Apologies to all for the long delay in sending our newsletter.  I'll spare you the “story” about our technical difficulties with both layout and list.  For now, we're going to “keep it simple” until we find a way around the spam filters that are preventing delivery of many types of e mails … including this one!

I've been highlighting my thoughts about Balance Point's “Eight Elements of Personal and Organizational Effectiveness” and this month we're up to number six …..

Participate 100% – this is about fully “showing up” in all aspects of your own life, personally and professionally.

We'll also share some favorite quotes and other stuff!

Be extraordinary!

Robert

P. S.  If you're new to the e zine, and would like past copies including the first five “Elements”, just e mail me personally at Robert@BalancePointInternational.com   I'll send them right out to you.

A Balance Point monthly eZine dedicated to assisting people in living extraordinary lives and creating extraordinary organizations.

We encourage you to forward this message to friends or colleagues who want to be more effective in working with people. They can subscribe to future issues and receive our free 23 page report “ Simple Truths and Enduring Values – The Eight Elements of Personal and Organizational Effectiveness,” at http://www.extraordinarypeople.com/ezine/subscribe.htm.

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In this issue:

• Feature:  Participate 100%!
• Extraordinary Wisdom Quotes of the Month
• The Balance Point “Executive Coach” for extraordinary results
• Rave Recommendations from Balance Point
• Extraordinary Living Action Steps

Number 6 in Balance Point's Eight Elements of Personal and Professional Growth

I moved in 1971 from relatively conservative Wisconsin to “crazy California”.  I learned about Buddhist teacher Ram Dass' teaching to “be here now”.  I wasn't sure what it meant but it seemed a good idea!

When Balance Point teaches participation as a key to successful living, we mean more than having your consciousness present.  Balance Point's approach is an extension of “be here now” that includes personal action—total involvement.  When your level of engagement with projects and people goes up, the level of productivity soars and whatever you're doing becomes incredibly enjoyable. 

Behaviors like sitting back, judging and analyzing have their own place at the right time.  They can also result in a lack of creativity, reduced energy (for you and those with you) and “no fun”.  Think back to when you were totally involved in something important to you—participating 100%.  What happened?  Probably others listened and spoke from their passions, problems were solved and decisions got made.  Just one person choosing to participate 100% can make an incredible difference and you can be that person.

We live in a culture increasingly drawn to spectator sports and other passive activities.  When we slip into them as a metaphor for the way we show up in life, there's a strong tendency to become spectators when the need is for 100% participation.  There's a world of difference between watching things happen and making things happen. 

I love the energy and idea expressed in the African fable:

"Every morning, a gazelle wakes up and knows that it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed.  Every morning a lion wakes up and knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve.  It doesn't matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle:  When the sun comes up, you'd better be running!"

There's only one you, only one person with your unique set of skills, awareness and passions.  Bring that person into your every interaction and you'll see, sense and feel the positive difference in your accomplishments.  We'll come back and participate 100% with you by sharing some final thoughts in our Balance Point Action Steps at the end of this message.

Our theme this month is “Participate 100%!” so here are a few of my favorite quotes on that subject.

My friend John Drury is a successful marketing executive, a skilled facilitator of executive retreats and a spiritually attuned artist.  He's placed his inspiring words and artistic output on a website for all to enjoy and learn from.

When you have a moment to contemplate or when you're facing some specific block or barrier to optimum functioning as a human being in any of your roles, I recommend you browse his website at

http://www.fullyalive360.com

Let me know your experience of John's simple, yet profound contribution to us all.  I've found it helpful and inspiring.

Participate 100%!

1.  There's only one you, only one person with your unique set of skills, awareness and passions.  Bring that person into your every interaction and you'll see, sense and feel the positive difference in your accomplishments.

2.  Identify the people and circumstances where you naturally participate 100%.  Get a clear sense, a feeling for that experience, and have it be your model for all of your interactions.

3. Also identify the people and circumstances that trigger you not being at 100%.  Resolve to “act as if” you were participating 100%.  Resolve also to clear up any issues with that person or circumstance that get in the way of your being at 100%.

4.  Make a commitment to yourself:  you and the others in your life deserve and want you to be fully present, to participate 100% in your life and work.  Just do it!

Wishing you an Extraordinary Life and Extraordinary Organizations,

Robert

Robert White
Balance Point

P. O. Box 40405
Denver , CO 80204
Phone: 1-425-803-0303
E-mail: Robert@BalancePointInternational.com

http://www.BalancePointInternational.com

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