The Oprah Show came to an end this week. 25 years. I remember when she started...I was 4 I think. I would race home early from preschool and plant myself in front of the tv set and listen to everything she had to say. Okay, okay, I wasn't really 4...I was 7. Anyway, although I wasn't an avid, everyday viewer, I watched her enough to learn some valuable lessons. Lessons that I try to remind myself everyday. I have spoke of one of these in a previous post. I'm not exactly sure if it was her or Dr. Phil, but the advice was..."
when someone shows you who they are, BELIEVE them." That little piece of advice helps me daily in how I interact with everyone I encounter. You might not know them right off, but eventually everyone shows you who they are, and you should take them for who they are. Don't expect something different or be surprised when they act the way they do. From her early "O" Magazine days, I remember a quote, that sticks with me. "
Stand in your own space, and know that you are there." It's kind of powerful when you think about it. Acknowledge everything around you, take in everything. Recognize the things that you love and appreciate them, take responsibility for your life, your "space" and make it what you want. Now, the other two lessons have come in later years. When you start to examine your life and ask yourself if it really is everything you want it to be, you can't rely on luck. I remember Oprah saying there is no such thing as luck. We always think that someone is lucky, or they caught a lucky break. In actuality, they were just prepared. Oprah's advice
.....Luck is really only preparedness meeting opportunity. I've tried to think of the times in my life when I felt like I had hit a string of luck. I'm not sure I can say that I felt like I was prepared and I seized an opportunity, but I definitely look at it more closely now. I try to always be prepared (like they boy scout I was) and continually keep my eyes open for the opportunity to arrive. That's not to say I just sit around waiting for opportunities, I search them out as well, knowing I'm prepared. We can't argue with Oprah's success, it speaks for itself. Being happy in our careers is part of what makes us successful people. So many people are miserable in their jobs, and it carries over into their personal lives. So take a look at your job, your career, your chosen profession and ask yourself this....would I still do my job, if I didn't get paid for it? I know that's a silly question, because of course we all need money to put a roof over our head and pay our bills, but is that the only reason for doing what your doing? Is it something you are passionate about or is it just a job? "
You know you are on the road to success, if you would do your job and not get paid for it." Success is about the work, the passion, never about the money. So I've asked myself that question...I know without even having to think (of course I'm not going to tell you that here, but if you know me, you know the answer). So, we bid Oprah goodbye, at least for now, I know she'll be back soon enough. So, let's all get about the business of making our own lives better, just like Oprah taught us for 25 years.
