Opportunity and Speaking Your Mind

“Four things come not back: the spoken word, the sped arrow, time past, the
neglected opportunity.”
~ Omar Ibnal-Halif

My, my! What a paradoxical little quote! The “spoken word” and the “sped arrow” part say to me, “be careful what you say and do. Once put in motion, you can’t take them back.” The part about “time past” reminds me to “Be Here Now – “ there’s nothing that can bring the past back, and to spend time ruminating the past merely detracts from the present. The last part, “the neglected opportunity,” speaks to me of not being overly cautious. If I miss an opportunity it’s gone, so I need to be awake enough and bold enough to avail myself of the potential that’s in front of me.

So – “Be careful you don’t say or do the wrong thing. But if you do, the past is the past. But don’t be too careful, because you might miss an opportunity.” There’s definitely some mixed messages in here, but I think this is a beautiful quote, as it illustrates the challenges of balancing living responsibly with living life full out.

Do you know people who always speak their mind, regardless of the consequences to themselves or others? (Remember Jim Carrey in the movie, “Liar, Liar?”) How about people who rarely let you know what they’re really thinking? Are they motivated by control, tact, or fear? How can you balance being genuine and in integrity with being responsible with your communication?

How big a deal is it if you say something you truly regret? Can an apology always repair the damage done, or is it sometimes irreparable?

I know for me, when my emotions are running high, I’m almost always better off letting things settle a little before having a discussion with the person(s) I feel the need to communicate with. I’m often amazed at how different my thoughts are, even in the space of a few hours. Perhaps it’s a fear that others may not forgive me if I overstep, but I prefer to wait a bit with my angst rather than risk hurting someone else (and perhaps myself as well, in terms of relationships) and having to backtrack. Or at least this cuts down on the backtracking!

The same goes for actions, or “the sped arrow.” For what do you wish to be known, and remembered? If all of your friends and family were to watch your life (all of it!) on a nightly video, would you be proud of your actions? Are you living your life, not only in the Big Picture, but on a moment to moment basis, in accordance with your highest values?

And now, to the past. How can you use the learning you’ve experienced from the past without letting what’s happened in the past drive your future? It’s important to gain skills without gaining judgment. If you’d never had a relationship before, how would that change the next one you have? If you’d never experienced failure in the past, would you have any fear about trying a new business idea?

Opportunity. Don’t miss it. What a fear that is! Some opportunities will never come around again. When you’re sitting in your rocking chair on the porch at age 90, which ones will you be glad you pursued? You can’t go after everything that comes your way, or you’d simply be too diluted. So when choosing, look again to your core values, your top five, to know what’s best for you. And then...

1. Don’t neglect to pursue that opportunity
2. Use your experience from the past to make the most of the opportunity, and guard against judgment from that past sabotaging the present and future.
3. Take thoughtful action; as long as your action is in accordance with your core values, chances are you’ll be proud of that video your friends and family might watch tonight...
4. Think before you speak. Words can be very powerful. Use that power wisely and kindly. Being responsible about your communication does not have to be at odds with being authentic and “speaking from the heart.” It in fact gives your communication a much better chance of being heard successfully.

© Copyright Magellan Enterprises, all rights reserved

Reach Me: Telephone: (970) 259-4847; Fax: (970) 259-4874
E-mail: ginger@magellangj.com
Web: www.magellangj.com

Please recommend this E-Zine to anyone you know that is interested in getting more out of their career or their life (It's a good way to stay in touch with clients, too.)

PRIVACY STATEMENT: We will not distribute your address to anyone. Period.