Saturday, March 22, 2008

Curious about Being a Catalyst: Who or What Have Been Catalysts for You? And How Important Have They Been?

Definitions: (1) Something that causes activity between two or more persons or forces without itself being affected. (2) A person or thing that precipitates an event or change: His imprisonment by the government served as the catalyst that helped transform social unrest into revolution. (3) A person whose talk, enthusiasm, or energy causes others to be more friendly, enthusiastic, or energetic.

A catalyst, of course, is a force that creates change. To live one’s life to full potential means being a catalyst for one’s own creativity, projects, life’s purpose, etc. The secret to being a catalyst is to be someone whose energy, thoughts, and intention accelerate those processes – rather than one whose energy, thoughts, and intentions cause plateaus or backward movements.” – Dr. Ellie Drake, savvy business woman

I chose this week’s blog theme because of what I have already learned from Dr. Ellie Drake’s transformational program, It’s Easier Done than Said.

Let me back up a bit. I found about Ellie and NetWEB marketing in December 2007. She partnered with Mike Filsaime and her husband, Charlie, to create a marketing plan for those who have been involved with Network Marketing but disappointed and concerned that we weren’t making use of Web Marketing.

Being impressed with the plan, I joined as a charter NetWEB marketer and signed up for the February Bootcamp to be held by the Drakes and their team in Atlanta. I became even more impressed with Ellie and Charlie so purchased her program and have also posted a WebNet website sponsored by them. Yes, they have served as catalysts for me and my life and intentions.

Who or what have served or are serving as catalysts in your life and/or businesses? I am curious to hear.

I know you will find the following quotations fascinating:
  • Painful as it may be, a significant emotional event can be the catalyst for choosing a direction that serves us-and those around us - more effectively. Look for the learning.” - Louisa May Alcott, American novelist
  • I'm a catalyst for change. You can't be an outsider and be successful over 30 years without leaving a certain amount of scar tissue around the place.” - Rupert Murdoch, American publisher
  • A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events and outcomes. It is a catalyst and it sparks extraordinary results.” - Wade Boggs, American athlete
  • The civil rights movement would experience many important victories, but Rosa Parks will always be remembered as its catalyst.” - Jim Costa, American politician
  • There is a growing acceptance and interest in publicly funded school choice as a catalyst for education reform in general and a way to empower parents to be education reformers.” - John T. Walton, American businessman

And a few more:

  • And I wound up in New Orleans for all those years and it was a great place, really a catalyst creatively.” - Jimmy Buffett, American musician
  • I've just taught thousands of people over the radio in the USA how to mend broken watches and broken house appliances. I am a catalyst or trigger to access these powers.” - Uri Geller, Israeli entertainer
  • Technology is similarly just a catalyst at times for fundamental forces already present.” - Scott Cook, American businessman
  • To them though, not to us, we were just a catalyst for their imagination.” - Donald Sutherland, Canadian actor
  • The LSD situation is only a catalyst to the brain, as the brain has all that stuff anyway, because it's the subconscious that comes out.” - Noel Redding, English musician

And, my all time favorite:

Yes, exercise is the catalyst. That's what makes everything happen: your digestion, your elimination, your sex life, your skin, hair, everything about you depends on circulation. And how do you increase circulation?” - Jack LaLanne, American athlete

Let me hear what you think and have also experienced.