How to Stay Inspired
When the Chips Are Down

To have a vision, one needs to have a sense of possibility
far beyond reasonable thinking
-Thomas Leonard

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1) Look for the perfection in the situation

It is not a fluke accident that you are here - this experience is happening right now specifically for you.  The universe is ALWAYS supporting you and your true intentions.  Everything that happens around you has only ONE ultimate purpose: to teach you to love yourself completely. 

What are you supposed to learn right now?

How are you supposed to grow so that you can overcome the challenge?

2) Take full responsibility for the situation that you are in

Your energy and thought patterns are a significant contribution to the creation of the experience - your environment is responsible for the rest (since you designed it, ultimately it's all you).  The challenge is demanding that you expand your consciousness!  See more of yourself.  See more of what is happening around you.

What have you been thinking?

What are you missing or not seeing?

Are you asking yourself the right questions?

3) Be clear about your desires / intentions and focus on them

Go back to the basics.  Stay focused on the ultimate intention.  That includes the tangible result but also the transformation within yourself that you are seeking.  You wouldn't have gotten yourself into this mess if you weren't up for major inner growth.

4) Look for signs of life / momentum and be grateful

There are always signs of life!  Look for them.  Focus on them, tell your friends and colleagues about what you see is working.  

5) Be loving, respectful and honoring of all others - colleagues, customers, competitors

The "chips are down" basically means: a) that you are running out of money; b) you are running out of energy.  Money is always a function of value and energy exchange - it comes to fruition through connections to others.  It does no good to think: "why aren't these jerks buying our products?  What is wrong with them?"  It does no good to talk about how a team member is screwing up or not coming through.

Every thought, every word has energy.  Be respectful of the power of your thoughts and think well of everyone involved in your situation.  Be especially mindful of the power of your word - the energy travels to the person even if they don't hear the sound.

  • Speak well of everyone on your team.

  • If you see something that isn't working OR that needs to be addressed, bring it directly to the person involved; Avoid using a third party to get a "message" to someone - avoid BEING the third party delivering the message.

  • Talk to people! find out what is really happening.  Seek to understand.  Find out how can you improve what you are offering.

  • Reach out! (don't withdraw!).  Money comes through connections.  Projects unfold through connections.  There is nothing wrong with you or anyone else.

6) Focus on your environment!

Make sure the "spaces" of your life are clear.  Part of the reason you are struggling could be because your environment is not designed for the new BIG intention.  So it is keeping the "old you" in place.  The old you can not win in this new game - that is the nature of bigger games.

  • Renew your spiritual practices .

  • Play music that inspires you - that helps you see yourself as a BIG person.

  • Seek conversation with friends and colleagues who are doing well - rekindle your sense of life when it is working.  Feeling good is essential to expanding your consciousness.

  • Pull together a board of advisors for your project.  You'll need new thinking to turn the situation around.

  • Read stories about people who overcame great odds to achieve something amazing.

7) Give yourself credit for amazing courage

Recognize that you are in this situation ONLY because you had the courage to take on something WAAAY beyond your current capacities.

Any time you take on a project (or join a team that is doing so) that is in a BIGGER game than you have played before there is only one way for it to go...

a) You get totally overwhelmed - it's all going faster than you are comfortable with.  You lose your confidence.  You have to face inner demons you didn't know you had.

b) You find the courage deep inside to stick it out while you adapt to the new environment.  You face the demons.  You ask yourself the hard questions.  You seek the truth.  You simplify your life so that you can focus.

c) Gradually your consciousness expands and your skills get more refined.  You create a voracious appetite for new knowledge and understanding. You learn how the game is played at this level.

d) If you hang in there long enough, you start to win.  (Or you bail out and go back to what you already know.) Problems that have plagued you suddenly have obvious answers.  You find inner strength beyond what you thought possible.  You accumulate great success stories to tell your family and friends.

e) You settle into your new success and enjoy the comfortable life for a while. 

f) You get bored and find a BIGGER game to play (and go back to (a)).    

-by Coach Dave Buck

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