Monthly Archives: March 2014

“Be impeccable with your word. Speak with integrity…”

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“Be impeccable with your word. Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.”

—Don Miguel Ruiz, Mexican spiritualist author

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Image from Flickr by Brisbane City Council

We have all heard the phrase “the pen is mightier than the sword.” Our words have the power to tear down and destroy – or in the case of truth and love, to bring the world together.

We rarely hear the word “impeccable”. It points to an exemplary standard of excellence seldom seen today, and yet it can be the basis of character that we can all aspire to (and choose to follow in our leaders).

Unfortunately, more often than not, we see only rare glimpses of this impeccability – and even then, the actions we observe fall short of the mark. Take heart, however, in the fact that truth and love are two of the most powerful forces in humanity, and that fundamentally, we all strive for them every day, despite our shortcomings.

Exercise:

How can you and will you raise your own standard of impeccability of your word to forge all the wondrous benefits that truth and love provide?

A simple way to begin is with a promise you make to yourself and others. Feel free to let me know your intentions in this area and the results which you discover.

“When you’re presented with the opportunity to improve someone’s life…”

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“When you’re presented with the opportunity to improve someone’s life, to help them go through a particularly difficult challenge, to engage with great comrades and achieve a noble mission – what could be luckier?”

– Unknown cadet, quoted by Jim Collins, business consultant and author

Fort Pickett hosts air assault courseImage from The National Guard.

Today’s quote is a call to action. It is a call for you to channel your inner coach. It’s a call to help those around you realize their most cherished goals or simply navigate their worlds a bit more smoothly.

To begin with, view this supportive process as a personal scavenger hunt in which these individuals already have the answers or resources they require within them.

Should you discover that what they need is not within arm’s length, please do help them find the missing pieces outside of themselves. These may well include what you can bring to the situation.

Exercise:

Select one person in your personal or professional world to help achieve their most noble mission. They will be lucky to have your support and I bet you will feel lucky too.

“To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.”

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“To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.”

– Thomas Edison, inventor

471Image from Flickr by Marion Doss.

Whenever I think of the term “invention”, “innovation” or “imagination”, Thomas Edison comes to mind. During his life, over 1,000 patents were attributed to him.

But what about us? I personally do not hold a single patent. On the other hand, if there is validity to his quote and we can martial our imaginations as he suggests, perhaps there is hope for all of us to be future inventors.

Exercise:

Consider using a word such as “resources”, “assets” or even “belongings” in place of the word “junk”.

How could you apply, combine, blend or piece together these items with a healthy helping of imagination to bring something new and valuable into your world?