From where does inspiration come? For those who make the effort to be aware of all that is going on around us each day, to learn from conversations with clients, customers, prospects, friends, family, and to stay attuned to the deeper meaning in the personal issues of life there is found a wealth of material for speeches. Life is such an amazing school! Inherent in our daily activities are opportunities to learn if only we will receive the education.
Bear in mind it takes sensitivity to redeem the input and convert it to a message capable of stirring motivation in an audience. We must be sensitive to what can be gleaned from the input received if we are to turn the information into a universally profitable experience.
As an example - let's say you are in a bit of a rush for lunch and decide to drop in to a fast food restaurant. The best option is an establishment with an indoor play area for children, and the only available table is near the playground. While seated for lunch, you have set a goal of checking your smartphone for emails and text messages, and to returning those which can be addressed quickly. Thirty minutes is allotted for lunch and smartphone tasks then it's back on the highway.
After ordering your meal, making yourself comfortable, and fine tuning the delicate interplay of phone, fries, napkin, sandwich, napkin, and drink, the unexpected occurs. On this particular day, you have arrived at a restaurant which caters to a large, local daycare. A portion of every dollar spent on meals today will be re-directed to the daycare facility to buy supplies.
Not only is the restaurant suddenly flooded with participating parents, but also the objects of the corporate affection, dozens of four and five-year olds. You are seated at the epicenter of seismic activity! Suddenly, it is impossible to remain engaged in your business as you are only desiring to choke down the food fast and get back on the road...texting can wait.
But wait! All around you are crowd control measures you were once practiced in when you took your own children to the local burger or chicken joint for a quick bite. The frenetic pace of children running to and fro, the parents thinking little Sally or Tommy will actually eat the food in front of them, the child crying for no apparent reason, and the other patrons who share your pending indigestion are a live show for which you have a front row seat!
Take mental notes, jot down ideas as they come, but whatever you do please do not miss the opportunity to absorb this small slice of life, and to take from it lessons for a future audience. The only lesson might be a greater need to slow down and stop rushing, but that's a speech. The laughter of children; their tremendous energy level; beleaguered parents; their diminishing energy level; and the efforts of the restaurant staff are all ripe for lessons you may add to your speaking repertoire.
Be alert friends! Your portfolio of speech programming is increasing all around you. A buffet of material unfolds each day to those who are open to the inspiration. Be one of those who knows inspiration when it arrives...and learns from it.
Fearlessly,
JD
Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Be a Finisher!
I have just finished publishing a book for a gentleman in Florida. He worked diligently, thoughtfully, and finished his manuscript. Then he sent me the completed manuscript which I edited and published. Completion is a beautiful thing.
A dear friend of mine by the name of Dennis Mwanza was visiting with me in 2005. In a Bible Study he led, the message was, Have a Finishing Anointing. You see, many people are terrific at beginning projects. Other folks are equally adept at picking up a project mid-stream, and working it. It seems, however, that far fewer people have the ability to start a project, and see it through to a successful conclusion.
Most projects of any size and difficulty require a tremendous amount of discipline to see them through to completion. Within Discipline (adherence to character) are the Four Keys to Project Completion. #1 is Demonstrate Resolve (determination in the face of opposing odds); #2 is Show Dedication (avoiding the distractions that will arise); #3 is Have Ambition (achievement leading to promotion); and #4 is Provide Leadership (ability to inspire others).
The gentleman in Florida set about to write a book. He began with inspiration like so many do. His inspiration was enough to begin writing. How many get inspired and start strong? When the natural inspiration began to wane, he had to generate his own. He had to remember why he had started the book (project), and the resulting benefit to himself and others once it was completed. Then he had to keep writing. He had to write on the days he loved to write, and he had to write on the days when he'd rather do anything else.
He had to maintain discipline. With discipline he brought his manuscript to completion. A project, more than 100 pages in size, with a difficulty anchored in the unknown - he had never written a book. Who could have blamed him if he threw in the towel 40, 50, or 60 pages in? The excuse would be, "I'm a little burnt out. I'll pick it back up next week," or perhaps, "I've got writer's block. I need some fresh inspiration."
The end result in most cases of 'burn out' or 'writers' block' is months pass, excuses mount, and the project languishes on the scrap heap of other abandoned, inspirations. If you recognize yourself here, then you know the book could be any number of projects we undertake but never quite finish. As my friend from Zambia noted, "We tend to lack a finishing anointing."
The next time inspiration hits try this simple exercise...
1. Find real paper (the back of an envelope will not work!), and write down the inspired idea.
2. Write down the date of the idea
3. Imagine the project completed, and create a start-to-finish outline of your successful project
4. Don't quit this exercise until it is fully realized, and do it in one sitting.
You will have gone further and done more than 99% of the project starters on the planet. You owe yourself a pat on the back, but not a long one. Now sit back down and plot a realistic timeline for completion. Then crank up your discipline, get busy, and finish strong!
Fearlessly,
JD
A dear friend of mine by the name of Dennis Mwanza was visiting with me in 2005. In a Bible Study he led, the message was, Have a Finishing Anointing. You see, many people are terrific at beginning projects. Other folks are equally adept at picking up a project mid-stream, and working it. It seems, however, that far fewer people have the ability to start a project, and see it through to a successful conclusion.
Most projects of any size and difficulty require a tremendous amount of discipline to see them through to completion. Within Discipline (adherence to character) are the Four Keys to Project Completion. #1 is Demonstrate Resolve (determination in the face of opposing odds); #2 is Show Dedication (avoiding the distractions that will arise); #3 is Have Ambition (achievement leading to promotion); and #4 is Provide Leadership (ability to inspire others).
The gentleman in Florida set about to write a book. He began with inspiration like so many do. His inspiration was enough to begin writing. How many get inspired and start strong? When the natural inspiration began to wane, he had to generate his own. He had to remember why he had started the book (project), and the resulting benefit to himself and others once it was completed. Then he had to keep writing. He had to write on the days he loved to write, and he had to write on the days when he'd rather do anything else.
He had to maintain discipline. With discipline he brought his manuscript to completion. A project, more than 100 pages in size, with a difficulty anchored in the unknown - he had never written a book. Who could have blamed him if he threw in the towel 40, 50, or 60 pages in? The excuse would be, "I'm a little burnt out. I'll pick it back up next week," or perhaps, "I've got writer's block. I need some fresh inspiration."
The end result in most cases of 'burn out' or 'writers' block' is months pass, excuses mount, and the project languishes on the scrap heap of other abandoned, inspirations. If you recognize yourself here, then you know the book could be any number of projects we undertake but never quite finish. As my friend from Zambia noted, "We tend to lack a finishing anointing."
The next time inspiration hits try this simple exercise...
1. Find real paper (the back of an envelope will not work!), and write down the inspired idea.
2. Write down the date of the idea
3. Imagine the project completed, and create a start-to-finish outline of your successful project
4. Don't quit this exercise until it is fully realized, and do it in one sitting.
You will have gone further and done more than 99% of the project starters on the planet. You owe yourself a pat on the back, but not a long one. Now sit back down and plot a realistic timeline for completion. Then crank up your discipline, get busy, and finish strong!
Fearlessly,
JD
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