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Sample 5 of the Power to Succeed The Power Of Telling The Truth For
seven years, I had studied long and hard to get through college and dental
school. Apparently all of the effort had paid off handsomely. I owned my own
thriving practice, one of the most successful in the US. I earned a great
living, had the respect of my patients, family and peers. But something was
missing. After 15 years of practice, dentistry had grown old. It had become a
job, no longer a passion. But
what was I to do? Dentistry was all I knew to earn a living. And what about the
sizable investment of time and dollars invested in getting my career to the
place it was now? Could I throw that all away? What would others think? How
would my patients get along without my care? What would my staff do? How many
people would I be letting down? I
considered that perhaps, I should just make the best of my situation and accept
the fact that this was the career path I had chosen. However, to do so would be
to live a lie. When I got in touch with the values most important to me, I
realized that dentistry could no longer fully satisfy my need for creativity,
longing for freedom and adventure and desire to contribute in a way that far
exceeded what was possible for me as a dentist. With
this realization, I decided to simply tell the truth. The truth for me meant
that dentistry was no longer something to which I wished to devote my life's
energy. The clarity of this
decision led me to identify what really was most important to me: writing,
speaking and inspiring others to kill the resignation in their lives while
playing full out for what was truly important to them. Once
I told the truth, things started to happen. Possibilities turned into
opportunities and before long, I sold my dental practice and embarked upon a new
career following my passion as an entrepreneur, coach, writer and teacher. All
this began with the courage to identify what was really so and tell the truth. Much
of the struggle we encounter during our lives comes from not being honest with
others and ourselves. We become numb to the challenges, lies and suffering that
life throws our way, causing us to lose sight of a better way. That
way is simple - tell the truth at all times. Being honest with others starts
with self-honesty. This involves developing the muscle of evaluating everything
you say and do on a daily basis and acknowledging the lie. The lie can be
anything that conflicts with your intuition, fails to honor your key values, or
compromises your integrity. The more you become proficient at uncovering the lie
in your thoughts, words, or actions, the closer you will be to maximizing your
power by telling and living the truth. Telling
the truth will also afford others the permission to do the same. Remember, the
truth, spoken responsibly, will not damage people. Withholding the truth will.
By the same token, your commitment to tell the truth does not give you full
permission to say whatever you like without regard for the consequences. Telling
the truth is not the same as speaking your opinions irresponsibly. The key is to
say what is the truth for you in a responsible manner. Pay attention to the
listening you are speaking into and say what needs to be said in a way that does
not damage others. Notice how your commitment to tell the truth will free you of
much of the needless struggle you may now encounter. Telling
The Truth 1)
In each area of life noted below, acknowledge the lie: Your
Physical, Mental and Spiritual Health Your
Relationships Your
Work Your Passions and Recreation Your Finances Your
Personal Development 2)
What actions will you take out of your commitment to tell the truth? |