More on the Overcoming Story

THE STORY

While I was visiting my Dad, I was perusing his bookshelf and saw a copy of The Power of Full Engagement, by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz. I read the subtitle for the book, "Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal," and I remembered seeing these guys on Oprah years ago.

I picked up the book and started reading it--and immediately I was hooked.

I asked my Dad if he had read it (it was in superior condition) and he said he had, but that he hadn't liked it very much.

I was shocked! I had only read three pages, and I said, "Oh my gosh--it's amazing!"

So he told me I could have it--and I am SO GRATEFUL that he did.

What an awesome, life changing book.

As it says in the title, the authors make the case that managing energy is more important than managing time--after all, all the time in the world does you no good if you don't have the energy to spend it wisely.

Boy, that sure resonated with me!

Here are a couple of concepts from the book:

1. There are four areas in which we expend energy: physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual (defined as being connected to purpose).


2. Just like you can't continually be exercising (engagement) and need strategic periods of rest and renewal (disengagement), you also need these cycles of strategic engagement and disengagement in your emotional, intellectual, and spiritual life.


3. The lifelong energy obective is to "burn as brightly as possible for as long as possible in the service of what really matters." (You know that when you are connected to a strong sense of purpose, you have seemingly unlimited sources of energy.)

So if we are going build our lives in the service of what really matters and make energy choices that are in harmony with this, then it is critical to understand and define our core values.

THE LESSON

Awhile ago I wrote about how it had come to me that one my core values--my great passion in life--is the overcoming story.

Well, today I am working on an exercise and planning some objectives (target/goals) for the next 6 months.

I am to write out my objectives and then write the internal conflicts that may be holding me back from achieving those objectives.

So just so I would have a point of reference that would allow me to evaluate those objectives against my core values, I wrote those values down again.

As I wrote down value number two (perseverence and the overcoming story), I had a HUGE lightbulb moment--and that's what I want to share now.

The theme of "the overcoming story" has been running throughout my life--it is reflected in the movies I enjoy, the music I listen to, the books I read, the career choices I have made--basically it shows up everywhere in my life.

But I do not have an overcoming story of my own:

• I don't come from poverty: I grew up middle class.
• I was not molested or abused physically, mentally or sexually: My family had its quirks, for sure, but compared to most, it was an idyllic childhood.
• I have not experienced racial or religious prejudice: I am white and Christian.
• I have not struggled with gender inequality: Though I am female, I went to an all girls school, so I never experienced anyone looking down on me because I was a girl/woman.
• I have not struggled with sexuality: I am heterosexual, and there has never been any question.
• I do not have a language barrier: I am American born and a native English speaker.
• I did not struggle in school: On the contrary, I did exceedingly well.
• I do not have any physical, mental, or emotional disabilities: All parts of me function typically.

Because my conscious mind operates on my unconscious values, and I don't have anything of my own to overcome, my conscious mind makes stuff up. That is, my mind continually makes life harder than it needs to be.

Wow.

What a powerful revelation. As I look at my life, I see where this has happened over and over and over again.

In the movie, The Secret, Financial Strategist Loral Langemeier recommends using the affirmation, "Money comes easily and frequently." Then she says, "At first, you think that sounds like I lie..."

How true! But for me, it's not just about money...NOTHING is allowed to come easily and frequently. Everything to me is something to overcome, and guess what? This mindset has done nothing but make my life harder!

Wow. (Did I say that already?)

I am so grateful for my Beyond Freedom. I am so grateful for the people I get to meet and this remarkable journey I get to go on. It's fantastic!

TAKE ACTION

• If you like what you read in this blog and would like to find out more about the Beyond Freedom program, please contact the person that sent you here. If you found this blog by accident (knowing, of course, that there are no accidents), you may contact me at beyondfreedom@theremmersfamily.com
• What are your core values? If you have never thought about it before, this can be a difficult question to answer. Use these questions to help you figure it out:
1. If you suddenly found you had nothing to do on a Saturday and no one was around, how would you spend your time? Why?
2. What kind of music do you listen to? What kind of movies do you like to watch? What kind of books do you like to read? What do they have in common?
3. If you only had one month left to live, what would you do?