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Holiday Greetings from snowy Colorado, USA! I pray that all the blessings that life has to offer are "present" for you today and always.
A note and request for AOL users: Please add Robert@BalancePointInternational.com to your address book so you have no trouble receiving future issues!
It's been very satisfying to learn that many readers wanted copies of Balance Point's "Eight Elements of Personal and Organizational Effectiveness" in a single Word file- that offer is still open. Just
e mail a reply and mention the Eight Elements.
This month's feature completes the series with Element #8, Commitment - to do what it takes to be your word - which is perhaps the most important Element of all, with deep meaning personally and professionally.
We'll also share some favorite quotes and other great ideas so read on and enjoy!
Be extraordinary!
Robert
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.
We have a very simple privacy policy: We do not share any information about any subscriber with anyone outside Balance Point for any reason or at any time. Period.
In this issue:
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Feature: Commit!
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Extraordinary Wisdom Quotes of the Month
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Rave Recommendations from Balance Point
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Extraordinary Living Action Steps
Number 8 in Balance Point's Eight Elements
of Personal and Professional Growth
John F. Kennedy was quoted as saying "There are risks and costs to action. But they are far less than the long range risks of comfortable inaction."
It is only by being "in action" that we can create the results we want in life, including the creation of an extraordinary life experience and results.
What keeps you from taking action? Generally it's because you try to be reasonable. You think it through. You stick your toe in the water. You check out how others react. All very reasonable steps to take and I'm certainly not advocating that you do dangerous things. It's just that by being reasonable you run the risk of being distracted by events that have more enjoyment or short-term importance and you get off the track toward what you really want to create.
When you are committed you deal with what's most important to you in your life. For example, imagine knocking on a house door and getting no response, though you feel sure someone is home.
You wait a reasonable amount of time, then leave.
Now imagine there is a raging fire being wind driven across the yard towards the house. Your urgency, your compassion and demand for a result is engaged. You bang on the door while shouting, "Fire! Get out!" Your level of commitment brings action that brings the occupants quickly to the door and their lives are saved.
But what if there is no emergency in your life? What if no external force shouts you into action
consistent with your priorities? Then where does your commitment come from?
Creating an extraordinary life requires a 100% commitment. Not 99%. In practice, 99% is the same as zero. 100%. Find a purpose, vision and the actions that deserve a 100% commitment and your entire experience of life will change. Helen Keller said "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all." And her life is clearly a model of an extraordinary life we could learn from.
Our commitment to you includes asking some pointed questions in our Balance Point Action Steps at the end of this message so read on... 
Extraordinary Wisdom
Quotes of the Month |
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Our theme this month is "Commit" so here are a few of my favorite quotes on that subject.
"Pain is temporary, it may last a minute, or an hour, for a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever. That surrender, even the smallest act of giving up, stays with me. So when I feel like quitting, I ask myself, which would I rather live with? Facing up to that question, and finding a way to go on, is the real reward, better than any trophy . . ."
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Lance Armstrong |
"Then where does your intention come from? Nothing can resist the human will that will stake even its existence on its stated purpose."
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Benjamin Disraeli |
"We have to understand that the world can only be grasped by action, not by contemplation. The hand is more important than the eye. The hand is the cutting edge of the mind."
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Jacob Bronowski |
| Extraordinary Recommendation from Balance Point |
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The weekend after Thanksgiving I spent some time reflecting on my many blessings. Among them are many friends who inspire, educate, confront and love me. I'm proud that one of them is Mark Albion, "Dr. Mark" to his many readers and students.
Dr. Mark left a tenured professorship at Harvard Business School to follow his own path. His books, recordings and e zine are great tools for the person wanting to create a career that matches his or her deeper purpose and vision. You can obtain his best-selling book "Making a Life, Making A Living®: Reclaiming Your Purpose and Passion in Business and in Life" or you could purchase "Finding Work That Matters", a 3-CD audio program. Both are available on his Website!
http://www.makingalife.com
You can also register for Dr. Mark's free monthly newsletter - one of my personal favorites for its inspiring, positive and spiritual tone.
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Extraordinary Living Action Steps |
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Commit!
What are you committed to in 2004? Some important and possibly useful questions here are:
"What life purpose or vision is so important to me that it engages me at physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels?
What would cause me to tingle with excitement and anticipation?
What idea would not let go of me until I figured it out?
What would automatically bring forth overwhelmingly positive feelings?
What would mean so much to me that it would resonate within at a very deep level?"
Write and let me know of your process, your commitments and your results...for 2004 or anytime! 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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Subscribe at:
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