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Happy
Thanksgiving!
I
hope this November edition of Action Mail finds you eagerly preparing
for your Thanksgiving celebration. However you choose to celebrate,
remember the traditions, decorations and menu all play a minute
role in comparison to the people you spend time with. Human connections
are what make life special, exciting and rewarding.
Motivation Works, Inc.
2134 North Road
Snellville, GA 30078
Tel: 770.982.2664
Fax: 770.982.2665
Email Us
The
Journey of a Lifetime
I returned last week from a ten day voyage to Egypt. It was in many
ways a life changing adventure traveling with world famous explorer
John Goddard to "the land of the ancient Pharaohs." I
ventured inside pyramids, ancient tombs, museums, and temples to
experience firsthand the mysteries of a fascinating civilization.
I held a cobra, rode a camel, sailed The Nile on a felucca, watched
a "whirling dervish," and stood face to face with 4,000
year old mummies! But, the most powerful revelation of the trip
was the amplification of a familiar lesson- you never know who is
in your audience.
You
Never Know Who is in Your Audience
It was a hot Saturday in the summer of 1979 when I stood watching
a performer at a Renaissance Festival in Bristol, WI. Intrigued
by the charisma and skill of this talented juggler, I watched his
act six times in a row. I was in the audience, yet he was the one
who took action, inviting me to come up after the last performance
of the day. "Kid, would you like to learn how to juggle?"
When I said "yes" I found a great channel for all the
energy in my hyperactive, eleven year old body, and I gained a great
friend and mentor in my new acquaintance, Mike Vondruska. You never
know who is in your audience.
Over the next few months, Mike continued teaching me juggling; eventually
he encouraged me to perform. I discovered a love for the work and
learned that when you do a good job in front of a crowd they will
respond. At the Renaissance Faire this meant they would throw money,
offer encouragement, and extend invitations for other performance
opportunities. This is how I began to grow my entertainment business.
For years I developed my show and continued performing in order
to pay for college. Regardless of the size of the crowd or fee for
the show, I learned to always do my best. After all, you never know
who is in your audience.
Meanwhile, Mike Vondruska, my mentor, attended a seminar where he
heard a lecture from legendary explorer, Dr. John Goddard. This
man shared how he set ambitions goals for himself at a young age
and created a compelling desire to achieve them. This story inspired
Mike to make his own list of life goals. And, he shared the story
of John Goddard with me. At this point, Dr. Goddard was unaware
of the impact he had on us. How could he be? He didn't know who
was in his audience.
My career of entertaining audiences evolved into a quest to inspire
others to improve themselves and derive greater meaning from and
enjoyment from life. In some of my speeches I shared the story of
John Goddard. After one such presentation, I was approached by a
young woman named Renee. "Thank you for talking about John
Goddard," she said. "That happens to be my uncle."
You never know who is in your audience!
Renee and I kept in touch. Unbeknownst to me, she wrote her uncle
a letter and told him about our meeting. He took action, called
me to introduce himself, and encouraged me to keep up the good work.
We struck an immediate friendship, I visited him at his home in
California; we went hiking together, and he even wrote the foreword
to my upcoming book.
When John Goddard invited me to accompany him to Egypt, I immediately
thought of Mike Vondruska. Imagine my excitement when Mike agreed
to join me! As we boarded the plane in New York for our flight to
Cairo, I walked to John and his wife, Carol, to introduce my dear
friend, the man who had first introduced me to his message. "Well,
you'll have to go say hello to Renee. After all, she's the one who
made it all happen." There, seated just a few rows ahead of
us, along with her mother Kay, was Renee. You never know who's on
your airplane.
During the flight, it struck me how a beautifully orchestrated series
of events spanning over twenty five years time had brought together
these people for this journey. It became vividly clear that our
actions are powerful catalysts for change- both for our own personal
development, and for the ongoing encouragement of others. As I met
the rest of our traveling companions, a fascinating array of personalities
from all walks of life, I wondered what I would learn from each
of them. After returning home, in some ways it's clear how we have
influenced one another. In other ways, of course, the influence
won't be apparent for some time. One thing is for sure. You never
know who is in your audience.
You
are on Stage
You don't have to travel halfway across
the world to grasp this powerful lesson. Every single day you are
on stage. The actions you take create ripple effects that touch
others. It is always essential to perform at your best because you
never know who is in your audience. It may be someone who sees the
spark of passion you bring into your work and offers assistance
to help you go further. Or, it might be someone who is yearning
for the information, inspiration, or encouragement you can provide
to them.
Here are some actions you can implement to help maximize the "random"
connections that manifest in your life.
1. Walk your talk. If your actions are not congruent
with your words, your words become meaningless. People learn more
about you from what you do than what you say.
2. Introduce yourself. You can't make connections
unless you make yourself open to others. Make a conscious effort
to talk to people, ask questions and discover points of common interest.
3. Offer assistance. When you meet someone, ask
yourself, "How can I help this person?" Extend advice,
encouragement or assistance without expecting anything in return.
When you do, you'll be amazed at what comes back to you.
It's show time! Take the stage with excitement, take action, and
recognize the impact of your performance on the world around you.
All
the best of Success in Action,
Dan
PS-
To read more about John Goddard's life list, click here.
On
left- A new adventure for John Goddard.
On
right- Dan, Kay, Renee and Mike in front of the "Egyptian Mona
Lisa."
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