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by Cia Ricco Does life ever seem boring, your possibilities limited? Feeling stuck in a daily grind? You may be missing out on a wonderful natural resource readily available to you. One of the most powerful tools for breaking through the glass ceiling of your mind is enthusiasm. Many wise and successful thinkers have attributed their achievements to this ingredient. Asked the secret of his success, Sir Edward Appleton, the Nobel Prize winner who paved the way for worldwide broadcasting, replied, "It was enthusiasm. I rate enthusiasm even above professional skill." Ralph Waldo Emerson declared "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." Stew Leonard, founder of the famous world’s largest dairy store in Norwalk, Connecticut, an entrepreneur known for his high levels of enthusiasm, espouses the directive "Make ’em say wow!" and Wally Amos, the former William Morris agent who built the Famous Amos cookie empire, carries around in his pocket a wad of paper which reads "I am alive, alert, awake, and enthusiastic about life! I can be five times more enthusiastic." Amos acknowledges that enthusiasm may be the secret to his success but adds that, since enthusiasm is available to everyone, it’s really not a secret. Just the way exercise can release chemicals into the bloodstream known as endorphins responsible for the so-called "runners high," so, too, can a mind-set of enthusiasm engender a state of elation and focused clarity that is highly productive as well as pleasurable. Enthusiasm is self-reinforcing. Projects carried out with enthusiasm are more likely to be successful, which, in turn, creates more enthusiasm. It is not a Pollyanna-like ignoring of pit-falls, but rather a choice of where to place our focus. And, it can be a healthy antidote to some of life’s tumbles. Yes, enthusiasm is available to each of us. It is our "God-given" birthright. In fact, the word itself hails from the Greek enthousiasmos, meaning "inspired by the god within." Then why is this God-given birthright so elusive? When you are "down" you are likely to forget that enthusiasm is a conscious choice. It may arise spontaneously for some people or for all people some of the time. However, the degree to which is arises spontaneously is the degree to which it is familiar to your system. In other words, as usual, you have to have it to get it. So how do you get it to begin with? If enthusiasm hasn’t been coming naturally to you lately, try to remember a time when you felt enthusiastic. Remember it as vividly as possible, trying to invoke a "felt-sense" of the experience – what I call a sense-memory photograph. Get an actual physical sense in your body of what it was like to feel enthusiastic. Getting the "taste" of enthusiasm will cue your system into producing it for you more readily when the opportunity arises. You can also pep-talk yourself into a mind-set of enthusiasm by recalling how pleasurable and productive it is and applying that good ol’ proverbial positive thinking to generate it. Become an enthusiasm enthusiast. The use of affirmations or positive statements (stated in the present tense), such as the Wally Amos example above are also extremely helpful. Pick a statement that gives you an uplifting sensation when you say it. The more physical the reaction, the better it works. Associate as much a possible with enthusiastic people. Enthusiasm loves company. Share yours. Enthusiasm is contagious. Support other people to feel theirs, and seek out those people in your life who support you to feel yours. The more you give of your enthusiasm the more you will get back. If you have the opportunity to teach, teach enthusiasm. It is the greatest gift you can give to team members, to children, to anyone you come in contact with. If opportunities are not apparent, consider volunteer work as an opportunity to be the Johnny Appleseed of enthusiasm. Eliminate the negative. Psychological studies suggest that as much as 80% or more of the messages around us are negative. Obviously we will not be able to eliminate all this input but do what you can to minimize it. Take the news, for example. Clearly it tends to exceed the 80% mark! You may need to have a certain awareness of what’s going on in the world, but I am a strong advocate of keeping it to a minimum and turning to more positive messages wherever you can find them. Next, it is up to you to fill your life with opportunities to be enthusiastic. Do you love your work? Do you have a hobby you are passionate about? If your response to one or both of these questions is less than enthusiastic, it behooves you to FIND YOUR PURPOSE. When you know your purpose and follow it diligently, your life will become a natural outpouring of enthusiasm, and focused intent. Says award-winning writer and director, Ken Burns, "there’s a real enthusiasm that’s a form of energy born of one’s intent. I believe enthusiasm is a manifestation of an energy that propels one’s intentions." Your "intent" and the energy that propels your intentions is your life’s purpose. Grounded in your purpose and honoring your passion, enthusiasm flows and limits dissolve. You can access this power of your own natural resources. When you’re enthusiastic, there’s no end to what you can do! |