God, all you have to do is open your heart whenever you are ready, and God will be there waiting for you!
The God of YOUR understanding is waiting for YOU!
There’s a new publication on Medium and the creator is Melanie J. and she encourages us to share our unpopular opinions with her publication. I will submit a short version of this article over there because she has asked us to keep our submissions under 500 words.
Growing up, my grandparents didn’t make it their business to introduce me to God. So, as I grew up, I didn’t know God. I wish I could tell you it was different, but then I wouldn’t be telling the truth. I discovered the God of my understanding the same way that many who are like me find God, not as God, but at least initially, as their Higher Power. Let’s be real, if you’ve never known God, it makes the concept of God just a little bit easier to accept.
When I was finally ready to get clean and sober and at my absolute bottom, I reached out to this “God” and made a promise. Now I’ll be the first one to tell you that this is probably not the best way to reach out to God, but it didn’t seem to make a difference because when I asked, God was there for me.
When I made the commitment to get clean and sober, I asked God for one thing and one thing only. I asked God to take away my desire for drugs and alcohol and I can happily report to you that the overwhelming desire that I had for years to take things into my body that I knew were not good for me all but vanished after I asked.
I’m not to hear to tell you that I didn’t still have the same cravings and the same desires that all Alcoholics and Addicts have when they attempt to get clean and sober, I did. However, I didn’t have the same kind of uncontrollable urge that others in meetings talked about, it was more of a missing the familiarity of what I knew as I was learning to be a productive member of society. The overwhelming urge and craving that most Addicts and Alcoholics deal with, I never experienced after asking for my desire to be removed. I credit the God of my understanding for taking away the desire because that is exactly what I asked for. Prior to asking, I failed miserably with every attempt to get clean and sober!
I am also not here to tell you that if you suffer from addiction that simply asking will take away your desire. I asked God first and then I was led to and got involved with the Grapevine Fellowship, AA, NA, the VA, and I had a counselor at the VA by the name of Ted who became my best friend because he was the one person, I could tell everything. As I was emotionally liberated from all my guilt and shame, all the things I had done while I was drinking and drugging, I was also spiritually liberated, and behind all that was my family and God, my Higher Power.
Fast forward to now and what guides me still to this day is the commitment I made over 31 years ago that if God would take away my desire, I would spend the rest of my life in the service of others making whatever difference I could along the way for those who were afflicted the same as I was, or for those who were struggling with just understanding who they are as human beings and why they are here…
As I have grown and evolved, so have my beliefs, and so has my knowledge. I am insatiably curious and a voracious reader. Because of my curiosity and my willingness to reserve judgment, I have learned more about myself and about humanity than I could have ever possibly imagined. It’s interesting to reflect that at one time, I wasn’t even interested in thinking about picking up a book, let alone picking one up and reading it cover to cover in one sitting.
As the cobwebs cleared, I realized the best thing for me to do was to get busy learning everything I could about myself so I could better understand why I did the things I did and why I behaved in a manner that was incongruent and inconsistent with all the values that had been instilled in me by my grandparents. The more I learned about addiction and more importantly about psychology and philosophy, the more I understood how my anger had taken over my life and caused me to make irrational decisions that were incongruent with my values.
The Alcoholic and the Addict that are actively using and drinking do not have the ability to rationally discern the difference between right and wrong. I’m not here to tell you that they don’t know the difference, they do, but the urge to drink or use is so strong that it overpowers one’s ability to make intelligent decisions about one’s own life.
Had it not been for the intervention of God as I understand God, my Higher Power, I wouldn’t be here writing this article now. The words you are now reading wouldn’t be on this page because they would have never been written…
So why did I change? What led me to God?
A college professor, a Psychology Professor, a History of Rock and Roll teacher, a musician, Ray Rich. A man who saw something in me that I could not see in myself. A man who for whatever reason took an interest in me and my wellbeing and changed my life by doing so.
One day he asked me to stay after class. He asked me a bunch of questions and then gave me a piece of parchment paper he pulled from a filing cabinet that had the following words on it:
“All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes to make them possible.” ~T. E. Lawrence
He asked me to read the paper and then asked if I understood the words. Not wanting to appear stupid, I of course said yes. When pressed to explain, I lashed out and asked, “Why do you care?”
“I care because beyond the black leather jacket and rage, I see a bright young man with a promising future,” he said. “What are your goals, your dreams, why are you here in my class?” “What do you want out of life, who are you so angry at, and who do you think you’re hurting with your behavior, and how do you expect to learn when coming to my class smashed?” He asked me a lot of questions that day. I could tell he really cared… Unfortunately, I didn’t have any good answers and I embarrassingly left, but I left with that paper and the words of T. E. Lawrence to ponder…
Awakening from a blackout, covered in my own vomit, with my failed report card next to me, I picked up that piece of parchment paper, read it again, looked down at myself and began to weep… It was then that I felt compelled to reach out to God even though I had no real idea how to pray and instead of praying, like any resourceful addict or alcoholic will do, I tried to cut a deal.
I made a promise that day that if God would take away my desire, I would never drink again and I would commit my life to the service of others and I would learn to be a dreamer of the day. I also called my sister and asked her to help me and fortunately she said yes. She said there was something different in my voice this time and she would help but there would be rules and that was the best thing that ever happened to me! She helped me get into the VA program, and so many other things!
I asked, God answered! Maybe God whispered to my sister too… Who knows? All I know is that once I asked for help, I got all the help I needed.
Today, 31 years later, my life is as different from those early days as night itself is from day! Today, I am surrounded by abundance and gratitude. I have one of the best jobs in the world and a passion to help others. I went on to become a nurse and then went into pharmaceutical sales and have been a mufti-award-winning sales professional for the past 21 years and even won a global award for encouragement.
And now, I am building a foundation for the work I will do in retirement. I am a passionately inspired writer committed to empowering other writers, entrepreneurs, and small business owners to embrace the challenges and struggles of life as a personal quest to achieve and attain whatever they desire as long as it’s in the service of others and done with integrity and commitment to delivering whatever results are promised.
I asked for guidance as to my purpose and this is my calling. The accumulation of lessons over 31 years of sobriety has given me a wealth of knowledge and experience. Over the past 31 years I have studied the habits of the successful, invested continuously in coaching and training and applied what I’ve learned in my own life and over the last several years I have been learning how to effectively transfer what I have learned to others.
I credit God as my guide. Every time I show up to the keyboard, God is with me. I never write alone. I don’t believe I’ve ever had an original thought because everything comes through me.
That doesn’t mean my thoughts don’t pass through the filter of my lived experience. My ego, my shadow, my fear, my uncertainty, and my doubts are as real as ever, because each of these elements are always at play. However, as I become more aware and become more purposeful in the way I choose to show up in life, these elements have been forced into a secondary position behind the dominant thoughts that bring me to the keyboard to write!
Whenever I struggle, I know I can always come back to my breath. I know the God of my understanding will be here waiting for me. When I am present, when I am aware, when I am in the NOW, there is nothing to worry about and nothing to fear.
For years I have struggled with calling God by name and have used many other names to describe what I believe God to be. I have used the Universe, I have used my Creator, I have used Mother Nature, I’ve used just about every phrase you can think of, including “The Force.” My personal belief is that God is not unlike “The Force” the way that Yoda described it to Luke:
“Hear you nothing that I say…” “Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter” he says as he touches Luke on the arm. “You must feel ‘The Force’ around you, here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere, yes!”
I do believe God is everywhere and in everything, except my vocabulary in public, that is until NOW! I will no longer be hesitant or apologize for using the word “God.”
I don’t believe I’m alone in this struggle to declare the God of my understanding God. There is often a hesitancy now to call God, God. Since I’m not part of any specific organized religion and have a broad-based understanding of spirituality and am accepting of all belief systems and particularly fond of the Tao, I have hesitated to use the word God.
Consider this article my “God” coming out party. Consider this me no longer being afraid to use the word God out of fear it might offend someone else, because if it does, then that’s not my issue but theirs. My understanding of God is a universal loving presence that is non-denominational and only cares about one thing and that is love, unconditional love of the human being.
Call me naive, but that’s what I believe. I believe the words that were uttered by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. so many years ago when he said, “I choose love because hate is too great a burden to bear.” I choose to believe the words of all those who are committed to the betterment of humanity. I choose to believe in the inherent goodness of mankind. And because of what I’ve learned from the Tao, I also know that man is capable of unthinkable things.
So as naive as I am in my belief about what I believe is possible for the world, I also understand that sometimes we must stand up and protect what others might try to steal from us particularly when it relates to our freedom. I also understand from the lessons of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and of Gandhi that violence will never be the way and I refuse to be a part of that.
I can’t pretend that because the problems of the world are so great that there’s nothing, I can do about them. I may not be able to solve the problems of the world, but I can do my small part and I believe that’s enough and that’s why I show up every day the way I do in service of the rest of humanity, and I am committed to continue for the rest of my life.
One of the greatest shifts in my life has been from scarcity to abundance. When we move from scarcity to abundance, we experience a Mind Shift. I believe life will always provide MORE than I need and because it does, it gives me the opportunity and the liberty to be able to share some of what I have with some of those much needier than myself.
If you don’t have money to share, you can share your time. You can also share your wisdom. You can share kindness. Many of the things we can give are much more valuable than money. If you take the time to share your wisdom with another human being, or inspiration, or encouragement, or whatever it is you have to give, whatever it is that’s your gift, if you share your gift, your gift will make room for you.
“Your gift is the thing you do the absolute best with the least amount of effort.” ~Steve Harvey
It is my intention to continue to share my gift with as many people as I possibly can, to serve as many people as I possibly can, for as long as I possibly can, because when I am in my gift, I am UNSTOPPABLE!
You have not because you ask not.
I ask regularly and I have never come to the keyboard without assistance. When I get up in front of an audience to speak, just like Maya Angelou, I never go alone. God is always with me when I ask. If you find yourself struggling, I can make one suggestion and that is to ask for guidance and then find a way to get silent and listen for an answer and in the space between the space, an answer will emerge if you are prepared to receive it.
You have not because you ask not.
At a seminar I attended 30 years ago I met the great Jim Rohn. At that seminar he shared more value in the half-day I was with him than most of the other teachers I’ve experienced throughout my entire lifetime. One of the key lessons that day was an amazingly simple lesson and the simplest of lessons are ones that are often missed. In my notes from 30 years ago is the word ask. And after the word ask and the humor that was only possible because of the man known as Jim Rohn with the words, that’s it, seminar over, you can go home now. Ask!
Ask, that’s it!
You have not because you ask not.
Stop trying to do everything on your own, make peace with whoever it is, or whatever it is that you call your Higher Power, and ASK!
My recommendation is to ask God. Ask the God of YOUR understanding and then do the hardest part, listen…
One of the best ways to listen is to meditate. All you have to do to meditate is Pause, Breathe, and Reflect. If you struggle with meditation, check out the PBR Movement at pausebreathereflect.com or go to Insight Timer and check out the Pause Breathe Reflect Sangha “Circle.” You can also follow meditation instructor and Executive Coach, Michael O’Brien on Insight Timer or at michaelobrienshift.com — Pause, Breathe, Reflect…
I will pick this article up in the next session where I will talk about why it’s so important to commit to whatever is important to you and the importance of creating your own individual ripple “One Day At A Time.”
In the next article I will also talk about why I believe it’s so important to discover your gift and create your quest!
Advance Confidently is the title of my next book, you will have to wait to celebrate its release as I celebrate my 60th birthday. I have concluded the world doesn’t need another self-help book from me right now, so I am listening to my muse and will write a sci fi personal growth story of self-discovery instead. Hmmm? Almost sounds like a QUEST, right? I believe you will be INSPIRED with the story that chose me to write it! I never saw it coming but now that it’s here, I can’t wait to share it with all of YOU! I know it will be worth the wait because that’s my commitment to you, my readers. Thanks in advance for your trust and patience!
In the meantime, I released a special audio short story on Twitter to commemorate my Independence Day and my 31st year of sobriety. You can watch/listen to the story here ( https://youtu.be/9zP4kk5OTlo ). You can find me on Twitter @bobby_kountz
Keep Pedaling, Keep Going, Keep Growing!
Advance Confidently!
If you enjoyed and found value in this article, please share it.
In Gratitude,
Bobby Kountz, Author, Speaker, Sobriety Scholar, Inspirationalist!
PS. You can find out more about me here. You can find my book on Amazon.
“Your words become your actions, your actions become your habits, your habits become your values, your values become your destiny.” ~Mahatma Gandhi
VALUES DRIVE BEHAVIOR
This article was adapted from a process we developed to help emerging entrepreneurs and new small business owners identify their values. It was written to help take a closer look at the Values selection process. Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs have one thing in common with their larger corporate counterparts and that’s the need for Values.
As I worked with my TEAM to build out the structure of our new process to help entrepreneurs and small business owners capitalize on what makes them unique to their market and to help position themselves as the only logical choice for their potential customers, we realized the need to identify our own set of values that will drive our decision-making process as we begin to take on new clients.
At CreateYourQUEST™ we believe YOU are the Hero of Your own Story!
Our process was developed with YOU in mind. Our goal is to help you turn (Your Everyday Story) into (Your Empowering Story).
In the spirit of The Hero’s Journey, we are committed to helping you not only write your story, but also create an exciting and empowering QUEST to guide you in the direction of everything you hope to accomplish as you continue to move forward towards the achievement of your goals and dreams.
What do YOU offer the World?
At CreateYourQUEST™ we believe YOU will be happiest living a life of integrity in which your actions are aligned with YOUR personal values and beliefs. In other words, YOUR “True North.”
The reason many of us struggle with knowing what we genuinely want is because we don’t really know what direction to go. If we use our true north to guide us, in other words if we use our values to guide us, it makes the decision-making process much easier. Some of us struggle with simple day-to-day decisions but when we take the time to consider our core values, these things often become crystal clear.
Our core values will be the needle point of our compass. They will be like the north star in the sky guiding your journey. Your values will be like a torch in the night to help guide you down your pathway toward living your meaningful life and bringing purpose to your quest so you can live your life filled with passion and purpose.
Your values will help you avoid all the “shiny objects” you are bound to discover while on your quest. Values will shield you from the potential outside influences attempting to distract you from reaching your prize, from reaching that elusive prize we’re all searching for, success. Values will help you identify what success means without sacrificing the things most important to you. Values give you the energy and clarity to say both yes and no. Your success will be guided by your ability to say no to things like social media, social influence, and the social environment that would try to keep us from being true to ourselves.
If you are interested in gaining clarity around the importance of values, then read on. If not, then this article is probably not for you, and I will save you the time and trouble of reading any further.
The activity outlined below is designed to help you discover your own unique list of values and beliefs that will help to orient you on your journey. If you’ve ever wondered what a life would be like if you were living in harmony, this is the life you will experience when you become clear about your values. That’s why we think it’s so important that you take the time to properly do this exercise because it means everything!
Your core values will help you build the foundation of whatever it is you hope to bring into the world while on your quest. Whatever you build, if it sits on a strong foundation, it will stand the test of time.
Success can only ever be identified individually and absolutely must be defined by the individual seeking success. Otherwise, there will be no way for you to measure whether you’ve achieved what you set out to accomplish. If you try to skip over this step what you will find is yourself chasing empty accomplishments. You will find yourself stuck on the hamster wheel of life chasing your tail. We cannot impress upon you strongly enough, the importance of completing this exercise.
When we don’t know and understand our values, we could easily make the mistake of violating something incredibly important to us, simply because we weren’t aware. The result of doing something like this is usually fraught with feelings of shame and guilt and not even knowing why… It’s because somewhere along the way you violated what was important to you and there’s no way to reconcile the actions you took when they are not aligned with your values, when they’re not aligned with your true north.
One of the things that makes CreateYourQUEST™ a unique organization is the partnerships we’re creating with individuals who’ve proven themselves to be value added resources to both individuals and large organizations.
The following list of core values comes partly from my own research and partly from my dear friend and Executive Coach, Michael O’Brien from Peloton Coaching. He has been helping companies and the executives of those companies create better tomorrow’s by teaching them to clearly identify their values TODAY!
CORE VALUES
Note: This is not an exhaustive list but will definitely get you started with the selection process!
Based on the guidance of my Executive Coach, Michael O’Brien, who you can find at michaelobrienshift.com — I suggest you pick 5 values as your core values. This doesn’t mean you can’t or won’t have other values that are extremely important to you. It simply means being bold enough to select 5 for right now. As we change and grow some of our core values will change with us. As we embrace life-altering challenges and opportunities, our core values might shift as we gain new insights and information.
Examples are always good to demonstrate a viewpoint so let’s examine the idea of wellness. Let’s get extreme to drive home the point. If you had a heart attack, or developed a life-threatening disease, wellness might easily become a new core value for you if it wasn’t previously one of your five.
One of the most impactful ways to discover your core values is to focus on what’s important to you. One of the best ways to accomplish this is to ask empowering questions. Here are some empowering questions to help you get started with the process of focusing on what’s most meaningful to you now that you’ve been given a whole bunch of ideas about which values might be most important.
· How would you define this value?
· Which actions, activities, and behaviors reflect this value?
· How are you in alignment with this value?
· Where does this value show up in your daily life?
· Why is this value important to you?
· What is it about this value that inspires you?
· Who would you be without this value?
Feel free to create some of your own empowering questions to stimulate the discovery process! Answers are good. Questions are empowering!
The gap between where we are and where we want to be can often be closed by having a better understanding of our values. With a better understanding of our values, we will be in a better position to say yes to everything that’s important to us and no to everything else that’s a distraction. When what we do is aligned with what we say, we can then be congruent in our behavior about what’s most important to us.
If you remember from earlier, we learned that values drive behavior. Let’s move now from concept to construct with some core examples. We will share with you the five core values significant to us and why we chose them to demonstrate the importance of this exercise.
CORE VALUE EXAMPLES
One of the core values of our TEAM at CreateYourQUEST™ is Freedom. A second value important to each of us is Authenticity. Another core value is Courage. The 4th core value critical to the success of our organization is Encouragement. And finally, we turn one FACE into many FACES by adding the “S” of Self-Respect.
When you put these five values together what you get is FACES. We refer to this as our ability to show our FACES to our clients and customers. There are a whole host of other values especially important to all of us at CreateYourQUEST™ but we decided on “FACES” because we wanted something first that was easy to remember, and that more importantly, reflected the true essence of what we see as our collective core values.
As an emerging leader in this field, we felt it important to do the hard work of identifying our core values “Up Front” so that whenever we face a decision as it relates to the company and our future direction, we can come back to our values to help us make a clear choice about what we want to do, where we want to go, and how we want to get there.
We made a pact early on that we would never sacrifice our values in relation to our opportunities. What we collectively decided was that if an opportunity didn’t align with our values, then we would just politely say thank you for the opportunity, but it doesn’t fit with what we’re currently trying to do with the organization right now.
We took it one step further and decided that if we were honoring our values, we would help whoever was asking us to work with them by providing them a referral for an organization we felt could better help them with what they were trying to accomplish.
Let’s take the time to dive a little bit deeper into the five core values of our company as an example, so you have a clear idea of what might be important to you and a frame of reference as you choose your core values for yourself and your organization, or your family, moving forward.
FREEDOM
“When Writing the story of your life don’t let anyone else hold the pen.” ~Harley-Davidson
For us, the importance of this value is best expressed by this quote we use as a guiding principle for decision making. We believe everyone has the ability to write their own story and create their own ending.
The reason we believe freedom is so important is because it leads to an abundance of expression, creativity, and original thought. From this abundance, we experience increased productivity, a sense of fulfillment, an enhanced purpose, a state of well-being, and an overall higher quality of life. We understand freedom as a value that should never be taken for granted. We understand the fragility of freedom.
We hope to communicate the importance of this value. All too often, those who live in freedom tend to ignore just how fragile it is and take it for granted. We hope to reinforce the importance of freedom. We must be free to think, to create, to crowdsource, to collaborate, to build, to come together, to accomplish what none of us could ever hope to achieve alone.
AUTHENTICITY
“Authenticity allows us to engage with each other in powerful dreams that make the impossible possible. We are called on to persevere despite failure and pursue a purpose beyond the paycheck. This is at the core of innovation.” ~Henna Inam
Authenticity is all about being true to ourselves. Being true to ourselves is all about having the courage to define our own version of what it is to be successful. Success absolutely, positively, must be identified individually because what’s success to one person, might be failure to another. Success is discovering the delicate balance between drive, achievement, and self-reflection. The prize, if we’re diligent enough to pursue it, is equanimity which is just another way of saying, mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, especially in a difficult situation.
Authenticity helps us build deeper connection with others. The way we build authenticity is by being willing to let our guard down. Once we are willing to show and share our shortcomings, warts, and all, we give ourselves and others permission to be true to what we really believe. Authenticity is almost a “bearing of our soul” and when we do it without concern for what others might think of us or about us, we in turn create the best opportunity to be true to ourselves, our values, and what’s uniquely important to us, not those around us, but to US!
Innovation is the lifeblood of almost any organization. The only way we will ever be able to completely tap into everyone’s ability to be innovative is when everyone is given permission to be their authentic self. Richard Branson was quoted as saying that “innovation happens when people are given the freedom to ask questions and the resources and power to find the answers.”
COURAGE
“Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.” ~Maya Angelou
The word consistently is often overlooked in the quote above, and we want to make sure that doesn’t happen here. Courage gives us the ability to put aside our fear of failure and to take the first steps. Courage helps us to overcome our fear of rejection. Courage allows us to attempt things that we have not tried before despite our fear of judgment or looking foolish.
It has been said that confidence is important and indeed it is, but without courage, confidence does not exist. We believe courage is more important than confidence because we know that confidence comes from being courageous. Before we will ever be confident, we must first be courageous.
We need confidence to do something that we’ve never done before. And to do something that we’ve never done before will require courage. We need courage to begin something. When we’re attempting something, we’ve never done before, we will experience a feeling of uncertainty.
Courage gives us the ability to move along the continuum from unsure to unstoppable. We believe courage is the secret sauce that allows us to act despite our fears. Confidence is an outcome. It’s a natural result, or the benefit. It’s becoming familiar with our fear and working through the process. Confidence is a one day at a time game, it builds day by day every time we courageously embrace our fear.
Courage allows us to consistently practice all the virtues and values that are important to us because without courage we won’t be able to consistently honor the rest of our values. At some point in time the challenge will be too intense, or the effort required, too much, and without courage, we will give in.
“You can’t be consistently kind, or fair, or humane, or generous, not without courage, because if you don’t have it, sooner or later you’ll stop and say the threat is too much, the difficulty is to too high, the challenge is too great!” ~Maya Angelou
ENCOURAGEMENT
“Hidden within each of us is everything we need to achieve anything we can imagine.” ~Bobby Kountz
One of the greatest lessons on the power of encouragement comes from the story of the letters written by Ralph Waldo Emerson to a young and aspiring writer by the name of Walt Whitman. Had it not been for the encouragement of Emerson, there is an exceptionally good chance that Whitman may have never followed his passion to become the great poet he is known to be.
At CreateYourQUEST™ we are in the encouragement business!
We should never underestimate the value of an encouraging word. One small act of encouragement could be enough to change the entire trajectory of another person’s life. When we offer encouragement, we’re literally speaking courage into another human being. We are empowering them with our words. Encouragement can make all the difference.
Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny… ~C.S. Lewis
SELF-RESPECT
“Respect yourself enough to walk away from anything that no longer serves you, grows you, or makes you happy.” ~Robert Tew
The importance of self-respect cannot be overstated! Having a healthy level of self-respect is what enables us to create the confidence to set clear boundaries for ourselves and others. Malcolm X once said, “If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.” Self-respect means knowing what you stand for and what your values are. It means being aware of both your strengths and weaknesses.
Self-respect is being courageous enough to say no when you need to, and bold enough to say yes when you’re afraid to. It’s saying yes without having all the answers ahead of time. Self-respect allows us to stay to true to our values while still pushing the envelope to take informed risks. Self-respect is developed after experiencing setbacks and failures. It’s a byproduct of resilience. It comes as a result of embracing self-discovery.
Self-respect is knowing who you are, what you believe, and what you are willing to work for and sacrifice for. It’s also knowing what you are not willing to compromise on and then having the courage to stand your ground.
We hope you found some merit in this article that was adapted from the Values Identification Process we take our clients through when they commit to working with us. It’s how we turn our clients into VIP’s!
If you believe we might be able to help you better tell your story to your potential audience and customers, then reach out to us.
You know our values now so it should be an easy decision to at least reach out if you know you need some help telling your empowering story!
We are creating an interest list for our inaugural CreateYourQUEST™ interactive, immersive, appreciative inquiry experience. To learn more, send an email with UNSTOPPABLE in the subject line to unsure2UNSTOPPABLE@gmail.com today!
Advance Confidently is the title of my next book, you will have to wait to celebrate its release as I celebrate my 60th birthday. I have concluded the world doesn’t need another self-help book from me right now, so I am listening to my muse and will write a sci fi personal growth story of self-discovery instead. Hmmm? Almost sounds like a QUEST, right? I believe you will be INSPIRED with the story that chose me to write it! I never saw it coming but now that it’s here, I can’t wait to share it with all of YOU! I know it will be worth the wait because that’s my commitment to you, my readers. Thanks in advance for your trust and patience!
In the meantime, I released a special audio short story on Twitter to commemorate my Independence Day and my 31st year of sobriety. You can watch/listen to the story here ( https://youtu.be/9zP4kk5OTlo ). You can find me on Twitter @bobby_kountz
Keep Pedaling, Keep Going, Keep Growing!
Advance Confidently!
If you enjoyed and found value in this article, please share it.
In Gratitude,
Bobby Kountz, Author, Speaker, Sobriety Scholar, Inspirationalist!
PS. You can find out more about me here. You can find my book on Amazon.
“Everyone has a story to tell, a lesson to teach, and wisdom to share… Life is a beautiful masterpiece bound together by your experiences. Open up and share your story; become an inspiration to others. You can make a difference because you matter. You were created with purpose. Live your life with intention, go out there and make a difference by being the difference.” ~Melanie Koulouris
We are surrounded by stories. They’re everywhere! They are the fabric of life as we know it. Words are the language we use to tell our stories even though they are completely inadequate to describe most of what we experience.
Different stories mean different things to different people. Some people actually believe their lives to be insignificant when viewed through their own eyes. However, when viewed through the eyes of another, what was once boring and insignificant becomes both interesting and inspirational.
If you have ever overcome anything, then you have a story to share. Sometimes even the most insignificant things have a story hidden within what otherwise might have gone completely unnoticed, if not for the details being filled in. The smallest act of kindness can have the most profound effect…
A man was asked to paint a boat. He brought his paint and brushes and began to paint the boat a bright red, as the owner asked him.
While painting, he noticed a small hole in the hull and quietly repaired it.
When he finished painting, he received his money and left.
The next day, the owner of the boat came to the painter and presented him with a nice check, much higher than the payment for painting.
The painter was surprised and said “You’ve already paid me for painting the boat Sir!”
“But this is not for the paint job. It’s for repairing the hole in the boat.”
“Ah! But it was such a small service… Certainly it’s not worth paying me such a high amount for something so insignificant.”
“My dear friend, you do not understand. Let me tell you what happened:
“When I asked you to paint the boat, I forgot to mention the hole.”
“When the boat dried, my kids took the boat and went on a fishing trip.
“They did not know that there was a hole. I was not home at that time.
“When I returned and notice they had taken the boat, I was desperate because I remembered that the boat had a hole.
“Imagine my relief and joy when I saw them returning from fishing.
“Then, I examined the boat and found that you had repaired the hole!
“You see, now, what you did? You saved the life of my children! I do not have enough money to pay your ‘small’ good deed.”
So no matter who, when or how, continue to help, sustain, wipe tears, listen attentively, and carefully repair all the ‘leaks’ you find. You never know when one is in need of us, or when God holds a pleasant surprise for us to be helpful and important to someone.
Along the way, you may have repaired numerous ‘boat holes’ for several people without realizing how many lives you saved.
Make a difference…
Red Boat Story pulled from: bamradionetwork.com by Rita Wirtz, June 19, 2021, who credited the story to: Sharing is Caring, Sweden.
The Red Boat story was shared with me by a friend who knows how much I enjoy both stories and writing. I shared it with a room of individuals who were all moved by the words and now, once again, I am sharing it here with all of you to demonstrate just how significant our insignificant little acts can be…
Never underestimate an act of kindness or generosity. There is no way to measure the effect your words will have on another human being…
One of the elements of my own life story that doesn’t seem overly significant to me now because of the accumulation of years, is my own sobriety story. However, every time someone finds out I’ve accumulated over 31 years of sobriety, one day at a time, they’re almost always in awe. When I explain the days are the natural result of commitment and simply represent the outcome of choosing not to drink one day at a time, they don’t seem any less impressed.
If I hadn’t found the courage to finally tell my story, there might still be people out there thinking that they have to quit drinking forever, and because that seems so overwhelming to them, they never even try. However, when they hear about how I broke it down day by day, particularly in the beginning when it was really hard, then they understand that their commitment is only, “just for today.”
This subtle little difference, this insignificant detail can make all the difference between somebody deciding to make a change in their life versus saying there is no way it’s not worth it, it’s too hard! There is a saying that by the inch it’s a cinch and by the yard it’s hard and that’s totally true. When we take the time to break things down into the smallest components possible, what might originally have seemed overwhelming, is suddenly no great challenge at all and just another story to be told…
If you’ve ever struggled with drugs and alcohol and think there’s no way you could ever quit, please understand that’s simply not the truth. But rather than believe me, I would ask you to think about all the other things that you’ve done that seemed really difficult in your lifetime and simply ask you to think about how you did those difficult things? Each of the difficult things that you’ve ever done have all been done, one day at a time. And before you were ever successful at doing whatever the difficult thing was, you decided first in your mind to do it. You made a commitment. When we make a commitment to ourselves and then keep our promise, all kinds of magical things happen.
One of the greatest benefits of keeping our promises to ourselves is the development of self-esteem. Every promise kept is one step closer to having the kind of self-esteem and self-confidence that would make you, UNSTOPPABLE! The way that we go from unsure to UNSTOPPABLE, is by keeping our promises to ourselves, not all at once, but one day at a time.
The key to life is to keep the promises you make to yourself, one day at a time. It’s impossible to keep the promise of whatever it is that you’ve said you’ll do tomorrow, today. But when tomorrow comes, you have to show up, and you have to do the hard work, and you have to stay the course. And when you do, you will have done whatever needed to be done that day, and you will have kept your promise to yourself, and you will have built another layer into the process of becoming absolutely, UNSTOPPABLE!
Self-confidence is a one day at a time game. We build our confidence one day at a time with each and every promise we keep to ourselves. Once we get good at keeping promises to ourselves, then we can slowly begin to make and keep promises to others as well. As we do, our self-esteem grows, and when it does, we begin to believe that we can do almost anything, one day at a time. Suddenly, we understand that the only thing we ever must do is what’s immediately in front of us.
When we live in the now, when we live in the present, we can do, be, or become almost anything we choose. All skills are learnable. Simply ask yourself what’s between where you are now and whatever it is you ultimately want. Then, get busy closing the gap that exists between where you are and whatever it is you desire by accumulating all the skills and abilities necessary to close the gap, not overnight, but by steady, persistent, commitment, one day at a time…
“One day at a time” is a philosophy for success. One day at a time is a philosophy for living in the present. When we live each day with intention, with purpose, with commitment, we give ourselves the best chance to be our best. We are always best when we are in the now, when we are present.
If you ever find yourself up against the wall and feeling like there’s no way you can get through whatever’s in front of you, just remember, as my friend Michael reminds me on a regular basis, you can always come back to your breath. When we breathe, when we slow down, when we think, we ground ourselves in the present moment which allows us to block out the past and keeps us from worrying about the future.
Every time you struggle, remember, just come back to your breath. When we remember to breathe, we find the energy we need to do whatever is in front of us, we find the energy to do hard things.
Hard things are done one breath at a time. Hard things are done “one day at a time!” We can do hard things when we remember to breathe!
What’s your story?
Advance Confidently is the title of my next book, you will have to wait to celebrate its release as I celebrate my 60th birthday. I have concluded the world doesn’t need another self-help book from me right now, so I am listening to my muse and will write a sci fi personal growth story of self-discovery instead. Hmmm? Almost sounds like a QUEST, right? I believe you will be INSPIRED with the story that chose me to write it! I never saw it coming but now that it’s here, I can’t wait to share it with all of YOU! I know it will be worth the wait because that’s my commitment to you, my readers. Thanks in advance for your trust and patience!
In the meantime, I released a special audio short story on Twitter to commemorate my Independence Day and my 31st year of sobriety. You can watch/listen to the story here ( https://youtu.be/9zP4kk5OTlo ). You can find me on Twitter @bobby_kountz
Keep Pedaling, Keep Going, Keep Growing!
Advance Confidently!
If you enjoyed and found value in this article, please share it.
In Gratitude,
Bobby Kountz, Author, Speaker, Sobriety Scholar, Inspirationalist!
PS. You can find out more about me here. You can find my book on Amazon.
