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SPELL SUCCESS IN YOUR LIFE>
"SPELL SUCCESS" E-ZINE - EXPECT THE BEST
Spell SUCCESS E-Zine, © 2004, Motivational Magic
by Peter Colwell
ISSUE 3
March 8, 2004
QUOTE OF THE MONTH:
"I will not just live my life. I will not just spend my
life. I will invest my life."
HELEN KELLER
***********************************
YOU GET WHAT YOU EXPECT
Purple and white balloons filled the air. The Boston
University Stadium was packed with proud parents (including
mine) who were eager to watch their children graduate from
one of the finest high schools in the country – Boston
Latin School, home to many distinguished scholars and
statesmen throughout the years, including Benjamin
Franklin, Samuel Adams, Leonard Bernstein, and Joseph P.
Kennedy, father of the late President John F. Kennedy.
Expectation also filled the air – the expectation of things
to come, dreams to be achieved, and possibilities to be
realized. It was a moment I will never forget – a moment
filled with tremendous relief and anticipation.
As I approached the stage, I could see my Headmaster on the
far end of the platform, shaking hands with the new
graduates. I walked over to the middle of the stage,
proudly received my diploma, and then waited in line to
shake my Headmaster’s hand. I remember him having a very
daunting presence; an air of confidence and sternness all
at once. I watched him receive the graduates ahead of me
with a firm handshake and a hearty "Congratulations!"
To each person ahead of me, he replied with a single-word
response: "Congratulations!" Expecting the same response, I
extended my hand, and he placed my hand between his, and
said, "Peter, we expect great things from you!" "Thank
you," I replied. As I walked off the stage, I felt as
though I had been entrusted with the responsibility of
doing something great with my life, whatever that may be.
Looking back on that moment, I realize that I had taken
those words to heart, and have come to expect great things
from myself. As you know, we ultimately become what we
expect to become. The path may involve detours, setbacks,
and roadblocks, but if we adopt the advice of former
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, we will "never,
never, never, never, never, never, never give up!"
BE PERSONALLY AND PUBLICLY ACCOUNTABLE
One evening, on my way to a speaking engagement in downtown
Washington, D.C., I left work in the hopes of beating
"rush-hour traffic." I stepped off the elevator and into
the parking garage. After doing a quick scan of the area, I
was unable to locate my car. A more careful glance produced
the same result. Finally, after circling the floor twice
and checking the other parking levels, I knew that I was
either losing my mind or, more likely, someone had stolen
my car.
As it turned out, I was wrong on both accounts. I was still
relatively sane, and my car had not been stolen. Instead,
it had been towed away since I had inadvertently parked it
in front of a reserved spot, which was not clearly marked.
After tracking down the towing company, I was informed that
I would have to wait at least two hours until the car could
be returned to me. On any other night, that would have been
fine. I could have relaxed for a while and grabbed some
dinner – but not this particular night! I had been invited
by a woman I had never met – only by telephone - to be the
guest speaker at a civic meeting. I had given my word that
I would show up. In the speaking business, as in most any
ethical business where people are involved, your word is
everything. This lady had promoted my appearance heavily,
and was counting on my presence that evening.
Unfortunately, as the clock ticked on, I realized I was not
going to be able to keep my commitment. I left a voice mail
for the lady, knowing she probably would not receive it
until the next morning, profusely apologizing for my
misdeed. I could have blamed the towing company, or the
gentleman who called the towing company, or just poor
timing and circumstances, but I decided to take personal
responsibility for the consequences of my actions, no
matter how humiliating!
The next morning, I placed a second phone call of apology
to this meeting planner, but never received a return call.
The following week, I was scheduled to be a breakfast
keynote speaker. You’ll never guess who was in the
audience! The meeting coordinator whose meeting I had
missed the week before.
I approached her and explained that I was truly sorry for
missing her event and letting her down. She reluctantly
accepted my apology, and explained that she had received a
good deal of "heat" from people who had traveled from
out-of-state expecting me to speak. To show my sincerity, I
decided to take my apology a step further. After my
introduction, and getting into the meat of my speech, I
incorporated a public apology into my presentation. I
explained in a lighthearted way the "comedy of errors" that
caused me to miss my engagement the week before, and I
singled her out of the crowd to give her a public apology.
With my integrity intact, I could go on to give a
crowd-pleasing speech without any qualms. I knew that I had
done everything possible to make amends by holding myself
accountable for the consequences of my actions!
CLOSING THOUGHTS
The results you achieve in life are largely determined by
your expectations. You must EXPECT to be successful if you
want to reach your goals. Expectation is more than just
belief – expectation is a state of absolute conviction
about your purpose! And remember to keep your integrity
intact along the way by holding yourself accountable for
your actions and your attitude!
I will leave you with the following questions to ponder.
Write them down in a notebook and leave plenty of room to
answer them in detail.
What milestones do I expect to achieve in my career?
What kind of person do I expect to become in order to reach
my goals?
What kind of people do I expect to associate with?
What kind of legacy do I expect to leave with my family and
friends?
See you next month!
Peter
Peter Colwell motivates others to motivate themselves!
Peter is an accomplished speaker and author of Spell
SUCCESS in Your Life, a popular motivational book that has
been published in six languages worldwide. Peter delivers
keynote speeches, seminars, and workshops to corporations,
associations, and nonprofit groups. Peter can be reached at
peter@petercolwell.com or 301-540-9040. For more details
about his book and speeches, visit
http://www.PeterColwell.com.
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