Your Lifeline Can be More than a Dash

Hello, My name is Bill Blake, and today I would like to talk with you about your potential - and the relationship of your lifeline to that potential. In this world we have but one life to live – a limited amount of time that we can spend any way we want – we have been given that choice. But once we have left this world, we will be remembered for the life we did live – not the one we hoped for. When you visit a cemetery you realize that it is a place of memories - of lives lived and loves lost. Within the cemetery will be many headstones - marked by a name and two dates separated by a dash. Some of you may recall the poem by Linda Ellis, entitled – “The Dash”; where a person’s life, here on earth, is related to the dash that appears between the two dates on a headstone. But what that dash represents is quite different for each one of us. We have all been given gifts – lots of them, but we have also been given the gift of choice, and it is the choices we make that will determine how we will be remembered. So let’s take that small dash and convert it into a lifeline. We arrive, and sometime later, we leave. The length of the time line does not matter. We have no control of that. What does matter is what we do with the time we have left. Let us assume that this is where we are today on our life line! Everything up to this point is our past – we can do nothing about the past – it is gone. But we can learn from it! Where we are now is the sum total of all the events of our past! We have had experiences, we have developed some skills, and we have accumulated some knowledge. It has prepared us for what we are today! This side represents our potential – whatever time each of us has left – and how we will be remembered. It is this side that matters now! This is where we need to focus! The future is our potential - and as Marshall Goldsmith has said, “What got you here will not necessarily get you there.” It is a time where we must make choices, and if they are wise choices, we will thrill to our achievements, and we can become a peak performer This is how it works – first a vision - then a plan, and then take action There is an old proverb that says “A vision without a plan is just a dream. A plan without a vision is just drudgery. But a vision with a plan and action can change the world.” Your vision serves to clarify what you want and where you wish to go Your planning serves to focus your attention on how you will get there And your action plan is the execution part of the process – that leads to achievement and success So to begin – begin at the beginning Develop a clear and articulate vision of what you want to accomplish. Do your research, identify your strengths and weaknesses, your opportunities and the threats you will face. Make it clear, and write it down Then develop your plan. Establish your goals. Make them complete with achievement criteria, and time lines Then, and most importantly, put your plan into motion. It is now up to you – do not let your vision die because you lacked the courage to take action. The key to your success will be: To give your vision and your plan your undivided attention each day. Keep up to date with new technology – the tools of change that you must master! And celebrate your successes – use rewards, and positive self-reinforcement And do not be afraid to ask for help. The best athletes in the world use a coach. You can too. Visit our website and peruse the tools we have to assist you. Our URL is in the bottom left corner of this screen. Some of you may have seen the movie – “The Soul Surfer” It is an excellent movie about a young girl surfer who gets her arm bitten off by a shark. In spite of her loss she is determined to surf competitively again. Her father advises her that it won’t be easy. Her response is: “I don’t need easy. I just need possible” And with that determination and plenty of work she does achieve her vision. Just remember that the path to success is to: Conceive the vision Believe that it is possible and make the necessary plans and, then put your plan into action and achieve your earned rewards Thanks for watching this short video And remember these words of Brian Tracy: “The great difference between high achievement and failure in life is contained in your willingness to launch in the direction of your goal, even when your information is incomplete” Have a great journey!