Curious about Energy: How Much Do You Have? How Do You Get More and/or Maintain It?

“The higher your energy level, the more efficient your body the better you feel and the more you will use your talent to produce outstanding results.” - Tony Robbins, American author

“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening, that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique.” - Martha Graham, American dancer

A lot of writers about business and entrepreneurship are extolling the virtues of energy – having it, using it, and maintaining it.

I count myself as being one of the lucky ones. I have always had lots of energy. I especially relate to the following statement by the British athlete Roger Bannister, the first to break the four minute mile, “I was always a great bundle of energy. As a child, instead of walking, I would run. And so running, which is a pain to a lot of people, was always a pleasure to me because it was so easy.”

After he broke it, many more did the same, even in that first following year. And, yes, from his statement, some could say that it was a natural for him. It certainly helped that he enjoyed running and felt that it was “so easy.” I feel, however, that a good part of our level of energy not only comes from enjoying what we do and our mindset, but also from what we eat and the shape in which we keep our bodies.

Our family mantra – repeated over and over again by my mother – was, “We are what we eat.” The American actress, Marilu Henner, sums it up, ““Foods high in bad fats, sugar and chemicals are directly linked to many negative emotions, whereas whole, natural foods rich in nutrients - foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes - contribute to greater energy and positive emotions.”

I teach eleven group fitness classes a week, seven of which are to seniors 65 and older. It is obvious that those who enjoy life, eat sensibly and give the exercise their all, enjoy an abundance of energy.

When I checked out the quotations about energy, I was sure that the majority would address environmental energy and/or energy sources. I was delighted to find a large number that were concerned with our own energy. Here are a few:

• “Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.” - Oprah Winfrey, American entertainer
• “Enthusiasm is the energy and force that builds literal momentum of the human soul and mind.” - Bryant H. McGill, American poet
• “Many people worry so much about managing their careers, but rarely spend half that much energy managing their LIVES. I want to make my life, not just my job, the best it can be. The rest will work itself out.” - Reese Witherspoon, American actress
• “We weren't put here to be miserable. We were put here to do the best we can, and we should take our energy and improve our state of being.” - Lenny Kravitz, American musician
• “In times of great stress or adversity, it's always best to keep busy, to plow your anger and your energy into something positive.” - Lee Iacocca, American businessman
• “When you are in the valley, keep your goal firmly in view and you will get the renewed energy to continue the climb.” - Denis Waitley, American writer

And three more to think about during this coming week:

• “The average person puts only 25% of his energy and ability into his work. The world takes off its hat to those who put in more than 50% of their capacity, and stands on its head for those few and far between souls who devote 100%.” - Andrew Carnegie, American businessman
• “Just as your car runs more smoothly and requires less energy to go faster and farther when the wheels are in perfect alignment, you perform better when your thoughts, feelings, emotions, goals, and values are in balance.” - Brian Tracy, American writer
• “Energy and persistence conquer all things.” - Benjamin Franklin, American statesman

So, how much energy do you have? I suggest you make a list – you know how I like lists – of those factors that give you energy. And also a list of those that take or sap your energy. Just being aware will provide the clarity of what you need to change or even do more of.

Curious about Potential: We All Have Plenty. So Why Are We Not Using Our Full Potential?

Definition of Potential: Being potent; endowed with energy adequate to a result; efficacious; influential. Existing in possibility, not in actuality. Anything that may be possible; a possibility; potentially.

“We can reach our potential, but to do so, we must reach within ourselves. We must summon the strength, the will, and the faith to move forward - to be bold - to invest in our future.” - John Hoeven, American politician

If we’ve heard it once, we have heard it over and over again. Few of us ever use our whole – or even a good amount of our potential. I started thinking about this yesterday while and after watching a terrific video starring my favorite inspirational mentor, Tony Robbins, and two of the best Internet marketers – Frank Kern and John Reese.

Kern and Reese were asking Tony why it is that so many purchasers of programs and/or attendees to pricey seminars never get started using the material. Robbins explained it this way with four boxes – two on top and two below. The first in the upper left was our potential. We all have lots. The second box in the upper right has the actions we take – usually weak because of fears of failure and making fools of ourselves. On the bottom right is the results box. These are weak because of the lack of strong actions. This box points to the bottom left box which holds our beliefs.

And, of course, the weak results just enforce the belief that we can’t succeed, leading back up to our potential. Now, we question our potential. And the vicious cycle has begun even though we all have the potential we need. As Robbins points out, we must realize and believe that it takes guts to succeed. Plus, we must have the certainty that we can and will do what it takes. We do have the requisite potential.

As you can imagine, there were many, many quotations about potential. Let’s share a few:

• “Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” -Leo Buscaglia, American author
• “Every day, people settle for less than they deserve. They are only partially living or at best living a partial life. Every human being has the potential for greatness.” - Bo Bennett, American businessman
• “I am here for a purpose and that purpose is to grow into a mountain, not to shrink to a grain of sand. Henceforth will I apply ALL my efforts to become the highest mountain of all and I will strain my potential until it cries for mercy.” - Og Mandino, American writer
• “If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be 'meetings.'” - Dave Barry, American journalist
• “In all realms of life it takes courage to stretch your limits, express your power, and fulfill your potential... it's no different in the financial realm.” - Suze Orman, American author
• “Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential.” - Winston Churchill, English statesman

And a couple more to consider:

“The number one benefit of information technology is that it empowers people to do what they want to do. It lets people be creative. It lets people be productive. It lets people learn things they didn't think they could learn before, and so in a sense it is all about potential.” - Steve Ballmer, American businessman

“We need to steer clear of this poverty of ambition, where people want to drive fancy cars and wear nice clothes and live in nice apartments but don't want to work hard to accomplish these things. Everyone should try to realize their full potential.” - Barack Obama, American President

So, will you start using more of your potential? I know that I will!

Curious about Expression: So Many Different Types and Means of Expression. How Well Do You and I Express Ourselves and Our Ideas?

Definition of Expression : The act of declaring or signifying; declaration; utterance; as, an expression of the public will. (2) Lively or vivid representation of meaning, sentiment, or feeling, etc.; significant and impressive indication, whether by language, appearance, or gesture; that manner or style which gives life and suggestive force to ideas and sentiments; as, he reads with expression; her performance on the piano has expression. (3) That which is expressed by a countenance, a posture, a work of art, etc.; look, as indicative of thought or feeling.

“Freedom of expression is the matrix, the indispensable condition, of nearly every other form of freedom.” - Benjamin Cardozo, American judge

“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening, that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique.” - Martha Graham, American dancer

I chose “Expression” for this week’s theme, because in all of my careers, I am noticing my various means of expressing thoughts, feelings, ideas, emotions, beliefs, and much, much more. I have also noticed the expressions of the people I come in contact with – students, friends, family members, Internet contacts, club members, strangers, those I meet through networking, and again, many, many more.

And, there are also the non-verbal expressions of my surroundings. The apartment that I live in which exhibits a good amount of my artwork, the modern furnishings that I love, the prints on the walls that express the work of my favorite artists, the colors that speak to me, and more. I have a small garden which not only expresses my love of flowers, it shows that I grow and enjoy vegetables – especially tomatoes.

I notice too, that when we speak and/or write words, what we are trying to express can easily be misinterpreted by the receivers. There is a fine line between enthusiasm and pushiness, between subtle marketing and over zealous selling.

I urge you to consider the reactions you receive from others. Are they smiling because they are experiencing your smiling expression. Or did something you said made them angry or confused?

When I searched for useful quotations using expression, I found 14 pages, each holding at least 20 great quotations. Many referred to “freedom of expression,” others to art and performance. Let’s consider a few:

• “A picture is the expression of an impression. If the beautiful were not in us, how would we ever recognize it?” - Ernst Haas, Austrian photographer
• “I wish I had invented blue jeans. They have expression, modesty, sex appeal, simplicity - all I hope for in my clothes.” - Yves Saint Laurent, French designer
• “A woman whose smile is open and whose expression is glad has a kind of beauty no matter what she wears.” - Anne Roiphe, American author
• “If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all.” - Noam Chomsky, American activist
• “Success in any endeavor depends on the degree to which it is an expression of your true self.” - Ralph S. Marston, Jr., American motivator
• “Feelings or emotions are the universal language and are to be honored. They are the authentic expression of who you are at your deepest place.” - Judith Wright, Australian poet

And a couple more to chew upon:

“A man of genius has a right to any mode of expression.” - Ezra Pound, American poet

“Young players need freedom of expression to develop as creative players... they should be encouraged to try skills without fear of failure.” - Arsene Wenger, French coach

I feel that we all should be encouraged to try skills without fear of failure. How is your expression skill? How about updating it? Let me know how it works for you.

Curious about Rejection: How Do You Deal with It? What’s Good about It?

“A rejection is nothing more than a necessary step in the pursuit of success.” - Bo Bennett, American businessman

“Don't let anyone, or any rejection, keep you from what you want.” - Ashley Tisdale, American actress

You may be wondering why I picked rejection - such a negative word for this week’s theme. I ask you, though, whether it really is so negative? I have been listening to many audio tapes lately. Several deal with writing, others with speaking and presenting, and several with sales and selling.

As you can imagine they all mention rejection. They don’t downplay the importance of experiencing rejection – everyone does experience it. It is how we react that is the important and lasting part.

As the American author James Lee Burke says, “There's nothing like rejection to make you do an inventory of yourself.”

All well known writers usually share that they have had enough rejection slips to wallpaper a large room. Many times meeting planners are choosing between several speakers. Just because you are one of the rejected speakers doesn’t mean that you are lacking. It just means that you might not fit as well with that audience. Storytelling festival planners face the same challenges and excellent storytellers are not always the first choice. And, finally, in the field of selling, I would wager to say that more potential sales people drop out because of the fear of and dislike for rejection.

I submit to you that rejection can be viewed as character building, a learning experience, and clarification of a situation. You and I have interviewed for jobs and not gotten them. I have met with potential clients and proposed websites that haven’t been chosen. And, if like me, you have been involved with network and/or multi-level marketing, you know that the rejection can be brutal.

It is not easy, but accepting rejection is like falling off a horse. You just get back up, dust yourself off, and get back on the horse.

How about some more quotations from the experts:

• “Through my illness I learned rejection. I was written off. That was the moment I thought, Okay, game on. No prisoners. Everybody's going down.” - Lance Armstrong, American athlete
• “Retirement may be looked upon either as a prolonged holiday or as a rejection, a being thrown on to the scrap-heap.” - Simone de Beauvoir, French writer
• “Some actors couldn't figure out how to withstand the constant rejection. They couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel.” - Harrison Ford, American actor
• “I wrote poems in my corner of the Brooks Street station. I sent them to two editors who rejected them right off. I read those letters of rejection years later and I agreed with those editors.” - Carl Sandburg, American poet
• “It was the worst period of my life. I had all this gigantic acceptance as a kid, and all of a sudden there was this monumental rejection.” - Tommy Rettig, American actor“
• I had immediate success in the sense that I sold something right off the bat. I thought it was going to be a piece of cake and it really wasn't. I have drawers full of - or I did have - drawers full of rejection slips.” - Fred Saberhagen, American author

A couple more to chew upon during these coming weeks – that is, if you experience any rejection:

“I really wish I was less of a thinking man and more of a fool not afraid of rejection.” - Billy Joel, American musician

“I take rejection as someone blowing a bugle in my ear to wake me up and get going, rather than retreat.” - Sylvester Stallone, American actor

What kind of rejection have you dealt with? What was good about it? And what was bad? I would love to hear from you.

Curious about Superstition: Yes, We All Have Them. What Are Yours?

Definition of Superstition: An excessive reverence for, or fear of, that which is unknown or mysterious. Belief in the direct agency of superior powers in certain extraordinary or singular events, or in magic, omens, prognostics, or the like.

“Superstition is foolish, childish, primitive and irrational - but how much does it cost you to knock on wood?” - Judith Viorst, American author

“Although I myself don't go to church or synagogue, I do, whether it's superstition or whatever, pray every time I get on a plane. I just automatically do it. I say the same thing every time.” Barbara Walters, American journalist

I don’t know how you feel about superstition, but I do feel that whether or not we admit it, most of us would agree with Judith Viorst.

On Friday, I posted my suggestion using a traditional superstition for the first day of the month. This had been shared with me a while back by one of my favorite storytellers, Kathryn Windham, who comes from Selma, Alabama. She said that before you get out of bed on the first day of the month, you should yell out, “Rabbit, Rabbit.” This will bring you good luck for the whole month. My Facebook friends’ reactions were varied, and several thought I was a bit crazy.

So, for this blog, I thought it would be fun to investigate superstition. I was surprised by the strong feelings when I searched the quotations. There were quite a few that mentioned religion and others that linked it to ignorance and even to fear.

“A belief which leaves no place for doubt is not a belief; it is a superstition.” - Jose Bergamin, Spanish writer – is that true?

“You'll find superstition a contagious thing. Some people let it get the better of them.” - Curt Siodmak, German novelist

As I started to consider my own superstitions, and I am not what most would call a “superstitious person,” I realized that Bergamin might not call a lot of my beliefs superstitions, but I am close. I believe in the power of Feng Shui – I do have a goldfish in my wealth area. And I agree with the American actor, Gil Gerard, “I have a superstition about saying too much about what I want to happen, just in case it all disappears, or someone else comes along and beats me to it.”

Here are a few of the many interesting quotations I found:

• “There is a fifth dimension, beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition.” - Rod Serling, American writer
• “I had only one superstition. I made sure to touch all the bases when I hit a home run.” - Babe Ruth, American athlete
• “The only foes that threaten America are the enemies at home, and these are ignorance, superstition and incompetence.” - Elbert Hubbard, American writer
• “Superstition is the poetry of life.” - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, German poet
• “I'm a third done into a new book but sorry - I have a superstition about talking about it!” - Joanna Trollope, English novelist
• “Conscience without judgment is superstition.” - Benjamin Whichcote, British philosopher

As we learn more and more about our world, our brains, and our beliefs, I urge you to remember the following quotation:

“Superstition? Who can define the boundary line between the superstition of yesterday and the scientific fact of tomorrow?” - Garrett Fort, American writer

And I wonder if you my readers have superstitions. It would be fun to share a few. Let me hear from you.