Practice = Performance

Over the Holiday Season, I had the opportunity to assist the Sunday school teacher, Ms. Jeannie, at the church I attend with the children’s rehearsal for the Christmas play. She had me work with the kids that were assigned major roles in the play. I was very impressed by the children’s ability to memorize their lines in such a short timeframe. We practiced off to the side of the stage until they were called onstage to practice there.

It was interesting to see that onstage they became very shy and their voices and delivery were off-key. Ms. Jeannie stopped them in the middle of the first session and told them that what they were doing was not good enough. She proclaimed that how they practice would be the way they would perform the day of the event. She challenged them to give it their all. These words seem to hit the right note with the kids. They improved their performance in speaking their lines and using body language to match their words.

Ms. Jeannie’s proclamation struck a chord in me as well about how we approach some situations in our lives. How many times have we, you and I, simply approached a task half-heartedly when we are practicing them? On the day we have to present before our managers, customers, family, and/or audience, our performance is also half-hearted. We don’t give it our all; thus, we appear to be unprepared. We don’t shine like we ought to shine. Perhaps we may follow the advice of the old poem:

“If a task is once begun,
Never leave it till it’s done.
Be the labor great or small,
Do it well or not at all.” ~ Anonymous

I wasn’t present when the children performed the Christmas play, but I heard that it went well. The children received great accolades from their proud parents and those that attended the event. Ms. Jeannie set a high bar and the children raised theirs to meet it. We can do the same. The next time you approach a task that you really don’t enjoy, either decide not to do it and give it to someone that has the passion for it; or change your view and decide to do the best you can. You never know who might be watching you and will be impressed by your performance. You may shine bright like a           Diamond! 

Live a Diamond Life! Live a Life of Purpose!

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Dawnna St. Louis at D47 TLI. Picture by Jesus Diaz.
Dawnna St. Louis at D47 TLI. Picture by Jesus Diaz.

When planning an event for Toastmasters, I wanted to select the Keynote Speaker that would get the event going with the right tempo. I wanted the person that would understand the audience and would get them excited about the event and the upcoming workshops.  As I thought about the folks that I know as great speakers, I thought who better than someone that has been a Toastmaster. Someone that I have been impressed with the way she/he delivered her/his message with such bravado and energy.

An image of Dawnna St. Louis popped up in my head. Dawnna works as a Keynote speaker for International Organizations, Private Corporations, and Direct Marketing companies. She has inspired sales teams and entrepreneurs to have the confidence to close bigger deals, women’s groups to shameless self promote, and executives to become confident leaders and strong decision makers.

I was worried that she may not be available because Dawnna’s schedule has been jam packed with her travels around the USA and abroad. With fingers crossed, I typed a short email message to her: “Keynote, TLI???” She responded: “When?” I replied: “Sat. Jan. 4, 2014 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m.” She sent: “For you, anything!” I jumped out of my chair and yelled “Yipeeee!!!” I have known Dawnna for a few years now and she has been my business coach. I know how busy she normally is and I was quite happy that the event was scheduled on a date that she was available.

Dawnna asked me before hand what message I wanted the audience to take away with them. I told her about the theme: “New Year, New You.” I wanted them to learn something she did to improve herself or overcame an obstacle; letting them know that they too can do the same in their lives. The day of the event, Dawnna delivered a motivating and inspirational speech. Her speech did just that and more. She had the audience laughing with her skillful use of humor. She had them empathizing with her when she opened up about her fears. She had them celebrating with her when she faced and overcame those fears. She left them with hope that they too can overcome obstacles and their fears.

Dawnna set the right tempo for our audience. They left out of her session with smiles on their faces and headed off to the other workshops with enthusiasm and great anticipation. Dawnna did not only gain more fans for herself, but she set the stage for the other presenters to shine. Dawnna is a fantastic example of a talented Diamond Cutter! Leave a comment and share this article.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7205kFUPmY#t=23]

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The Choice is Yours

“You make life meaningful by choosing to do meaningful things.” ~ Dana LaMon, J.D.

Welcome to 2014! The New Year is a time when most people make decision about new goals, desires, jobs, relationships, etc. It could also be a time to reflect that life is finite in the physical world. The choices we make determine whether we have a life of purpose, meaning and joy; or whether we see it as worthless and without purpose. Ultimately, the choice is yours or mine in how you or I choose to live our lives.

As you build your list of goals, your vision boards or whatever method(s) you utilize in planning your life’s path, choose the ones that lead you to develop your skills, talents and gifts. It will benefit you and those around you! As the quote implies, choosing to do meaningful things will result in a meaningful life…a life of purpose on purpose!

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Make a Wish

The snow was swirling around the street as I tugged on the leash to keep Ramadan from pulling. She was a mixed breed that we rescued from the animal shelter. Her black coat was covered with the snow.  The temperature was in the low 30s but it felt colder because of the wind. Ramadan seemed happy to be in the snow. I wasn’t. My sister was inside the apartment nice and warm and our mother was at work. It was my turn to walk Ramadan…it was one of the worst snow storm in New York and there I was at 7 p.m. walking this dog that wouldn’t listen to me.

Suddenly, Ramadan gave a hard jerk on the leash and broke free. She saw a stray dog down the block and she ran towards it. I called out: “Ramadan, no. Come back.”  I chased after them, but the snow made it difficult for me to keep up with them. They ran around the block and I lost track of them. I got so mad and I shouted: “You stupid dog. I wish a car hits you!” I decided to go back to the apartment and ask my sister to help me find her. My sister got dressed and we went out to find Ramadan. We walked around the block that I last saw her. Off in the distance we saw something moving in the road. As we got closer, I told my sister that it was the dog that Ramadan chased. It was tugging at something lying in the road.

The closer we got, the harder my heart was beating in my chest. I was praying that the thing the other dog was tugging at was not Ramadan. But it was. To my horror, Ramadan was not moving; her body was motionless on the cold street with blood coming from her mouth and the leash still tied around her neck. The other dog was trying valiantly to awaken her. It was too late. It seemed my wish had come true. A car did hit Ramadan. Guilt and sorrow immediately flooded my being as I grab my sister’s hand and started running back to the apartment. I kept repeating: “It is my fault. It is my fault,” as the tears stung my half frozen cheeks.

We rushed into the apartment and I dialed my mother’s work number. When she answered, I blurted out what happened and ask her to forgive me. She calmed me on the phone to the point where I wasn’t gasping for air between my sobs. Once I calmed down, she told me: “You must be careful what you wish for. Wishes are powerful and they do come true.” Whether you are I believe in wishes, I know that night in the late 1970’s taught me to be very mindful of the words I utter out to the Universe, especially when making a wish. Now I channel my words, desires, wishes, etc. into positive visions with positive intentions towards Living a Diamond Life. Somehow this works for me. How about you?

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Sunrise over the Ocean

Yesterday, while channel surfing on the car radio, I stopped to listen to Paul Simon’s song “Slip Slidin’ Away.”  I never really paid attention to the words, the hundreds of times I have heard  the song. Then, I truly listened and felt the note of caution the words expressed. At least that’s how I connected with the song.  The thought of life’s dreams, goals or purposes slipping and slidin’ away from us, the closer we get to them, is a scary and a real one.

So many times we allow our dreams and aspirations to get away from us. We learn to settle in jobs, routines and self-doubts, instead of implementing: persistence, being consistent in the resistance of imagined trepidations.  The haunting lyrics of the song popped into my head at 5 a.m. as I woke and prepare for my morning exercise. I headed to the beach to see the beauty of the sunrise and the magnificence of the ocean waves. They reminded me of the possibility of achieving greatness, if we just decide to be consistent in our resistance of our fears and the persistence of our purpose. Stop slip slidin’ away and start believing and living your Diamond Life…your Life of Purpose!

Take a listen to the song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_H-LY4Jb2M

Keep Living a Diamond Life! Live a Life of Purpose!

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