STANDING OVATION

In today's post, we will squeeze in another analogy about Arsenal. I saw a status update on someone's Facebook page that read 'I 8-2 say this but 4-3 weeks, I have been laughing at Arsenal'...but I digress.

I love singing. So much so that I joined church choir some years back. I still remember those days of practice to perfect out voices. One thing is clear though, I had great passion...and just about an average voice. So what does my just about average voice has to do with the topic of the day. Hang on. This is going to be lovely.

So one day, the choir master out of the blue decides to switch us around. I was singing a 'low'. She decided that that day, all the 'lows' will sing the 'highs' and vice-versa. 'Not so good for a Standing Ovation', I thought. So when the main event came on Sunday, there I was faithfully. We had to do some rehearsals before we could hit the podium. Man, I tried to hit the high notes but all in vain. You could see the discouragement in my face. My eyes bulging out, my mouth wide open, replaced with closed eyes and a stretched neck. It must have been a sorry sight to one of the guys who was a natural 'high' (voice-wise), who came over to me and tried to 'help' me. "You just do this...." , he then opens his mouth real wide and hits a high. I look at the guy like he's just gotten off of a bus... he did not help me needless to say. 

And so, few weeks back, I am on Record TV in Kampala.A caller indicated that he had set his goals at the beginning of the year. By end of August, the only accomplishment he had done for those goals were fifty percent. I have to address several things here. The first thing that I need fully addressed is this notion that goal setting should be done at the beginning of the year. Now that is totally incorrect. That is the 'new year resolution' mentality. It is not a must that your goals be linked to calender years. You can be successful at your own terms, and create your own success year.

Wait a minute...what happened to the choir thing. Glad you asked. This is a very powerful concept that I am sure most people are affected by it. My choir mate naturally hit the high notes and could not understand why it was so hard for me to do the same. You see, for him it came basically with no effort...and that is why he was taking it... for granted! There we go.  Have you ever seen a guy so talented fail to explain HOW they pulled something off? It is because they are OBLIVIOUS of it. They take it for granted that everybody else has that ability. If you flip the whole story, you will find that there are thousands upon thousands of accomplishments that we attain that go unnoticed...no, not to the crowd, but to ourselves.

If there were some invisible fans assigned to us to cheer us on when we do something positive, there would be very many standing ovations in just one day. Picture this....you woke up in the morning...Standing Ovation (some people have said their enemies groan when they wake up hehehe), you actually call your mum....standing ovation. You get that job...standing ovation. You make the sales...standing ovation. You start the jogging program...standing ovation...you set some goals...standing ovation. You actually were able to cook a meal...standing ovation. You wrote a blog post, standing ovation. You actually have endured reading this one thus far...standing ovation! There actually is a standing ovation going on though unseen on the things that you accomplish. The problem is that most people focus on the unaccomplished stuff at the expense of the things that they have done...that 'just came naturally.'  You see, to you it is a natural...but not to everyone. That is why Life Signatures has said some time back...never underestimate or take for granted that which you know and are passionate about or have an experience in.

I say it is time to acknowledge that invisible crowd of fans that are always giving you a standing ovation. I say it is time to smile and wave back to them and join the celebration every now and then. At the very worst, you could be dead...so there is a chance for a standing ovation as you go to bed...whether the day has gone well or not...really.

People think that their achievements are little..there are no TV Cameras and journalists to tape your success. No one is taking notice. I suggest that there is a standing ovation going on in the invisible world. Think about it this way. If you had not sat down to set them goals, you would be living a life of mediocrity.  If you had not put action steps and taken them to achieve the 50%, you would probably be feeling disgruntled with life.

If you had not taken time to load airtime, and spend it on calling a TV show to ASK, you probably would not be having the answers that are coming to you. You probably would not have opened yourself up for resources, people, events and connections that would make you achieve the rest of the 50%. I submit to you sir that you need to take time and count your blessings. You need to get the keen ear and listen to the cheers that you are receiving from the world unseen....and you need to join them and toot your own horn, pat your own back, smile and congratulate yourself.

Finally...the Arsenal Story. I just had to talk about Arsenal again. Remember that 8-2 Scoreline away at Man U? I know, I know. Painful, embarrassing, 'un-thought' of! Yet after that drama, I am told that the management at Arsenal decided to repay in full all the fans who travelled to Old Traford and witnessed the humiliation. Reason? These guys cheered on their team even as the scores were reading something akin of a one sided rugby match. What a spirit! What a tenacity. Could we all borrow that leaf? My standing ovation is with those very Arsenal fans. Wow! And hey...what are you applauding about yourself today?
Have a cheerful day...wont you?

Did You Know?

That you are your very own best cheerleader?