Work/Life Success Strategies

Igniting the heart of your company

Master Certified Coach

In This Issue:

Success Strategy: Stepping Off the Cliff: What Risks are YOU Willing to Take?

Edie's Book Club: Fearless Living: Live Without Excuses and Love Without Regret

Telebridge Rental

About Spirit of Small Business

Quote:

People over 65 were asked, 'If you could live your life over, what  would you do differently?'  They said three things:  'I'd take time to
stop and ask the big questions.  I'd be more courageous and take more
risks in work and love.  I'd try to live with purpose--to make a  difference.'
 

Richard Leider, founding partner of the Inventure Group

Stepping Off the cliff: What Risks are YOU Willing to Take?

Every so often when I take time to reflect on the life I have been privileged to live, I am amazed about all the things I have experienced and accomplished.  Our society often trains us to think we can accomplish more, or worse yet, that what we have accomplished isn't enough.  Being grateful for it all is what success is all about.  It's all part of the picture, and if you are not willing to take risks and venture outside of your comfort zone, you may be depriving yourself of many wonderful experiences. This is the true richness of life.

I have learned much about life from my Dad, Louie Pereira, who is the ultimate risk-taker.  Louie was born (as I was) in Madeira Island, Portugal.  He had a military father and his younger years were filled with many rules....(all of which he felt were there to be broken, by the way). This is the first rule of being a risk- taker:  Rules are needed to bring about order and each of us must review the rules which run our lives and see which ones serve us and which ones don't....too much structure stifles the creativity and creates stagnation. 

In his zest for life, Louie, saw that the little island he lived on was only a snippet of what the world had to offer him.  He was married in his early 20's and wanted the best for his family.  He was a policeman in his teen years and then gave barbering a try, but all of this seemed too boring.  As he looked around, he realized that the little island imported many things to sustain the people and he ventured out into business for himself as an import and export specialist.  He traveled (often with only a dream) to countries like Venezuela, Brazil, Cuba, and Canada to bring back great things to his clients and family.  This is the second rule of being a risk- taker: Be willing to dream and step off the cliff (out of your comfort zone). 

A life without a dream is a life without possibilities.  Be willing to dream and dream BIG.  Make a Destiny Board for yourself with all of the things you believe are part of your destiny or your life path.  If you are a writer, write about it, get creative with the possibilities and let the energy flow from your heart onto the paper and into your life. 

Not only did Louie travel the world, he brought his experience back to his family and eventually took the ultimate risk and moved them all to the US.  In 1960 we arrived in Boston, then New York City with our final destination of Rochester, NY.   Here is where we began our family adventure of risk-taking.  Often having no clarity of what would happen, we took each step as a team.  Standing together made it purposeful.  Rule number three: Have a support team--people who believe in you (a Coach, family, etc) who will assist you to focus on the dream and motivate you.  A support team can make a huge difference in your accomplishments.  Perhaps you would want to create a Personal Board of Directors  as a uniform body to keep you on track.  There is power in numbers and the jump is much shorter when you feel supported.

My Dad is still teaching me to stand at the cliff, look around, grab the dream and jump.  My life experiences have been many and although not all jumps have taken me to fruitful opportunities, I have learned much from each experience.  I would not change a thing about my life.  I suggest to you that true success happens when you fully embrace where you are today and what you have accomplished until now.   Trust your intuition to guide you and move you forward along the path of fulfillment.  Taking risks is all a part of growth.... enjoy them!!  Celebrate them!!

Coaching Challenge

Edie's Book Club

Email

Telebridge Rental
 

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About Spirit of Business
 

Work/Life Success Strategies is written and produced by Edie Pereira Hulbert of Spirit of Business. If you have any questions or comments, please let us know!

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Copyright 1997-2005 Edie Pereira Hulbert. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.