The Power Of ONE Is Greatest When ONE Makes Positive Choices, Because Positive Choices Make A Difference, Always and In All Ways.
Whether you believe in God, angels, guides, the Buddha within, Atman, universal love and energy that unites all life, the beauty and life-force of nature, none of this, all of this, part of this—or if you have no idea at all and feel clueless—welcome to the Life Journey. The truth is that you are here right now on this planet. I believe you are here for a reason. You might agree or disagree, or you might be unsure.
(an excerpt from The Choice, an opening fable in my book, Creating Careers with Confidence.
Dedication
I dedicate this post to celebrating the life and choices of Nelson Mandela, who used his free will to make right choices that transformed himself, his people, their nation, and our world, including many of our world leaders and his fellow citizens on Planet Earth. President Mandela's positive choices continue to make a differnce in our world, and represent the Power of ONE..
To parents, teachers and counselors, and educators in the USA and other countries, whose special calling(s) promote youth development, character development, and career-life exploration and planning for our future generations of world citizens.
To each of YOU who have, are, and will make a positive difference in this world by discovering your special calling(s), living them with passion, and doing so in ways that matter and count, and contribute to a better world.
To Lolly Daskal who believes in the power of each person to go within and leadfromwithin where one’s heart can guide discernment of Truth and inform leadership that can make a positive difference. Lolly has dedicated her life calling to foster leadership in individuals so people can make differences that truly matter. Please join Lolly and her community of very special friends at her powerful tweet chat Tuesday evenings 8 PM EST USA.
Finally, to my three children, Marc, Michael, and Kristen, for whom I have so much gratitude, pride, and love. I am a better human being because of learning from each of you. I love you so very much.
Passions, Core Values, and Calling(s) Create Contributions That Make a Difference
Imagine how different the world would be today without the contributions of countless individuals throughout time, who believed in something special, had a dream, had a powerful vision, and followed their calling(s) with passion, despite the resistance they encountered.
The following reflections are about people and events, and observations of powerful core values and needs from different perspectives. They highlight an individual following her or his calling, and colleagues or observers who acknowledge a level of commitment that deeply mattered and demonstrates the Power of ONE to make a difference. As you read about these people and events, take time to reflect on yourself and the Power within yourself to make a difference, even though you are probably dealing with the major transitions most of us encounter throughout our life journey and across our nine major career-life roles.
The Power of ONE In A Prison Cell… On His Journey To Being A Nation’s President and World Leader
Twenty-seven years in a prison cell provided the perfect environment for Nelson Mandela’s special calling to evolve in ways that transformed his values and behavior, his nation, and our world. His life journey IS what positive activism is all about—making changes sourced in love and forgiveness that fully engage others to a collective calling for justice, parity, and human rights.
What Nelson Mandela accomplished for South Africa IS a wake-up call for the rest of the world to appropriately respond with parity for all people, especially disenfranchised people who still live in poverty and experience measures of discrimination and repression. Countries must respond with legislative and corporate support for equal wages for women and people of color, and the creation of decent living wages for people in the USA and many other countries, where far too many struggle to support their families at a time when wealth is so abundant in the hands of a few.
How did this man who saw himself as an everyday person, a common man with his own faults, evolve into a modern day icon for peace, parity, patience, and forgiveness, a superhero to many millions of youth and adults, and an inspiration to the world, including world leaders? Nelson Mandela, affectionately known by his Xhosa clan name of ‘Madiba, lived a life that tore down barriers and walls, and raised hope in people’s hearts as he collaboratively created a new nation. He was true to his second name ‘Rholihlahla’ which means "shaker of trees" or “troublemaker". He chose to steadfastly prevail with his singular purpose to unite his country by urging citizens to reconciliation, not revenge. The world needed a troublemaker, and Mandela heard his special call!
Mandela shared in an interview, “I came out of prison mature”. Mandela’s own experiences in captivity became the sacred keys for unlocking the chains of fear, hatred, and repression that had held so many people in bondage for far too long in his beloved nation. His life journey and personal shifts in attitude and perceptions offer clear direction for resolving conflicts that often occur in our own lives, even our nation’s struggles, especially those created by the hardened hearts and minds of many politicians who choose not to compromise and seem to be more concerned with their own egos compared with the highest and best for others.
Nelson Mandela shared, “What really matters are the small acts of kindness. The greatest glory in living lies not in never failing, but in rising every time we fall”.
* The life journey of Nelson Mandela reminds us about the Power of ONE in each of us to achieve our own unique, amazing, and abundant potential. Nelson Mandela is truly an example of how leading from love, leading from within, makes ALL the difference, In The World—Always and In All Ways!
The Power of ONE In the Olympics
The Olympics represent a collective effort globally to assemble peacefully, allow the world’s best athletes to demonstrate their talents, and celebrate our wonderful differences as we also honor our sacred sameness. Watching thousands of athletes from many nations during the 2012 Olympics provided evidence of individuals with vision who made a difference despite many challenges. These individuals competed with excellence. Some broke world records, even their own, and reminded us how hard work and practice mixed with passion, focus, and dedication can bring out the best in any individual.
While many people support each athlete, including families, coaches, support staff, and countless others, a main focus has often been on the individual athlete, even during a team competition. Likewise, while thousands provided years of assistance with the 2012 London Olympics, it was one individual, Lord Sebastian Coe, who spent the better part of the last ten years of his life and oversaw the planning and transformation of London to bring the games to life.
He described the Olympics to NBC’s Ann Curry as “a metaphor for life. It’s not about patronage and it’s not about chance. It’s about hard work. It’s about diligence. It’s about great coaching. It’s about friendship and respect”.
* The Olympics remind us about the Power of ONE in each of us to achieve our own unique, amazing, and abundant potential.
The Power of ONE in Space
Countless numbers of humans have gazed at the evening stars and especially the moon since the dawn of mankind. On July 16, 1969, three American astronauts were launched into space aboard Apollo 11 as part of NASA’s, and the world’s, first manned mission to the moon. At 10:56 PM, as millions watched from countries throughout the world, Neil Armstrong exited the Lunar Module, and shared his historic words, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
Armstrong was a humble hero who valued collaborative team efforts and shied away from the limelight of his hero status. After his death August 25, 2012, his family released a brief statement: For those who may ask what they can do to honor Neil, we have a simple request. Honor his example of service, accomplishment, and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink.”
News of Neil Armstrong's death immediately spread around the world. President Obama shared about the late space pioneer, "Neil was among the greatest of American heroes—not just of his time, but of all time."
* The accomplishments of Neil Armstrong and his historic first step on the moon, remind us about the Power of ONE in each of us to achieve our own unique, amazing, and abundant potential, AND take risks to discover new knowledge important for the entire world to witness.
The Power of ONE in Conflicts and Wars
Throughout our world, many conflicts and wars continue to ravage lives and tear and families apart, as innocent people are killed and injustice and discord continue to reign. Many of these tragedies involve daily killings of one person or a small number of individuals, by one person, usually with guns. Others involve “mass killings”, sadly with an average of ONE per month in the United States, and often done by ONE person.
The tragic December 14th murders in 2012 of twenty Sandy Hook elementary school children and six educators who devoted their lives to be with those children, may have tipped the scales of public opinion so that legislators in local communities and Washington finally effectively address the multiple issues, such as mental health, pop culture proliferation of violence in video games, movies, and television, and gun control, that can influence such horrific events. Will this tragedy make a difference? Will anything change for the better? What can YOU do to make a difference, even with a tiny baby step that IS indeed a step in the right direction?
Many regional conflicts and global “hot spots”, involve large groups of people, yet the source of conflict can be traced to a much smaller group of individuals, sometimes fewer than a dozen, and is ultimately rooted in the power of one individual who chooses to mis-use their power and position, and repress and bring harm to others. Yet, even in such conflicts, the oppositional positive force and energies from the Power of ONE person can positively affect others and create a positive collective call to action.
An example of this is the current situation in Syria. What began in 2011 as a peaceful protest movement, evolved into a full fledged insurgency against the repressive government by students, real estate workers, family members, even defector soldiers, and many others.
In the midst of this Middle East conflict and fighting in Syria that many news agencies have been reporting, one particular incident received much attention. In early 2012, an award-winning veteran American war correspondent, Marie Colvin, working for a British newspaper, The Sunday Times, reported about the death of a young boy. Her story and video were broadcast worldwide on February 22, 2012 as she shared, “I watched a little boy die today. Absolutely horrific! Just a two year-old. His little tummy just kept heaving until he died. That’s happening over, and over, and over. No one here can understand how the international community can let this happen!” (NBC Nightly News, 2012).
A few hours later Maria Colvin, and a colleague, Jean-Pierre Perrin, were killed with many others by President Bashar Assad’s forces as they intensely shelled the opposition stronghold of Homs, and launched a rocket attack that struck the building Colvin and others were using as their press room, to tell the world about the atrocities they were witnessing daily.
The next morning, Richard Engel (NBC TODAY Show, 2012) reported on Colvin’s
death, and described her as “a reporter whose work meant everything!” This was followed by an earlier video of Colvin sharing about her dangerous work as a war correspondent, “It still matters to me! When it stops mattering to me, I’ll stop doing it”.
Engel went on to share, as the video showed a huge crowd of people risking their lives as they walked openly in the streets, “And the reporting mattered in Homs! People here braved snipers and shelling to give Colvin and Perrin a brief memorial before the fighting started again”.
Within a week, CNN aired a program called 72 Hours Under Fire that included first hand accounts of coverage in Homs, Syria, from correspondents, producers, and news executives of CNN. Cynde Strand a CNN Senior Director of Coverage, International News, shared about Colvin, “It takes a special type of person to do this kind of thing. What kind of person is that? It’s a person that’s passionate about telling the truth!”
Arwa Damon, a CNN correspondent and colleague of Colvin, described Colvin’s passion and commitment for her work, and stated, “She had this need to go back, to not leave these people behind, to tell even more their stories that she had had the opportunity to tell. You should tell the stories of the people because you’ve witnessed it, and that’s your responsibility to keep telling their stories.”
Damon reflected on the plight of women and children suffering every day, huddled in cold overcrowded dark basements to avoid the constant shelling, “You’re always wondering if you’ve done someone’s pain enough justice; if you’ve done what they’ve been through, enough justice.”
* The accomplishments of Maria Colvin and her passion for telling the truth, remind us about the Power of ONE in each of us to achieve our own unique, amazing, and abundant potential, take risks to discover new knowledge important for the entire world to witness, AND discover and speak the truth as a way to make a difference that truly matters.
WHO Are These People...The Power of ONE? CARE Is Their Common Bond
Any view of history will at some point, reveal the baby steps of a woman or man, even a young person, who stepped out from the crowded path of the masses, and chose to become the wind that would move the pages of history forward.
Some of these people are well known either globally, or within the context of numerous cultures that form the rich fabric of our humanity. Many of these individuals are probably whispers in the shadows of the twilight that gently reminds daylight that it’s time to rest, or prompts the chirping of millions of birds to awaken the sun, as darkness is put aside for yet another few hours.
The opportunity to follow one’s calling(s) is available to each of us because all people have calling(s), including primary callings, secondary callings, even shared collective callings.
Calling(s) are not relegated to the work role alone; calling(s) can be expressed across the multiple life roles that comprise career, of which there are nine, thus I prefer to call this CAREER-LIFE. These roles often include work for pay (our work role) that many people do to earn income and sustain themselves and their families.
There are other important life roles such as the time and energy spent being a spouse or partner, a parent, a learner, and even a volunteer, all specific roles that allow for the full meaning of the word CAREER to come alive with all the incredible energy within each individual to make a difference and contribute their special gifts to make this world a better place for ALL. While living in Hawaii I re-framed the term 'career' in 1976-77 to Career-Life to include multiple life roles. While living in Boston, MA, I further re-framed 'career' in 2011 to "how one gives CARE", i.e., their special talents, interests, and values, across the nine major career-life roles.
CARE Is OUR Common Bond, Always and In ALL Ways
In March 2014, a worldwide launch was initiated, ReFraming Career to CARE, to continue this discussion and encourage people to collaborate in their varous work or other community settings, education, corporate, non-profit, agency, and most impotant, across cultures. Why? Beause the reality is, most people worldwide are playing five to seven life roles, and most fourth graders and homeless people are playing four to five of these same life roles, each of which are opportunities to give and/or receive CARE via "carring experiences".
When one is able to dicover the appropriate environments for giving themselves and all their special energy, this giving of CARE resluts in an ER (energy release of 90-100 trillions cells), thus 'career' is really about giving CARE to others, CAREER. Each of the persons mentioned in this blog have accomplished this; YOU as well have the same opportunity to do so, once you discover your magnificence and choose to act, even in small ways that always make a difference!
CARE Is OUR Common Bond, Always and In ALL Ways
In March 2014, a worldwide launch was initiated, ReFraming Career to CARE, to continue this discussion and encourage people to collaborate in their varous work or other community settings, education, corporate, non-profit, agency, and most impotant, across cultures. Why? Beause the reality is, most people worldwide are playing five to seven life roles, and most fourth graders and homeless people are playing four to five of these same life roles, each of which are opportunities to give and/or receive CARE via "carring experiences".
When one is able to dicover the appropriate environments for giving themselves and all their special energy, this giving of CARE resluts in an ER (energy release of 90-100 trillions cells), thus 'career' is really about giving CARE to others, CAREER. Each of the persons mentioned in this blog have accomplished this; YOU as well have the same opportunity to do so, once you discover your magnificence and choose to act, even in small ways that always make a difference!
When an individual steps out from the path of the masses and chooses to ACT with purpose and meaning, they accomplish three amazing feats.
* First, they have engaged the centrality of all of life, MEANING, and discovered a measure of MEANING and PURPOSE that is relevant to herself or himself.
* Second, they have engaged themselves with whatever gifts they have, that arouse their passions and ignite their energy within, that needs to be expressed for a measure of self-actualization, even happiness, to emerge.
* Third, they have affected others and contributed CHANGE to not only those in their immediate sphere of influence, but this effect is cosmic, universal, and infinite. They become the butterfly that causes great winds of change oceans away and centuries ahead.
NINE REFLECTIONS THAT PROMPT YOUR POWER of ONE
Who inspires YOU... and why?
What situations stir you from deep within, perhaps nudge or even jolt your soul to step out of apathy and engage with passion,...and why?
What makes YOU unique and special, not better than others, yet truly different in a positive way, including any gift(s) or talent(s) that you believe you have...and why?
What gives YOU a sense of meaning and purpose, a sense of mattering, felt deep within...and why?
What do YOU think might be YOUR special calling(s), in any of the major nine life roles that comprise career-life, through which YOU contribute something special and useful...and why?
What holds YOU back from living your fullest potential to BE this amazing and beautiful human being you truly are...and why?
What specifically do YOU need (not want) in order to move forward NOW, despite some feelings and beliefs related to fear or self doubt that challenge many people during their life journey...and why?
What grounds YOU spiritually and is a meaningful source of energy, love, or connection such as others, nature, life, God/Higher Power, Spirit, your own sense of self or self awareness...and why?
What ONE word or brief phrase best describes YOU, the essence of who YOU are, and relates to all of the previous questions...and why?
FIVE PROMISES for YOU
YOU are ONE of a kind. No one will ever be YOU, even your twin!
YOU are HERE on this planet at THIS time, for a REASON, and most likely many reasons.
YOU have a responsibility to discover WHO YOU ARE, and get on with contributing whatever your gifts are, with the rest of us. WE NEED YOUR CONTRIBUTION(S).
While YOU do all this, especially when you discover and start to live your calling(s), although you will experience life’s challenges and transitions that are part of the life journey we each share, you will no doubt experience an important Measure of Meaning and Purpose, Fulfillment, a measure of Joy and Happiness, and will likely sleep better, and experience less stress and better overall Health and Wellness.
While YOU do all this, you get to enjoy a Free Annual Trip around the SUN, and that’s even better than the most exciting and amazing Disney World ride!
Closing Thoughts…
At this special time of the year as we reflect on our challenges and accomplishments, our joys and our pains we have experienced during the sunset of 2013, and we anticipate new beginnings filled with hope in the sunrise of 1/1/2014, may you be Blessed with All of God’s Great Abundance. Take time to discover the precious gift of meaning that is an unconditional gift of life, as Viktor Frankl has taught us.
Take time to be in gratitude for what you have now, and be courageous in pursuing what you seek from the passions and Truth deep within your heart. Take time to truly love yourself; know that YOU are here for a reason, and start living your life in ways that confirm YOU are on track with your purpose and your unique and most sacred calling(s), through which you contribute to the rest of us, Always and In All Ways.
“Everyone has his own specific vocation or mission in life; everyone must carry out a concrete assignment that demands fulfillment. Therein he cannot be replaced, nor can his life be repeated. Thus, everyone's task is unique as is his specific opportunity to implement it.”
Viktor E. Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning
Please feel free to ask a question or make a comment. If you do not want to leave your name, you may simply make your comment as "anonymous". Also please share this website or post with friends or colleagues who might be interested.
** If you are interested in participating in this worldwide launch, ReFraming Career to CARE, to continue this discussion and encourage people to collaborate in their varous work or other community settings, education, corporate, non-profit, agency, and most impotant, across cultures, please visit the link above and join in on the discussion. Whether you are a parent, student, educator, whatever life roles you are playing, and wherever you live, you count and matter because you are here on this Planet NOW. You are important to the rest of us. You DO have the Power of ONE to Make A Difference.
* If you are interested in a special video that was available on the Deepak Chopra Well World site, I am arranging to have a FREE link to access this Regional and National Award Winning video on my website in 2017. This unique video was inspired by the USA 911 experience and can be used by anyone in any country as a user-friendly resource for promoting greater understanding for youth and adults about multicultural differences and conflicts, including faith traditions.
* In 2017 I will be posting a six-part video series called Creating Careers with Confidence, that provides an enjoyable and informative research-based discussion and PowerPoint covering The ABC's of Making Career-Life Choices, including a special video for parents and educators. This presentation will include the paradigm about re-framing Career as CARE.
* Please visit this link for some year-round Gift-Tips under the Christmas Tree and enjoyable videos for adults and youth needing ideas and resources related to the job search including networking, resumes, job interviews, accepting and declining job offers, etc.
* I am available for in-person or distance support and/or motivational presentations with adults and youth regarding topics in my posts, and offer a complimentary phone "mini-assessment" for those who might be interested in career-life counseling/coaching.
Please e-mail me and leave your best phone and time to call, and I will be happy to call you back if you are in the USA. Skype is also an option for anyone in the USA or abroad.
Contact me directly at (781) 721-1200 or careercoachcolozzi@verizon.net
Day, evening or weekend appointments are available. Please leave accurate contact information.
Follow Ed on Twitter @EdwardColozzi , my LinkedIn site or the schools2life LinkedIn site
