Commitment: Your Path to Freedom by Stephen McGhee

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How does one become extraordinary? Answer-: By Being ordinary.

I remember my first real job. I was sitting in the new employee orientation program. I was wearing my new uncomfortable shoes. Man, they were shiny. Hurt like hell…but shiny new…a moment in time…dreams of being extraordinary. The President of the Bank came in to talk with us. His shoes were even shinier than mine. He inspired me…and I thought one day I want to impact people like that. I want to shine…I too wanted to be extraordinary. However, how does one become extraordinary? How does one make a shiny difference in life and business?

On that day I knew I had much to learn. I still do…after 25 years of experience, mistakes, and willingness to be ordinary. What you say? Being ordinary…is the key to the extraordinary. I have seen myself and others go for extraordinary results on many occasions. Sometimes those results are attained and sometimes they are not. However, for most of my coaching clients and world class teams the Extra-Ordinary results have come from a consistent focus on the ordinary things that make business and life exceptional. I ask you to consider the freedom in the ordinary. I used to find that focus boring or less than adventuresome…and man oh man was I ever off course. I must say that even on the Wilderness trips that I have led the most amazing experiences came from a team of us devoted to the discipline of putting one foot in front of the other to summit our extraordinary peaks.

So if someone were to say to you. Are you an extraordinary person? You may swallow hard…and chirp out a vibrant YES….I too am special. Some part of us knows the beauty and power of Living as a Miracle Leader comes from the simple ordinary result of applying ourselves in a fearless fashion each and every day. Sure I think there are brief shining moments of glory as an Olympic athlete wins his 4th gold medal. That my friends is amazing…and it came from early morning swim meets…training day in and day out and ordinary thoughts .The question I pose is this: Are you willing to do ordinary things to have an exceptional result?

I find most people want the result without the effort or the focus. Don’t be a dummy…get real and consider the courage in the next step…the next swim and the simplicity of shiny old shoes. Today is a day of celebration. This is a day to celebrate the leadership of consistency. All of us can do that. One step, one thought, one integral moment of Grace at a time. I invite you to join me in creating something miraculous on this day from the very essence of your simplicity.

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What is Being Authentic Anyway?

I was speaking on the East Coast this past week and out of the blue, I began to question what the difference is between positive thinking and intelligence? It’s not like I am the resident expert on either subject. However there was something magical as I talked about what the two meant to me. First, I think positive thinking has been a good thing for many people. Let’s just say the endeavor to be “positive” will likely be more serving for most people than the endeavor to be cynical. However, I have known some people (yes, even me in my not so distant past) that have been more positive than intelligent…so let’s explore that.

I remember once having a really bad head cold. You know the kind, including red eyes, runny nose, fever, and a plastic smile. People would say: How are you feeling?  I’d instinctively reply something along the lines of “I feel great. I feel better all the time. Don’t worry about me”….  “I am fine”.  That’s almost as yuck as the cold itself. Everyone knew I felt like crap. I looked like crap.  It was just not real.  I don’t really know where that began for me. Maybe it was the Peter Lowe seminar I did in the mid 1990’s. Somewhere along the lines I got good at saying I was great…fine…wonderful…without really being present with the truth.   I’m sure I’m not the only one who has had this conversation.

Now having said that, let’s introduce intelligent thinking into the mix. It might have been more intelligent (meaning to have some degree of wisdom) to cop to the fact that I had something funky running out my nose, my body ached and I needed to sleep. In fact, I submit it would have been in the realm of intelligent thinking to admit that “I don’t feel great” and “I am doing some things to take care of myself. I am taking vitamin C…I am getting more rest….I am clearing this head cold by tomorrow morning”. The idea is one of presence and real about what is happening as an intelligent way of being.  I believe the “I’m fine” answer has become our collective “auto-response” to the question.  My challenge to you is to speak the truth and move on, rather than speaking for the sake of having words to say.

I think movements like “The Secret” and many other good news programs can really support us in our journey to live beautiful lives. However, it’s important that we not lose touch with the reality of what we are really dealing with. I am not encouraging us to get stuck in “stinking thinking” but rather to embrace the situation as we choose a new direction for a solution.

Obviously the runny nose example is plebian…and you can relate to the same scenario with your work projects, fitness programs, finances etc. It makes no sense to not be real and authentic. In fact, I believe once you can really “own” your runny nose, you can move yourself to healing more quickly than if you were to deny it. Because you cannot leave a place that you have never been – getting real with where you are empowers you to clearly see the next steps to move towards what you want to create.

Being authentic is the grease on the slide of life. You can move more freely and most people will feel closer to you…than if you play it “cool” all the time. Two of the greatest business coaches I know, Steve Hardison and Steve Chandler use life tribulations to inspire others on to greatness. I invite you to do the same from moment to moment to moment. Be real, be authentic, and seek the solutions that catapult you into a powerful way of living.