From his formative years in school, all his teachers told him that his writing was awful, that it was below grade level, that it was sloppy and careless.
I asked to see a sample of this young man’s writing. I wanted to see proof that he was as bad as his teachers (and parents) told him.
Upon reviewing the man’s work, I saw a lot of area for improvement – but the biggest area was NOT in the words he chooses or his style or syntax. It was in how others in positions of influence spoke to him about his writing.
As I looked up from his papers, he stared at me expecting “more of the same.”
Instead of telling him that he’s good or not so good – I chose another route.
I said, “Well, it looks to me like you definitely have the writing gene.”
The man’s face brightened. He began to glow with confidence and he instantly began telling me how much he’d improved.
Over the last few months, almost everything this man sends me for review is outstanding. Way beyond what he’d written before he put on his writing jeans.
That’s write/right. Jeans/genes.
We’ve heard that everyone puts his or her jeans on the same way as everyone else. Everyone does it one leg at a time.
Is that so?
Well, if it is, why not change it?.
Sit on the edge of your bed, and pull your jeans/genes on both legs at a time. And when you do so, tell yourself you’re putting on your success genes.
Yes, that pair. The pair you CAN turn on.
True, some genes you have no control over. Hair color, eye color, height, bone structure, etc.
But when it comes to talent – much of what we think of as “genetic” isn’t necessarily so – and if it is, there’s good news. You can “turn on” genes that are lying dormant within you.
Don’t believe me? Then read The Biology of Belief by Dr. Bruce Lipton.
The short course to turning on dormant genes is environmental. It’s what you’re around, who you’re around and the messages
going into your mind.
If you get messages/mental pictures of impossibility, then genes you have that could be activated remain in their slumber.
Honestly, I don’t know of any able-minded person who doesn’t have the writing gene. Or the music gene. Or the art gene. Or the language gene. And so on.
All of us are capable of learning just about anything. But in order to do so, a certain amount of BELIEF is necessary to get the cylinder rolling.
Some have a sense of belief within them that no one can turn on or off. Others need a helping word or phrase. But you’d be amazed at how a few words can improve or sideline a person if he believes them.
Not that long ago my tai chi teacher confided in me. He said when I began with him, he didn’t think I’d ever be any good at it. He assumed I would quit within a month or two. Today, he tells me I’m the best student he’s ever had. No one has learned the techniques as quickly, or as well, in such a short period of time.
My daughter loves to dance. She’s absolutely passionate about it. She doesn’t have the body of a classical ballet dancer – yet she loves ballet and every other form of dance she’s ever studied.
Someone once said to me that, based on her build, she has no future in dance, that she should do something else that she’s genetically predisposed to doing.
Well, first of all, she loves dancing, and I’m all in favor of children doing what they love to do activity wise – not what the parents decided they must do because …. because that’s what our family does – or some other lame reason like … “the future.”
The future is NOW. Take care of the NOW and the future will be just fine.
Second, what exactly are you talking about when you say “no future” in something, particularly dance?
She may not have a classical ballet dancers body right now – or ever – but can’t she just enjoy dancing for it’s own sake?
Third, ballet is only one form of dancing – and last time I checked, there are not only many different types of dancing, but there are people of every shape and size enjoying it and doing it well.
No future?
Really? Says who?
And if you get a name thrown back at you remember Rodney Dangerfield’s line in Caddyshack, “Who died and made you pope of this dump?”
We can prognosticate and pontificate with the best of the best. We can predict the future of others by punishing them with our words and phrases.
This is far easier than admitting the truth.
And what is truth?
“We don’t know.”
Truly, we don’t know how our children or anyone else is going to turn out if we let them practice their dream, their passion, their NOW.
We may look at them and scoff. We may think that he or she is wasting time (future). But there are too many parents and teachers proven wrong for us to act like we know anything for sure.
More than 20 years ago I recall making a scrapbook filled with photos of what I’d like to accomplish in the future. One of them was having an audio program with Nightingale-Conant.
For nearly 20 years the future looked like it would never happen. And then, one day, from out of nowhere, I had a signed contract with them. A month later I was in their studios, recording Theatre of the Mind. Today it’s a best seller.
In fact, it’s done so well I get requests for coaching nearly every day. So many that I end up turning some down. This is one of the tough areas to navigate as a coach. Even so, I’m clear on one thing, I will NEVER turn someone down because he supposedly has “no future.”
Everyone has a future. A bright future. If you’ll allow the genes within your jeans to be turned on.
My wish is simple: I wish to give you words of encouragement that will turn on your success genes and put you on the path of success – and help you continue your journey on that path, forever.
Your Future is NOW. And it’s bright.
Matt Furey
P.S. You can get a copy of Theatre of the Mind for $40 off the original amount right now. With each order you’ll also receive a special surprise gift that you cannot get anywhere else. So live it up NOW and enjoy!
