Chris Widener's Weekly Ezine
July 1, 2005
Issue 17

Welcome!

I hope your week has been filled with both blessings -- which remind us to be thankful -- and challenges -- which help us stretch and grow. I hope you enjoy this week's edition! Have a great weekend and July 4th holiday and remember to take some action and keep moving forward in the direction of your goals!


You Are Made for Success!
Chris Widener
 

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In This Issue.......

1. Charting Your Course to Success Weekly Article
2. Made for Success Quote and Commentary
3. The Last Word...
4. Stephen Covey's New Release, The 8th Habit, plus Les Brown, Jim Rohn and more!
5. More Information

1. Charting Your Course to Success Weekly Article

Lessons From our Setbacks by Chris Widener

You know, you can learn a lot from observing successful people, both in their victories as well as their setbacks. A couple of weeks ago, I observed one of my closest friends suffer a major setback and I learned again about vision, tenacity, graciousness and class.

Many of you who have been subscribers for a while know that one of my long-time friends ran for Governor of Washington State in 2004 and won – twice! He won the first count and then there was a machine recount – which he won. Then the other side paid for a hand recount and after that recount my friend had lost the closest Gubernatorial election in United States history: 129 votes.

So my friend and the party he belongs to sued to have the courts look at the election. After a two week trial, the judge announced his findings. My friend was in our home as we watched the live proceedings and the judge told the state his decision: Even though there were 13 times as many illegal votes cast as the margin of victory, there was not sufficient proof available that those votes would have changed the election and thus the case was thrown out.

Here is what I learned about successful people and about my friend over the last year and a half. When he started his campaign, he had three percent name recognition. There hadn't been a person elected Governor from his party in over two decades!

Lesson: Have vision. Dream big. Don't let the naysayers get to you.

Just after he learned that he lost his case, he met personally with the Vice-President of the United Sates, who encouraged him to remain active. "I'm not going anywhere," my friend replied. He'll be back. In fact, most people don't know that he lost his first election in 1992 and came back four years later to win against his previous opponent.

Lesson: Don't give up – be tenacious. Come back and win the next time.

Over the course of that day, most people advised him to appeal to the Supreme Court, but he decided against it. It was time to let the state move forward under his opponent's leadership.

Lesson: Be gracious. There is a time to bow out. Know when it is. Don't be mad or take shots.

During his press conference, he made sure to recognize the counsel for his opponent, who just days before lost her father. Yet she still did her job and honored her father by doing so. My friend recognized her loss and the job she did in the face of it. He offered his prayers and support to her family.

Lesson. Have class. There are things more important than winning. People matter and we should treat them right no matter what.

So, for my friend, that day was a hard one. But even in the midst of a setback you can see that there is a way to handle it properly and can see the future as bright. I saw that in my friend, and it made me proud to know him and others like him.

We can all learn lessons from our setbacks. When life deals you something that is less than what you hoped for, learn to live with vision, tenacity, graciousness and class. And when you win the next time, you will be a much better person for how you lost the last time.

Chris Widener


Chris Widener is an internationally recognized speaker, author and radio host.
If you are interested in booking him to speak at your next event, go to http://www.chriswidener.com or send an email to speaker@chriswidener.com or call 877-929-0439 and ask for Hilary.



2. Made for Success Quote and Commentary

"The only two words not allowed in our house are 'I can't'" -- Chris Widener

Chris' Commentary:
"I'll try" is okay. In fact, that's great! But not, "I can't." Almost nobody should use the words "I can't," because in reality, they can! And if, in fact they really can't, do you know what happens if they at least try? They get better! They learn lessons! They understand life a little more! They build courage that comes from trying new things! They realize that it wasn't as hard as they thought it was going to be! But what if they try and actually succeed? Then all the better because if they had said, "I can't," they would have never experienced they joy of accomplishing the task they set out to accomplish. Remember, it is better to try and fail, than to never try.

Action Point: What have you been saying "I can't," to? Take some time today to stare it down and decide that you will try. Then take a simple, tangible step toward pursuing it. You can never win the prize unless you get in the game - get in today!



3. The Last Word...

Don't you just hate it when people make excuses for their failures? So do I. But do you know what I hate even more? Finding myself making excuses for my failures! I have a policy that I try to live by: No excuses.

Here are some thoughts on a "No Excuses" policy.

People will respect you.
When you say that there are no excuses, that you blew it, and that you take full responsibility to make the situation right, people will be astounded (since very few people make no excuses) and they will come to a greater respect of you.

You will find yourself taking greater responsibility.
When you know that your policy is to have no excuses, there will be less room for error because you will be doing everything that you can to make sure the job gets done!

You will become the "go to" person.
When someone wants something done, they will turn to you because they know that they can count on you to perform. And they know they won't get any excuses! This will improve your level of success, and that is exactly what you are aiming for, right?

Practice up: "You're right. There is no excuse for that. I will fix it immediately." Refreshing!



 

4. Stephen Covey's New Release, The 8th Habit, plus Les Brown, Jim Rohn and more

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5. More Information