Lucille Ball was dismissed from a drama class, with the penetrating insight: “She’s wasting her time here. She’s too shy to put her best foot forward.”
A brand new band calling themselves The Beatles was rejected by the first recording company they approached. The reasons given? “We don’t like their sound. And besides, guitar music is on the way out.”
Abraham Lincoln had two failed businesses, suffered a nervous breakdown, experienced the death of his fiancé, and lost eight elections.
Michael Jordan was cut from his Freshman high school basketball team.
Thomas Edison was told by a teacher that he was “too stupid to learn anything.”
Walt Disney was fired from a newspaper job because, as the termination report read, “He lacks imagination and has no original ideas.”
The longer I live, the more I realize that people who succeed in life are people who are courageous enough to risk failure and loss, and are able to pick themselves up and get back in the race when they inevitably do get knocked down; they persevere.
And a critical part of risking failure and persevering in our efforts, of persisting in the face of obstacles and creating something beautiful with the gifts we’ve been given is who we choose to listen to. Which voices do we filter out, and which voices do we let in?
How do we do this discerning? Start with a simple rule of thumb: spend more and more time with life-giving people, and less and less time with life-taking people. Too simple? I’m amazed at how many people don’t follow this advice. There is confusion about responsibility (“I must spend time with this person, respect this person, take care of this person”), or history (“It’s not always bad”), or even what it means to be a good person (“I shouldn’t be angry, sad, tired, happy”). Crazy? No, just fear-based. The people you surround yourself with, and let in, can absolutely make you or break you. Choose life!
You’ll know the life-giving people because they will foster hope, see potential, and celebrate you as you are. They will work diligently to not separate truth and love. They will not project their fears onto you. They will not project their pain onto you. And they will not project their dreams onto you. And life-giving people are interested in mutual, respectful, joyful friendships. Beware of people who have no joy…they will resent yours.
Who do you listen to? Whose opinions do you hear…and take in? Are they encouraging, engaging, and elevating to the spirit? Choose well, listen well, and then follow your inspiration…you’ll change the world!
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Changing Lives, Strengthening Families, Shaping Culture
Stillpoint Family Resources's Fan Box
Stillpoint Family Resources on Facebook
About Me
- Ross Porter
- Dr. Ross Porter received his B.A. from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and his Master of Divinity (Theology) and Ph.D. (Clinical Psychology) degrees from Fuller Theological Seminary, where he first became interested in the integration of psychology and spirituality. He is a teacher, author, counselor, and consultant, specializing in integrative psychology, virtue ethics and family systems. He has taught at the high school, college, and graduate school levels. Ross is also the Founder and Executive Director of Stillpoint Family Resources, a non-profit organization that offers counseling services to individuals, couples, and families in crisis, with nine different office locations throughout Ventura, Los Angeles and Orange Counties (specific office locations can be found at www.stillpointfamilyresources.org). In 2009, Dr. Porter was named an “Outstanding Angeleno” by the Los Angeles Daily News. Ross and his wife Jennifer have been married for 21 years, and have four beautiful children. John Michael, their son who has Down Syndrome is their first born.
Posts
