Have you ever thought that maybe, just maybe, your largest fear or obstacle is the place where you’ll uncover your life journey and dream? If not, I encourage you to open your mind to what my guest blogger, Randy Gregg–CEO of Corporate Performance Resources and author of Living YES in a NO World–has to say about the simple, yet superpowerful word, yes.
As part of our 2011 Holiday Giveaway series, we are offering you the chance to win Randy’s book, Living YES in a NO World. All you have to do is enter to win using the instructions below Randy’s guest blog post article. Good luck!
See below for Randy’s guest article:
And the Word Became—YES!
It started as one of my bright ideas. I say that tongue in cheek because so many of my creative moments fizzle very quickly. In the summer of 2010, I shared a thought one day with a group of friends about how I liked the word yes. It was something along the lines of, “I like the word yes because it opens up possibilities, creates opportunities, and generates positive energy.” Sounds simple enough, right?
There were a number of immediate responses from silly to serious. One person remembered the time a neighbor stopped by her home and quieted her fretful child. For her, YES was a powerful message to be shared. Another one described the time she encouraged her sister to have surgery but her sister died. For this one, YES became NO. One person sharing an experience created a connection for someone else. Before long, I had a ton of stories that had come from the deep places within the hearts of people I know.
Through the process of asking, listening, and sharing, a book was born but it became more than a cute idea to capture a few interesting life experiences from people. It became my journey to healing. I asked questions of myself. I listened to others. I heard themes emerge that I had not considered. A question arrived. I began to write. A structure emerged. It changed. New people found me. They shared their stories. The manuscript began to form.
Eighteen months later, the book, Living YES in a NO World, is a reality; but this isn’t just a story about a person who wrote a book. Lots of books are written by lots of people every day. This one is different. I learned what I call—my deeper lessons of life. And I learned who my real heroes are.
There were many deeper lessons discovered. Here are a few. Everyone holds dreams and expectations. While we race down the highway to happiness, something or someone comes along knocks us off of the road, through the ditch, and over the cliff. So, we seldom live the life we thought or imagined that we would. The whacks from events, people, and our own inconsistencies leave us broken. Then we must make choices. How do we deal with the adversity? You can pretend it isn’t there, try to avoid it, look for a magical solution, or you can walk into it. This is where the insights began to lead me. Those who handled it well—walked into the pain. They faced the adversity, hurt, and loss straight ahead. They didn’t waver or falter. They walked into the pain and by doing so, the pain changed them. As one friend suggested, the “woundedness created the journey.” The healing that takes place deep within your spirit changes your original dream into a newly created one. I look at those individuals who have walked through the dark valleys of life and emerged with a different hope and dream as the real heroes. They have faced whatever has been thrown at them and continue to stand—even stronger in some cases.
I was transformed by the stories I heard from people I already knew—death of a spouse, death of a child, loss of a dream, or finding a new direction. I realized I we were all looking for a sense of home—a place where we could feel at peace in our own skin and realize our purpose in being here.
Now, the dream is growing. It isn’t just about a book to be written but an adventure to be discovered. I have developed a series of coaching packages that provide support and direction for those who want to realize their YES for life. Schedules are set for weekend retreats in the coming year for those who desire to walk with others. Faith is a very important part of this journey; but it is more of a faith in action than one that is diagnosed, discussed, or debated. It leads to healing and wholeness.
A website is being developed and will soon be completed. This will become the hub of activity for those who want to share, dream and find a new purpose. I look forward to the next open door. This one is not so much about the money though I do enjoy financial freedom as much as it is connecting with everyday people, listening to their stories, working through broken dreams, and helping people discover a path to living with intention and purpose.
If you are in business, I know what I would like for you to hear—your biggest setback or deepest adversity, may be the very place where your next dream is waiting to be born. Don’t run from it. Don’t avoid it. Walk into it and listen. There are words waiting to give you direction and hope I think my word is YES! and I hope it is yours also.
About Randy Gregg
In 1992, Dr. Gregg recreated his career by founding a new business, Corporate Performance Resources. Today, CPR works successfully with leaders at all levels within an organization to realize bottom line results. His down-to-earth approach, warm sense of humor, and storytelling acumen continue to serve him well.
To address recurring leadership problems encountered throughout his many years as a professional consultant, Dr. Gregg has written three, well-received books for leaders: Jumpstart Leadership gives new leaders a fast-track approach to effective leadership from the first days; Building Trust and Credibility in Uncertain Times helps leaders better understand the power of credibility and to recognize trust as the real currency of influence; and The Blind Spots of Leadership illuminates some common leadership pitfalls and patterns of behavior that can quickly undermine the effectiveness of the best leaders.
Dr. Gregg enjoys working with organizations of all sizes in multiple roles: as a confidential adviser to a few at the highest corporate level; as a developer of organizational-wide solutions that impact all employees; or as a coach to a single vice president, helping him become the best leader he can be.
DETAILS BELOW ON HOW TO ENTER TO WIN A COPY OF RANDY GREGG’S BOOK: Living YES in a NO World
Prize
There will be one winner in total for this contest. The winner will receive a copy of Living YES in a NO World, by Randy Gregg, free of charge.
To enter for your chance to win, you may choose to follow Package One Entry Details or Package Two Entry Details. You only have to choose ONE entry package to enter for your chance to win:
Package One Entry Details: All you have to do is follow one quick and easy step. See below:
Comment on this blog post telling us why you would love to receive a copy of this book.
OR
Package Two Entry Details: If you would prefer to enter our contest using Twitter, then all you have to do is follow one quick and easy step:
Copy and paste the following tweet into your Twitter post field and submit: “I just entered to win a free copy of “Living Yes in a NO World” by Randy Gregg from @writtenbysumer. Enter here:https://tinyurl.com/7lr42qh”
Additional ways to enter (you may choose ONE additional way to enter the contest from the list below):
1. Sign up for our newsletter, OR subscribe to this blog (via RSS feed or email, which can be found on the sidebar of the blog).
2. Blog about this contest with a link to this post.
3. Like us on Facebook. (If you already Like us on Facebook, then great! You’re one-step closer to winning our webinar series.)
4. Mention the contest on your personal Facebook page or your company Facebook page with a link to this post.
*****Comment on this blog post each time you do one of the above additional steps to notify us of your additional entry. Your name can be entered up to two times in total.
Dates:
The contest begins today, Wednesday, December 21, 2011 and ends next Thursday, December 29, 2011, at midnight (Eastern). The winner will be chosen via Random.org on Friday, December 30, 2011, and will be notified via email or Twitter direct message (depending on how the participant entered the contest).
Terms & Conditions:
No compensation for commenting, tweeting, or promoting this contest will be given in either cash or products unless you are a chosen winner. Sumèr, LLC, will not be held liable for any participant’s comments or tweets, and the participant states that by commenting and / or tweeting, and associating himself / herself with a specific business that he / she has the right to publish a comment on behalf of that business without compensation of any kind. All comments submitted become a part of Sumèr and can be published in the comments section of the Sumèr blog. The winner also agrees that the mention of his or her name on the Sumèr blog as the winner is acceptable.
Should an incident arise where the book cannot be sent to the winner, Sumèr, LLC, cannot be held accountable and is not obligated to provide any compensation of any kind to the winner.
We wish you luck!
