3RD SECTION FROM THE BEST OF OPRAH'S "WHAT I KNOW FOR SURE"................

"FAILURE IS JUST A WAY FOR OUR LIVES TO SHOW US WE'RE MOVING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION, THAT WE SHOULD TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT."

"I RECENTLY HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF COTEACHING A CLASS ON THE DYNAMICS OF LEADERSHIP FOR MBA STUDENTS AT NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY'S KELLOGG GRADUATE SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT.  ONE OF THE ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE STUDENTS WAS TO CREATE A "PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PAPER"-A VISION STATEMENT FOR THEIR LIVES.  MANY OF THE STUDENTS, SOME OF THE BRIGHTEST MINDS IN THE COUNTRY, WROTE ABOUT LIFE AS A JOURNEY WITH ITS OWN PROCESS FOR SUCCESS.  YET SOME TALKED ABOUT HOW TERRIFIED THEY WERE AT THE PROSPECT OF FAILURE.

I EXPLAINED TO THE CLASS ONE EVENING THAT IF YOU REALLY BELIEVE LIFE IS A JOURNEY, THEN YOU RECOGNIZE THAT NOT ALL JOURNEYS FOLLOW STRAIGHT ROADS.  YOU CAN COUNT ON THE CURVES, BUMPS, DETOURS, UPHILL CLIMBS - AND EVEN THE DOWNHILL SLIDES.

MOST OF US ARE CERTAINLY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH, IF NOT TERRIFIED OF, FAILURE.  WE THINK IT DEFINES US.  IT DOES NOT.  LIKE EVERY OTHER EXPERIENCE, FAILURE IS DEFINED BY OUR REACTION TO IT.  FAILURES CAN BE GOD'S LITTLE WHISPERS; OTHER TIMES, THEY ARE FULL EARTHQUAKES ERUPTING IN OUR LIVES BECAUSE WE DIDN'T LISTEN TO THE WHISPERS.  FAILURE IS JUST A WAY FOR OUR LIVES TO SHOW US THAT WE'RE MOVING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION, THAT WE SHOULD TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT.  IT HOLDS MO MORE POWER THAN WE GIVE IT."



WOW.....FAILURE AND POWER.  WHAT WORDS, HUH.......

EVEN THE RICH AND FAMOUS GO THROUGH FAILURES.........EVERYBODY DOES...........

IT'S LIKE OPRAH SAID, "WE THINK IT DEFINES US."  BUT "IT DOES NOT."  IT'S DEFINED BY OUR REACTION TO IT..........  OUR POWER.  THIS REMINDS ME OF THIS MOVIE.......
"LABYRINTH"  WITH DAVID BOWIE AND JENNIFER CONNELLY.  AND A CAST OF INCREDIBLE CREATURES CREATED BY JIM HENSON AND PRODUCED BY THE MASTER OF MYTH GEORGE LUCAS!............  I LOVE THIS MOVIE.  ONE OF MY FAVORITE DVDS IN MY COLLECTION...............  AND KIDS LOVE IT TOO........

WELL, TO GET TO THE POINT.........  AT THE END OF THE MOVIE.  SHE REALIZES THAT HE HAD NO POWER OVER HER........  JUST LIKE LIFE.  WE REACT TO OUR FAILURE AND HOW WE TREAT THEM.......... 
WHERE IT WILL TAKE US  AND HOW IT WILL FALL........... 
WILL YOU GET BACK ON YOUR FEET? OR LET IT LAY YOU DOWN IN YOUR BED?.............. 
WILL YOU OPEN THAT DOOR OR WILL YOU LEAVE IT CLOSED?..........
WILL YOU MEET NEW PEOPLE OR JUST WITH THE ONES YOU KNOW?.............

THINK OF WHAT YOUR FAILURE ARE FROM THE PAST AND HOW YOU REACTED TO THEM......   IT MIGHT SURPRISE YOU.........   I KNOW I DID...........

WELL, HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF SOME ERRANDS.
TILL NEXT TIME............