Someone recently asked me – why do you always talk about living your best life ever– why not talk about living with the hand that you’ve been dealt…and I answered… well you’ve been doing that for years now – how’s it working out for you…to which they grumbled and walked away.
It is a conscience effort on my part to push you – my listening audience to see beyond your current situation… I’ve been described as a motivational teacher and not just a motivational speaker because every week I work to have actionable items that you can use today to change your life… Why – because you have control of one thing no one can take away from you and that is your thoughts…your thoughts become actions and actions become your world…
And one of those life-altering topics is my theme today
One of the stories I like to tell is the story of 212 degrees…it is from a small book by a Sam Parker and Mac Anderson called 212 The Extra Degree, and in it they talk about the difference of one…
At 211 degrees water is hot
At 212 degrees – water boils
Boiling water turns into steam – and steam alone can power a train, move ships across the ocean and force generators to create power… to light your world
The Power of One degree – by simply raising the temperature of water by one extra degree is the difference between something that is simply very hot to something that generates enough force to move mountains.
A seemingly small thing 1 degree my friend – can make a tremendous difference in every aspect of your life.
In their book Parker & Anderson tell us that – So simple is that thought of 1 degree… anyone can grasp it – anyone can incorporate it in their life and the fact is that you can take that thought… right now and with that thought planted in your mind – you can benefit from it for the rest of your life.
Because – if you really think about the power of one…it could change everything.
I guess I should talk about the number 212 because that is the degree when water is not just hot it become boiling – so many times in our lives – we’re almost there… but we give up… when in reality if we held on just one more degree – one more time, one more call, one more door we’d win.
So, I have to ask – What is simmering in your life that you’re not willing to boil over for…
Boiling over has changed the course of history – whether it was heading across an ocean for freedom or pushing west for a place of one’s own or refusing to give up a seat on a bus or at a food counter….
There was a time when people of faith Boiled over in evangelism – and it changed the world
Boiling bring change…
Friends, I don’t want to change your world – I want to push you to change your life – the world changing will come after you bloom where you are…
You must know by now that you are fearfully and wonderfully made – there is no one else like you… really – no one… there are 8 Billion people (the #8 with 9 digits after that number) in the world and no one is like you…you are unique whether you choose to believe that or not – the truth still stands…and because of that it is important to seek and find that which you were born to do…
My friends all know that I love to cook – and I’m pretty good it – because I love food and I love to create and make… and try and then taste and add some more.
I’m not a good baker because I don’t like to measure – I find it restrictive… but as all cooks know one of the worst things that can happen in a kitchen is when something boils over…because it makes a mess … and if you’re not careful besides the mess that is made you might start a fire if hot oil is involved….
But I don’t find that to be the case in life for most people … what I find is if we can find something that lights your fire we might create something… that could change the world or your little corner of it.
Now don’t be confused with burning man or burn baby burn – I not a proponent of ashen destruction… I know sometimes it might be better to burn to nothingness to force a complete rethinking of options since nothing is left to work with…but in life that is hard to come back from.
Let me boil it down to this – Here is the key = It’s Your Life, You’re Responsible for the Results.
And I believe if you just take hold of the concept of 1 degree – it could change everything…
John Cleese said – One of the hardest things in life is to know what you want out of life as opposed to what you feel you ought to want, what your parents and your siblings and society and your spouse and whoever else may expect of you. If you can allow yourself to trust those little movements round your gut that tell you when something is interesting or exciting, they will tell you where to go.
Thomas Edison said… Many of life’s failures are men who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.
Ralph Waldo Emerson – Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising, which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage, which a soldier needs.
You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one.
Please allow me to make a personal caveat about today’s topic – if you are in an abusive relationship – friend you do not need to hang on one more time…that time is up…
You need to get out
You need to find help
You need to protect yourself
It’s Your Life, You’re Responsible for the Results.
