Photo: © D. Paul Graham, “Coach Carter”, Savannah 2017

“Monday 5 Things”™ ….. Power Full …..

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by power.  The power of light. The power of storms. The power of love. The power of hate. The power of money. The power of position. The power of silence. The power of emotion. The power of the pause. The power of prayer. The power of music. The power of humility. The power of keeping my mouth shut. The power of words. All types of power that in and of themselves can be used for good or evil. Power that can either lift up or tear down. Power that can define how one lives their life.

This morning’s M5T could easily have been a Monday 50 Things, but I chose 5 that I thought would be most positive to start this week, this month, and this last quarter of the year.

1. Power of overdelivering

In a world that seems to over-promise to gain advantage, to make a sale, or get someone to like you, is by nature, short-term. The adage of under-committing and over-delivering never gets old, never goes out of style, and in fact is easier and more sustainable. There is power in doing more than you say you will do. Focus on quality, finish faster, deliver more, add value beyond expectations.  All create trust, loyalty, and commitments, with your personal and business relationships. What will you over-deliver on today?

2. Power of persistence

There is profound power in persistence. Persistence is found in routine. It allows us to face opposition, to stand up and take another step forward after falling down, and to build on our dreams despite the odds against us. Persistence requires resistance. Resistance from nay-sayers, scoffers, cynics, and competitors. What will you pick yourself up and dust yourself off from today and move forward in an act of defiant persistence?

3. Power of action

Doing it, right here, right now is incredibly powerful. Taking action requires being focused and flexible. It can be uncomfortable but moves you toward your goals and your dreams. Taking action requires that you have a direction, a plan, an objective, and demands that you put the work in to manifest an end-result. Action releases your mind to visualize and capitalize on opportunities and provides the axis from which to pivot as needed. Your action emboldens and energizes. It creates positive habits and halts any negative thinking. What have you been procrastinating about that you need to take action on today?

4. Power of risk

There is remarkable power in taking risks. Taking risks can be transformational. Risks move you out of a comfort zone, out of a rut, and can be a platform for growth. There are costs to taking risks. Risk requires fore-thought, getting comfortable with the uncomfortable, pushing fears down, and a healthy ego that will also be realistic recognizing that failure could be an end result. Risk is educational and demands a willingness to learn from failure. Taking risks can improve your communication and your relationships. It can bring clarity to your life, solve problems, and develop and enhance innovation. Taking risks involves asking questions and then acting. What risk are you prepared to take today?

5. Power of You

I left the best and most powerful to last this morning. You. You are at your most powerful when you live authentically. Giving yourself the freedom to recognize and celebrate your uniqueness, to love yourself, to allow yourself to shine, and to be unapologetically awesome. There is a transcendent power in consciously living with a conviction of grace, gladness, and gratitude. You have the power to ruthlessly eschew the toxic and negative found in other people, perhaps even in your own mind. The extraordinary power of you is manifest by arranging your life so that you believe in yourself, knowing where you place your faith, who you trust, who you love, and where you want to be. What is your personal power that you’ll tap into today?

Here’s to a week of leveraging all the abundant power that is available to you.

© 2023 D. Paul Graham, all rights reserved.

For over 11 years, D. Paul Graham has published “Monday 5 Things” ™, also known to readers as M5T.

You can reach Paul by email at dpg@imagegraham.com