Are you aware that whenever you start making excuses,…. anyone you use will work? It really makes no difference what the excuse is.
Are you aware that whenever you make an excuse you are convincing yourself that for you there is no chance of you changing and being able to overcome the reasons for which you are making this weak-kneed limp-legged excuse?
Are you aware how foolish and ignorant you look to a success oriented person when you expose yourself to them by making excuses?
All truly successful know for certain that Successful people make things happen….Failures just make excuses.
As a youthful schoolboy, my dad used to always say to me…he always called me by my nickname….“Buckshot..you had better learn the English language and learn it well. Learn how to read it,….to write it…and to speak it…. Learn proper grammar, punctuation and enunciation. Learn voice inflection. Learn and use good and proper manners. Learn how to think before you speak……and never be afraid to speak to other people.
If you want to become successful in life, Buckshot, you must be able to communicate well in writing and speaking the English language”
Thank God I had a father who drilled that into me.
He would critique my school writing assignments and speeches. Needless to say I had many lessons so corrected by “red ink” from dad that I had to rewrite them. It used to infuriate me. Whenever I would get angry, dad would always pat me on the shoulder and say, “Buckshot, I know you are upset with me today….but….one day, long after I am gone, you will thank me.”
Oh how often his prophecy has popped up to the front of my mind over the past 48 years that my dad has been gone. Gone…but… not forgotten. Thank you so much, dad. You as usual were totally right!
Whether you believe it or not,…..whether you understand it or not,…and whether you like it or not….you impact and influence other people by how you act,….by how you treat them,…by what you write to them,…and by how you speak to them. Communication, written or spoken, is critically important whenever you are dealing with other people.
It has been said many times before,….You only get one shot at a first impression….Your actions, manners, written words, and spoken words are the only shots you have when it comes to communicating with others. I personally always wanted to make them my best shots…How about you?
The only way I know of to get really good at anything you are attempting to do is to practice…practice….practice and then practice some more.
No one has ever said it has to be fun….or it has to be something you like….or it has to be a thing that drives you….No it doesn’t…The one thing and the only one thing that has to be done with practice is…..you have to do it!!!
As I was growing up I was plagued by two great fears. I was deathly afraid of snakes, any kind or type, and believe it or not I was petrified of…… speaking to other people. Thank God I had a father–mentor who helped me with learning to speak well. I lost my fear of snakes the day that I accepted Jesus Christ into my life as my Lord and Savior…..July 9, 1978 at 11:15 AM in Spokane, Washington. Praise The Lord!
When I started my own business in February of 1977 it became readily apparent that if I was going to achieve the levels of success that I knew I was capable of achieving, then I was going to have to become a much much better communicator using my speaking abilities. Previous experience from my mental storage banks brought up the flashing red light in my mind….Practice…Practice…and more Practice!
I was, and remain to be, a relatively slow reader…I have a good memory of what I read. I began to devour books…biographies of great present day and historic orators, clergymen, and other leaders both civilian and military.
I began to understand from my reading how these men and women learned to communicate so effectively. If there was audio or later video tape available on them I acquired it and listened and/or watched them perform their magic. I studied what they had to say and how they said it. I paid particular attention to their message content, their method of delivery, and to their voice inflections. Then I went somewhere where I could be totally alone out of earshot by any other curious bystanders and I verbally began to practice out loud.
To this very day if you would talk to any of my three relatively close neighbors, I suspect they would tell you that there is a “crazy” man who lives down at the end of the road….Ahhh…that would be me…. Those neighbors would tell you that the guy who lives there is always walking around his property all by himself, talking to invisible or innate things. They’d say, I saw him talking out loud to the sky…to a tree…a fence…even to a river that runs through his place. That guy is nuts!
No he is not nuts…..he is just practicing!
Remember the success principle I have already discussed with you. Here it is again…Success is achieved by those who try and it is maintained by those who keep trying with Positive Mental Attitude.
A story please……..
There was a little boy who was once overheard talking to himself, as he strutted through the backyard, baseball cap in place, toting ball and bat. “I’m the greatest baseball player in the world,” he said proudly. Then he tossed the ball into the air, swung at it —-and missed. Undaunted, he picked up the ball, threw it into the air and, as he said to himself “I’m the greatest baseball player ever!” He swung at the ball again. And again he missed.
He paused a moment to carefully examine his bat and ball. Then once again he threw the ball into the air. “I’m the greatest baseball player who ever lived!” he said. He swung the bat hard and again he missed the ball. “Wow!” he exclaimed. “What a pitcher!”
Peace and Love to All of You…………..Poppa Bear