4 Phrases that make you insignificant.

4. “I’m sorry…”

One of the first things any performer and public speaker must learn to do… Is to

Perform without apology

.

Qualification by disqualification makes us feel safe for some reason, and it can be traced throughout every culture, and part of it… From the ink on cardboard seen at street signs to the megapixels that form square, blurry, under-exposed images titled “I’m ugly”, but clearly hoping that someone would correct the purposeful lack of purpose, and provide identity.

Spoken word and rap artist Propaganda said it right when he remarked that “…sarcasm is really, the only time people tell the truth…”

We are unheard, because we don’t say what we mean.

3. “I’m open-minded”

This is teenager for “404 error-page not found” or “The number you have dialed does not exist” or “Loading…. Loading…. No connection.”

In English, it means “to oppose for the sake of opposing…” And “to accept for the sake of accepting…”

A lack of purpose and direction has become both purpose and direction… Like a snake eating it’s own tail…

The possibility of failure has hypnotized us and reduced us to a state of unwillingness to associate with others.

2. “I’m the only one.”

You’re not.

I’m not.

Let that sink in.

The fact that I am aware of this statement means that YOU are not the only one.

Lastly.

1. “I’m guilty.”

All of the above comes from guilt.

Guilt- the feeling that our bad outweighs our good.

That my silence outranks and outnumbers my words…

The feeling that I have been in the wrong since before my birth.

This feeling is inescapable since it is valid.

Let me explain:

Ever since our origin we have been weighed by ourselves and found wanting…

We need something greater than us…

Something that can exist.

Outside

Of

Us.

Deny it, if you will…

But only when we find ourselves found by someone greater than us… Will we ever be satisfied with us…

___________________________________

And that.

Is the crux of insignificance.

It’s a Wonderful Life… (Defining Moments)

If you look at the lives of people like Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Ghandi, Mother Theresa, or any other great men or women in history. You’ll notice that their lives weren’t all that perfect.

They lived.

Made mistakes.

Made even more mistakes.

BUT! They ended up changing the world…. because:

 They did the right thing, even when everything around them went wrong.

This is what we would call, a “Defining Moment”.

And history is made.

A defining moment NEVER comes from a situation where there is no conflict. It stands out like neon on asphalt on a moonless night. They present themselves clearly and change their environment.

The sad thing is that most of us wait for a conflict-free moment…. which… surprise, surprise! Never comes….

Then we (and I’m using the pronoun “we” for a reason) conclude that it wasn’t meant to be, life is unfair, and we can do nothing about it.

None of the above are true, though.

We have no reason to condemn ourselves to self-pity. We were crafted for greatness, and the moment we realise that, we can stop pitying ourselves and lead wonderful lives filled with defining moments.

In Daniel (from the Bible)’s time, their entire NATION was captured. It was during this time when their captor’s asked them to sing one of their famous songs of joy and hope… but then the people responded “How can we sing in a foreign land?”

I did a little bit of research, and it turns out that the people who refused to sing in captivity didn’t even sing when they were free… in fact, they just complained!

If we are going to wait for good surroundings, it’s like saying you’ll take medication and treatment when you’re healthy.

There will always be negative situations in life… but we create defining moments by acting regardless.

Did you know that there were more deaths and disasters during the original Christmas season than any other holiday season. It got so bad that most (but not all, mind you) contemporary writers didn’t even mention small matters like mass murders or civil wars and uprisings… and yet God deemed it a time of Joy and Hope… talk about anti-climax.

 

Life is repulsive… if we relate to the dead and defeated…

but when we relate to Kings and Champions, then a giant is merely a stepping stone and not a stone wall…

So as we’re nearing 2012… May it be filled with defining moments… regardless of your current situation….

Merry Christmas and a Happy new year! 🙂