Thursday, September 3, 2009

This Event was One of those "Life-Changing Moments"



By zoe.tennesen
Published on September 03, 2009

At the risk of sounding melodramatic, this event was one of those life-changing moment kinds of things. Their office was abuzz with excitement and spilling over with people, mostly in suits, laughing and enjoying wine and hors d’oeuvres delivered by waiters strolling by in penguin suits. It was a much-anticipated shindig that Elizabeth, Emily, KyLea and I were excited about attending, to be sure. The host, Viverae, a corporate wellness programs provider, spared no expense, and the scene was set for a magnificent night.

We mingled ‘til we tingled. Just when I thought the night couldn’t get any better (I’m a sucker for pot stickers and chardonnay), they introduced their guest speaker. It was
Bob Beaudine, nationally acclaimed motivational keynote, top executive sports recruiter, and author of “The Power of Who”. Through a series of entertaining stories and morsels of real-life truths, he gave us a taste of the book – and I couldn’t wait to get home with my autographed copy and chew on the meat.

I had to chew slowly. It’s not like
Twilight, where you can burn through three chapters during a commercial break. It’s one of those things you have to take in slowly to experience its full power, like a burning red sunset on a secluded beach. But if you do that, the payoff is big.

I’ve gotten so much mileage out of this book that it’s literally transformed my thinking and approach to nearly every relationship in my life. We’re talking paradigm-shifting and all kinds of
woah moments. If you don’t believe me, just look at my book – it’s full of ketchup stains from reading it at lunch, water stains from reading in the pool, half a highlighter’s ink worth of goodness called out, and about twenty dog-eared pages. (Bob – can I have a fresh copy?)

Here are just a few of the golden nuggets I culled from his pages (mostly paraphrased, so don’t be
underwhelmed. It’s really much, much better):

• Each of us has an assignment, a purpose, and a dream all our own that we need to discover or rediscover. Pursue this dream fearlessly. Go back to childhood or pay attention to where your mind leads you during the day. What are you passionate about that you forgot along the way while trying to survive?

• How do you accomplish this dream? Forget networking – you already know everyone you need to know. Who are these people? They are your friends, and just as you would do anything for them (I literally scaled a wall once to help my friend get some moving boxes from a dumpster!), they will bend over backwards for you.

• When searching for something, your friends are much more likely than strangers to help you out… but you have to ask! Share your vision with your friends. You’ll be amazed at what pops up and who they know. One phone call to a friend, and you’re on your way!

• Expect opposition. Beaudine states, “There are many more paths that lead to failure than there are that lead to success.” It’s a lot easier to go the way most traveled, but not always the best way for you. If inventing the light bulb were an easy task, it would have been done on the ark. But it took persistence by someone with a vision and a dream to make it happen. Sure, Edison encountered opposition from people who told him it couldn’t be done. That’s what makes his invention so much more appreciable.

• Don’t be
scared of the unknown. It’s a beautiful open field full of buried gold. Dance around in it in until you find it.

So what’s my dream? It’s still in the making, and I say that because I consider myself one of the fortunate few who is already living it, for the most part. I get to create stuff and dream up ideas and ads and taglines, and as long as I get to be creative I’m happy. But it’s definitely given me a clarity of vision about my goals for the future, and has imparted in me an urgent desire to foster friendships that I candidly have not taken care with. People are the most important and valuable assets any of us have – whether on a personal level or professional. So cultivating these relationships is not something we can afford to push aside.

I think this book will do amazing things for anyone who reads it – especially if you’re willing to do the hard soul-searching stuff. It pays off tremendously.

And next time you’re stuck at a dead end – whether laid off of your job, struggling with physical challenges, or searching to find your purpose on earth – just remember, you’re not alone. You Got Who!

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