Just imagine for a moment…

…you’re thirteen years old…you have your whole life ahead of you, and you’re passionate about your dream…you already know what you want to be and do…at such a young and tender age…you’re smitten.

And then someone says…

“Dear Candidate, thank you for your application to our ballet academy. Unfortunately you have not been accepted. You lack the right feet, achilles tendons, turn out, torso length and bust. You have the wrong body for ballet and at 13 you are too old to be considered.”

…

……

………

…what would you do?

• Would you give up on your dream just because someone in a position of authority says you’re no good and you don’t have what it takes mentally, physically or otherwise…or do you listen to your heart and soul?
• Do your resolve and commitment strengthen?
• Do you dig deeper than ever before?
• Do you set your sights even higher?
• Do you know in the deepest depths of the core of your very Be~ing that you are meant for this?
• …and that nothing, nor no one, will stop you?

I don’t know about you, but I’m always deeply inspired by sporting greats and what is increasingly possible for the human body; and the universal story of the underdog, of being told no, of not fitting the mould…and yet succeeding.

History Has Been Made…

History was made again this week in the ballet world when soloist Misty Copeland was promoted to Principal Ballerina, thereby becoming the first black female principal in the 75-year history of the prestigious American Ballet Theater.

Copeland’s rise to fame, despite the centuries of tradition working against her, has served as an inspiration not only for young dancers around the world who don’t fit the mould, but for any one of us who finds ourselves in situations where we don’t ‘fit in’…and we’re told we don’t have what it takes.

During her recent performance of Swan Lake, Misty repeatedly experienced cheers so intense they stopped the show. Her story of over coming the odds to pursue her passion is one, I am sure, many of us can relate to and be inspired by. I know I can relate…having once been told I’d never run again (I’m a keen athlete) after a major skiing accident, fracturing and crushing my lumbar vertebrae and breaking my hip in three places…ten years later I came second to the European champion in my first ever triathlon.

So what is it that engages us, that drives us, that spurs us on, that creates alignment to a vision, that creates belief in ourselves, that gives us unwavering stickability and unstoppability to our goals, where our commitment and loyalty to ourselves and our dreams is 100%…all of the time?

What is that je ne sais quoi?

So What is the Power Behind Perseverance?

It seems that those who accomplish great things in life have a winning attitude, they are positive, they have a sense of inner peace, inner power and they are passionate about what they do and about serving a greater purpose…their sense of purpose is compelling. They are determined and focussed. They persevere. They believe in themselves…even more importantly; they are committed and loyal to themselves and their dreams.

Perseverance seems to be a rare quality these days with the ever increasing allure of instant gratification that our ever-faster society seems to feed on, constantly.

Instant tech, instant food, instant messaging, instant coffee, instagram…

The Power of Purpose

Successful people, no matter their chosen field have a greater sense of purpose, one that compels them to succeed. Once you know what your purpose is and you connect with it, it becomes your very reason for Be~ing. A clearly defined purpose inspires us to do great things. Dr. Martin Luther King had a clear purpose, a compelling vision; a calling. In 1963, he didn’t say “I have a strategy”…he said “I have a dream…” and that’s what the world bought into, was inspired by and came out for. His dream was (still is, fifty years later!) compelling. He had such a clear purpose, his commitment and will to serve were unwavering.

Misty’s purpose reaches far beyond being the Principal Ballerina in her company.

“I think that the ballet world is so far behind the rest of the world with growth and accepting diversity. So, it’s kind of been something that I’ve wanted to do: bring diversity to the ballet world and educate people in this circle…Once I reached the point of being promoted to soloist,” she added, “I knew I had a bigger purpose and that there were more eyes on me and that I had become a role model.”

Most of us to some degree wish to make a difference in our own lives and in the lives of those around us, as social be~ings, we’re naturally drawn to contributing to and being a part of something larger than ourselves, something that involves common-unity, for this is where growth and transformation happen…when people come together; yet sometimes, we get in our own way!

So…

• What is it that inspires and motivates you from deep within?
• What were you born to do? If you don’t know, have you tried listening to your intuition…to your gut feeling? It will not let you down.
• What is your powerful why? This will help to reveal your purpose. Forget the hows…they will come once you commit completely.
• And once you’re that committed; your perseverance and your belief, trust and confidence in yourself will not falter in the face of difficulty and adversity.
• Who do you have to be, to see this change, reach this goal and accomplish this mission? Your life’s work? Your dreams, goals and purpose are uniquely yours for a reason…you have what it takes within you to reach them.

The Power of Common-Unity

Misty Copeland knows that her ascension is the result of her own hard work coupled with decades of struggles faced by America’s black ballerinas. Many have dealt with discrimination and dreams cut short…and each in their own way helped to pave the way for Misty’s most recent success.

None of us get there alone; not ballerinas, not olympians, not Richard Branson nor Steve Jobs. We must “stand on the shoulders of the giants who have gone before us” (Isaac Newton)…and seek support and common-unity from those around us who are perhaps even just a few steps ahead of us.

This way we cut our learning curve dramatically; and as life speeds up, we also learn to find stillness and focus in our own inner peace, get in tune with our inner power and forge an inspired purpose to reach our goals and dreams brilliantly.

(photo credit: Under Armour)