July Inspired Leap™ "Ah-Ha!" Newsletter
July 2008

What's Your Unreachable (so you think) Star?

Dear Dianna,

On Monday night, July 14, I witnessed an inspiring show put on by Josh Hamilton, outfielder for the Texas Rangers. At the All-Star Home Run Derby, he shattered the record for most home runs hit in the first round, hitting a total of 35 for the event, with three that went further than 500 feet.

For those of you who could care less about baseball, what makes this feat so inspiring is that Josh Hamilton, the first draft pick in 1999, came back from being kicked out of Major League Baseball for alchohol and drug addictions. Imagine the intense competition to reach the few spots available to play in the majors. Then imagine someone kicked out, wrestling with his demons, and not playing baseball for almost 3 years, finding a way to come back, make it to the majors, and only 1 1/2 years later be at Yankee Stadium breaking records.

Hamilton's story made me think of the old (yes, I'm dating myself) song from the play, Man of La Mancha, The Impossible Dream (music by Mitch Leigh and lyrics by Joe Darion). One of the stanzas of the song particularly spoke to Hamilton's journey back from his addictions:

This is my quest
To follow that star
No matter how hopeless
No matter how far

The song goes on to describe this as the quest to "reach the unreachable star." What's your unreachable star? Is there a dream or passion that you've put on hold or begun to talk yourself out of? If so, this newsletter is a wake up call. It's time to get back in focus and to put that dream on center stage in your life. For, as Josh Hamilton proves, there is NO unreachable star. No matter how hopeless or far your star seems to be, it IS reachable.

During the All-Star break, Hamilton told of a dream that he had when he was struggling to get back into the game. The dream vividly portrayed him participating in a Home Run Derby in Yankee Stadium. He used that dream to fuel his recovery from his addictions and his fight to get back into the majors. On Monday, he literally lived his dream. If he can do it, so can you!

Think of your "unreachable star" as reaching the pinnacle of success in your Divine-given area of expertise or strength--the work that is fun, joyful and relatively easy for you to do. Sure, preparation, practice, and training are important, but the truth is you don't need much of any of it in order to follow this particular star. What is it for you?

If you're not sure what that is for you, here are some things to look for:

• The saying "time flies when you're having fun" applies whenever you're involved in this work, play, or activity.
• This part of your work is play.
• You feel joy when you engage in this work and feel frustrated, or even angry, when you're away from it for awhile or denied the opportunity to do it.
• You dream about succeeding at this work in a BIG way.
• People are always complimenting you on how easy you make what you do seem (but, they know it's anything but easy for them).

If you already know what your "unreachable star" is, the question is, "what are you doing to go after it?" What if you could treat your passion like a quest and trust that the dream (even a daydream) you've had about your passion or work is exactly like Josh Hamilton's dream--reality in the near future! If you knew that to be true, what steps would you take right now to make your dream a reality?

And I Know if I'll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will like peaceful and calm
When I'm laid to my rest
And the world will be better for this
That one man, scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star.

These last two stanzas of the song point to why it's vital that you remain true to your dream, to your quest. First, your "heart will lie peaceful and calm" even before you're laid to rest because it knows you've stayed true to who you are. Peace is knowing that you've done all that you can in any given situation, while being true to yourself. Second, "the world will be better for this," because you're going for your dream. The great dancer Martha Graham said it best:

There is a vitality, a life-force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time this expression is unique. and if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost. The world will not have it! It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.

-Martha Graham

If you don't stay true to your dream, you're not just letting down yourself, you're letting down thousands of other people too. Look at Josh Hamilton. He's "just" a professional baseball player. What's so important about Josh following his particular dream? Consider the thousands of young men and women who were inspired by his come back.

If he had not honored his dream, despite all odds (self-inflicted and otherwise), then Hamilton would not be the inspiration that he is. If his comeback causes even one young person to avoid the descent into the hell of drug and alchohol addiction, then the pursuit of his baseball dream has been worth it. Imagine who you will positively influence by dusting off your dreams, kicking aside your fears and going for it!

Upcoming Events and Workshops

We've got a lot going on, so I hope you can join me for one or more of these events. Come be inspired!

Envision Your Way to Success Monthly Tele-Class, Next Session is now offered THREE different times: Tuesday, August 12th at Noon and 7pm Central and Wednesday, August 13th at 7pm Central! You've asked for different time choices and you've got it! No more excuses - join me on the call.

We'll briefly explore a different facet of the power of visualization and how the conscious practice of visualizing is a key component of a successful life - however you define it. You'll then tap into your intuitive wisdom and the power of your imagination in a guided visualization.

Make More Effective Decisions: Use Your Intuition! Join me at the August 19th Choose Austin First monthly meeting for my presentation on using intuition for more effective decision making. Go to www.chooseaustinfirst.com to find out more.

An Intuitive Day at the Spa, Thursday, September 25th at the top-rated Lake Austin Spa Resort (this is one of my favorite events!) Spend a day exploring what your intuition has to tell you, then finish off with a 50-minute spa treatment and time to relax.

Work Less to Accomplish More, Friday, September 26th at Vintage Villas. Take time to re-think how you "make" things happen and create a new, easier way of working by harnessing all of your inner resources and the resources of the universe.

Envision Your Way to Success Luncheon Workshop, Tuesday, October 14th, location TBD. If you can't make the tele-classes or long for the power of connecting with others and doing visualizing with a group, then this workshop is for you. I still hear from attendees of this workshop back in 2006 about the amazing results they achieved after attending this workshp.

Getting Unstuck Without Coming Unglued , Friday, October 24th at Vintage Villas. Are you stuck in uncertainity about what your big dream is or what the right next step is to make it happen? If so, this workshop is for you. You'll learn some powerful ways to get unstuck and what wisdom your "stuck" situation has to offer you.

I Know What to Do, So Why Don't I Do It, Friday, November 7th, Vintage Villas. Do you have a clear idea of what you want, but find yourself going in circles or moving backwards? If so, this workshop will help you understand why you find it difficult to move forward and how to move beyond your fears.

Second Annual New Year, New You! Vacation Retreat in Hawaii, January 17-24, 2009 at the Sheraton Maui Resort. Save the dates! More details to come on this inspiring, relaxing, and phenomenal way to launch yoursef into a magnificient 2009.

Part of the reason for this theme for this newsleter is the inspiration to "play big" I received from the eWomenNetwork Annual Conference I attended last weekend. Because of that, Josh Hamilton's performance on Monday truly touched me. I hope you'll find time to watch the Olympics for other inspiring stories (like 41-year-old swimmer Dara Torres) or read about men and women who reached for their impossible dream.

May you be inspired to turn up the heat on your own so-called impossible dream and reach for your own personal very-reachable star.

With sincere wishes for a summer full of stars,

Dianna Amorde President, Inspired Leap Consulting Inc. Comments or questions about this newsletter? Email me at damorde@inspiredleap.com. I look forward to hearing from you.

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If your company needs help with inspiring employees to reach new heights in productivity, creativity, morale, and integrity, please contact us at inspiredleap.com or 512-236-0090. If you need some more inspiration or more regular nudging to practice these steps, check out our website to see what's new to inspire you (a visit to The Quiet Room may be just what you need!).