To say we are living in uncertain times is a massive
understatement. I’ve been blessed
to be on this earth now for 60 years, from the Vietnam War to 9/11 to the global
financial crisis. I’ve lived through periods of tremendous change and turmoil
in the world, at various moments in the history of society when no one could
predict what would happen next.
But
the level of fear and uncertainty we are currently witnessing is unprecedented.
I see it on people’s faces, I hear it in their voices, and, now that we are all
in our homes, with little real connection with each other, I’m witnessing it on
social media. We are scared of being hurt, we are scared of the economy, we are
scared of not being in control, and now we are even scared of each other.
Don’t get me wrong, fear is a natural
human instinct. It’s our 2-million-year-old brain that is designed to protect
ourselves in the moment, for the sake of survival. It’s always looking for what’s wrong, so you can fight,
run away from threat, or freeze. But
if you do one of these three things every time you are fearful, or have pain,
you’re going to be constantly fighting, running away, or stopping and putting
your life on hold. And that is no way to live.
Look,
every day we drive down a highway with nothing but a painted yellow line
dividing you from cars that are hurling headfirst towards you at 70 miles per
hour. You know that every single day people cross that line. They kill innocent
people just like yourself on the other side of it.
And
you also know that a certain percentage of those drivers are drunk. You also
know some are texting. Some are falling asleep. Those are facts. Every single
day this happens all over the world. In fact, 1.4 million people will die in
car accidents each year around the world. That's more than 3,200 a day.
And
yet we still get in our cars and drive. Why? Because of another “f” word that
is 100 times more powerful than fear. FAITH.
Faith is not learned, it’s something we
are born with. Faith is what fuels us through times of fear and uncertainty. It is more powerful than any emotion, even fear. When
all hell is breaking loose, it gives us the ability to find our center, to help
ourselves and others to find answers, to find a higher meaning in the midst of
our pain and in spite of our fear. And if you’re a leader, you take that
certainty and transfer it into others, because human conviction has a viral
effect and will spread. You bring unwavering certainty to chaotic environments
through the power of your faith.
Faith is knowing that at our core we're
more than anything we will ever face, and we can handle whatever life brings
us. We always have and we always will. That is the power of the human race.
Human
beings are unique from other species in that we have the ability to control our
behavior, to train ourselves to be emotionally fit and create an inner
strength, a psychology of resilience. One failure does not mean we stop trying.
Animals don’t have this! Anyone who has ever trained a dog knows this well.
They experience one, maybe two “failures” and they’ve learned their lesson,
they won’t try again. We are the opposite; we are eternal optimists. We fail,
and then we try again.
Just
look at some of the most successful companies in the world today. Most of their
founders and leaders experienced massive failure – many times over – before
they were successful. Think about some of the happiest, most connected couples
you know. Chances are, each one of them “failed” at relationships in the past,
but did they give up? No. They learned, they adapted, they grew, and they
started over.
The beautiful gift of being human is that
we're resilient as a species. We're adaptable by nature. This won’t be the only crisis this world will ever go
through, and it won’t be the only crisis any one of us ever goes through, and
it certainly won’t be the only crisis that anyone we love ever goes through.
People are shaped not by how things go when things are going well; people’s
lives are shaped by the most difficult times.
We
have a resourcefulness inside ourselves that says no matter what happens in
life, who I am is bigger than anything that could ever happen to me or anyone I
love. No problem is permanent, and nothing that happens is pervasive.
Life
is both pain and pleasure, both opportunity and challenge, both birth and
death. There is a
season and a time for everything, and it’s not for us to decide what the right
season is, or which season we should be in. It’s our job to embrace the season
that’s been given to us.
In
this uncomfortable moment, it feels a lot like winter, doesn’t it? Everyone is
isolated in their homes, trying to protect themselves from the cold and stay
warm. And, for many people, it’s the season of boredom. Schools and restaurants
are closed, social events are on hold, office workers are homebound and for
those who are out in the world, like healthcare workers, there is a feeling of
trepidation, of dangerous exposure.
But
as Nobel Prize-winning philosopher Albert Camus once said, “In the depth of
winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer.”
Winter
doesn’t last forever. Spring always follows. We will spring back to normal
life, like we always do, like we’ve done for centuries. And when we do, will
you be prepared? Are you trained for future challenges? I always say: The
meeting of preparation and opportunity generates the offspring we call luck. In every crisis lies opportunity.
People who are
successful are not lucky; they are just prepared for opportunities that come
their way. Anticipation is power.
So,
what are you going to do during this winter season? Are you going to sit back
in boredom? Or, maybe out of that boredom, join the fearful crowds, magnifying
meaning and exaggerating risk to the point where there is only the worst-case
scenario? Will you create disempowering emotions and bring yourself and others
down? Or will you discipline your fears, stand guard at the door of your mind,
rise to the challenge that is facing us, and adopt beliefs that empower you?
Regardless of what's happening around you,
there is a part of you that’s strong. Call on that part of you. The part of you
that’s hungry. The part of you that is courageous in the face of unfathomable
fear. The part of you that won’t put up with excuses, smallness and bullshit.
Call that part of you forth – call that part of you to step up to become what
you were MADE for.
I
always say, it’s what you practice in private that you will be rewarded for in
public. This is your
private time, this is your time for training, for practice, to prepare for
what’s ahead. If your health is less than you’d like it to be,
focus on improving that. If your relationships have become stagnant or distant,
use this time to reconnect with your loved ones. Business owners, sit down and
take the time to work ON your business, to strategize, to envision the business
that you need to become in order to succeed in the new environment. Make your
map. Plan. Learn. Grow.
Because
I guarantee you, winter will end, and when it does, you will emerge so far
ahead of everyone else who has not used this time as efficiently as you that it
will feel like you finished miles ahead. You will leapfrog past your peers,
past your competitors. You
will have taken your life to the next level.
And
as you do, I’m here for you. Those who know me, who have attended any one of my
immersive events, know that I play full out and give everything I have because
I am here to serve. I serve those who want more, who own who they are, who do
not settle, who defy expectations and limitations. I will help you create,
innovate, and shape your life into even more of a masterpiece.
In the meantime, I’ve challenged my team –
just as I challenge you at my events – to use this time to add massive value
and provide you with as many flexible options as possible for continued growth.
We are in the business of breakthroughs, and they can come at anytime,
anywhere. No matter where you are
in the world, no matter how much time you have or don’t have, you can work on
yourself. Go here to see the ways
that they can deliver value to you during this time.
And remember: It's time to become
conscious of your power and remind yourself and all those around you the human
race is resilient, flexible, and strong beyond imagination. Lead, don’t follow. Discover ways to innovate, to create
and to give and support others who may not see past the winter. Lead with the
truth of our essence, that faith and certainty, our natural birthright and our
abilities, can be awoken. This ability can be activated, so live the truth
today around everyone you're around. Then we can solve any problem we face. The
human race always has, and it always will.
So
live strong. Live with faith. Live with passion. And God bless.
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