“I am at all times 100% responsible for what happens to me by what I do, don’t do, or how I respond. No complaining about people. Ever. Because, it is all up to me, by what I do, don’t do, or how I respond.”
-Darren Hardy
A change of perspective can change your life.
I heard a recent interview with Darren Hardy, the publisher of Success Magazine. In the interview he told his life’s story. How he was abandoned by his mom as a baby and raised by his muscle bound, alpha male, drill sergeant of a father. To say his father wasn’t the nurturing type is a huge understatement. Many people would view that childhood as less than ideal, after all he was jipped, right? He lost out on having a mom and didn’t even have a loving, nurturing relationship with his dad…poor guy.
Darren however doesn’t see it that way. There is no, “Oh, poor me. I am a failure because of my childhood.” No, in fact he says it is his greatest advantage and wishes everyone could have experienced a childhood as defunked as his. Because of his childhood, he has become as successful as he is today. But, someone else could have gone through that same childhood and come out with a much different view of it, right?
Perspective. It is having the ability to choose how a situation will impact our lives, whether it be positively or negatively.
For all to many years I have looked at my life from the standpoint of being a victim. This was my perspective. I thought things just happened and I couldn’t do anything about how it affected me. I let life push me around and was constantly blown over by whatever battle I was presently facing. I advanced in life with my eyes squinted, face grimaced and my fists up, tensed for the next battle. I was hurting, wounded and life was too hard! I could continue to approach life this way, but I have decided not to.
So, I asked myself, “What would it look like if I changed my perspective? What if my greatest trials were actually building blocks to becoming my greatest advantage?” That would mean I don’t actually know if I am having a good experience or a bad experience because my bad experiences could end up being the best things that ever happened to me! Perspective.
Perspective. How powerful. It can be applied to all situations.
Change your perspective. Change your life.
I think I’m usually prety good at keeping a good perspective but… Not always easy when someone steals everything you worked so hard for. Also makes it really hard to trust people.
Daryl,
I heard about that! What all was stolen?
I hear ya Daryl! 🙁 It WOULD make it really hard to trust people for me too! Very invasive.
Love it, Claudia! I teach e+R=o in all my keynote messages (a concept I picked up from W. Clement Stone and Jack Canfield).
It means “events + our RESPONSE = our outcome.”
The variable here is our RESPONSE. That’s the only thing we control…but it’s the variable that makes all the difference.
Again, love the post. It inspired and encouraged me!
Kent Julian
http://www.liveitforward.com
http://www.KentJulian.com
e+R=o…I like it Kent! Easy to apply and understand. That is life changing!
This has been a huge milestone for me to come to this point! Never heard this stuff before till I started actively changing!
Glad you found it encouraging 🙂
Claudia,
I REALLY needed this post today! I had a really rough day, and at times it makes me want to lash out, cry, or have any number of other emotions but I didn’t. I managed to not let the “little people” (as Deb Ingino calls them) control my life. I rose above it. It’s ABSOLUTELY not easy, but your post gave me the extra little bit of oomph that I needed!
Good for you Ryan! And you are right, it isn’t easy, but I am finding the more I train my mind to think this way the easier it gets!
Have a wonderful Christmas with your family!
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