Tip#299: Share Your Hidden Gifts – The Incredibles

We all have hidden gifts that we're not aware of, or ignore, suppress and sometimes forget over time. When we unearth and share these talents with the world it can lead you towards unexpected opportunities.

As part of my solutions to solve my current financial situation I'm finally selling the large number of original artworks and prints that's been collecting dust in my home office. These are artworks as far back as 1986 from my creative life as an illustrator and gallery artist.

I photographed over 2 dozen pieces and created an exciting new website to make it easy for art buyers to view. See: Click here

When I showed the website to a few colleagues they were surprised to see this hidden side of me. They were excited and inspired by what they saw. Some only knew me as a motivational speaker or they had no idea how diverse my creativity was. It reminded me an important side to who I am had been buried AND that my artworks always make an uplifting, energizing difference in someone's life.

The Incredibles

The animated Pixar movie, The Incredibles demonstrates that hidden, suppressed gifts are meant to be shared. In this film, superheroes are outlawed and forced not to use their special powers. Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) learns to live a mundane, uneventful life keeping his superhero suit locked in a glass display.

After many years Mr. Incredible is called back into action and you can see how his spirit truly shines when he is sharing his gifts. His super talents once again make a meaningful difference in the lives he saves and the people he inspires.

So if you ever find yourself stuck in your life and career take time to recognize your hidden gifts. If you are going through a career transition take inventory of your past successes and identify the skill sets that helped you achieve them.

Time can sometimes bury the greatness of who you are. When you rediscover your past successes give yourself permission to toot your own horn and share your hidden gifts with the world!

See my original artworks and prints for sale: Click here

2 UPCOMING PRESENTATIONS:

1) KEYNOTE AT THE ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM
“HOW FACEBOOK & TWITTER CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE”
Friday, Oct 30, 2009 7pm
See more details: Here

2) BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND:
"HOW TO PRESS PLAY WHEN YOU’RE STUCK ON PAUSE"
Energize Your Career or Business Now - Toronto Workshop
Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009 1 – 4pm
See invitation for details: Here

Emmanuel Lopez-Motivatorman
Motivational Specialist For Professionals
Your Motivational Wingman!
www.motivatorman.com
© Emmanuel Lopez 2009

Tip#298: There Is Always A Solution - The Firm

Overwhelming challenges in your life and career can bring out the very best in you!

The past several months have been filled with such intense financial challenges that I've had to focus all my positive willpower. I've had to be more resourceful than ever and it is bringing out the best in me (see tip#294). If my current situation had occurred several years ago my future would have appeared utterly hopeless.

This is why I believe my path in life has been to transform my old mindset of hopelessness and create indestructible optimism. And I'm meant to share my journey in this blog and my keynotes and seminars so others around the world will know they are not alone in similar challenges.

I now believe there is a positive solution to any obstacle that blocks your path. The key is that YOU MUST BELIEVE there is a solution even if you cannot see it at first. That's why movies and movie heroes can help you visualize a positive future for yourself. This is how you build self-confidence.

The Firm

The movie hero of The Firm is a fantastic example of maintaining a resourceful, self-confident mindset. From the opening scene you see a promising, young lawyer named Mitch McDeere (Tom Cruise) being courted by several prestigious law firms. You see that he has innate talents of great value.

Later he unwittingly becomes involved with unethical and illegal practices of the law firm he chooses that threatens both his personal and professional life. The adversities are so overwhelming you will wonder if McDeere has the ability to escape his predicament.

That's where this movie hero inspires. McDeere chooses to believe there is a solution and his innate resourcefulness and confidence kicks in. He uses his talents and skills to strategize his way free. He organizes a trusting team to implement the solution he envisioned.

So let movie heroes inspire you to believe there is a solution to every problem you face. Believe you already have the talents and skills within to keep you from sinking into a negative mindset. Learn how to activate your optimistic mindset.

Everyone has a level of self-confidence that can help shift your attitude towards the solutions you seek. The challenges you face are there to help you unleash the best you can be!

2 UPCOMING PRESENTATIONS:

1) KEYNOTE AT THE ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM
“HOW FACEBOOK & TWITTER CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE”
Friday, Oct 30, 2009 7pm
See more details: Here

2) BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND:
"HOW TO PRESS PLAY WHEN YOU’RE STUCK ON PAUSE"
Energize Your Career or Business Now - Toronto Workshop
Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009 1 – 4pm
See invitation for details: Here

Emmanuel Lopez-Motivatorman
Motivational Specialist For Professionals
Your Motivational Wingman!
www.motivatorman.com
© Emmanuel Lopez 2009

Tip#297: Are You Waiting or Activating? - The Terminal

Sometimes I feel like I've been in a long waiting period for the financial goals I want to achieve in my career. But I know that I have been focused on making the most of my current resources AND the lessons life is teaching me. I've been activating my resourceful mindset.

I recently gave a seminar for executives in career transition at a Toronto networking organization called HAPPEN. The presentation was called "The Bright Side of Career Transitions" where I shared the positives of being in that "waiting period". For most it is not a pleasant situation to be in and yet it allows individuals the gift of time to develop a positive and resourceful mindset.

It is a chance to take inventory of all the existing contacts that can support and assist you. And it's an opportunity to develop new skill sets that will be of great benefit for future opportunities.

The Terminal

The movie The Terminal inspires and focuses on the benefits of being forced into an unwanted situation of waiting. The film is based on a true story about an eastern immigrant forced to live in an airport because of unexpected political restrictions. Viktor Navorkski (Tom Hanks) soon demonstrates how resourceful he can be to survive, with no money and little English, in a NYC terminal.

You witness how he learns to earn money in order to eat and how he lives within a part of the terminal still under construction. You witness how he develops supportive new connections and friends as they help one another achieve certain goals.

Navorkski demonstrates how resourceful one can be in a seemingly impossible situation to survive in. It was his resourceful mindset that helped remain positive during his months of waiting AND later inspires countless employees within the airport terminal.

So if you are in a career transition or feeling you are caught in an unwanted "waiting period" do your best to focus on the hidden gifts. Recognize this as a chance to take inventory of the opportunities right in front of you.

Recognize the supportive contacts that are right under your nose. Use the time to get re-energized and to re-assess your goals. And see this gift of time as a chance to improve or develop new skill sets.

Activate your resourceful mindset and you will enjoy the upside of your down time!

KEYNOTES & SEMINARS
FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION...
"THE BRIGHT SIDE OF CAREER TRANSITIONS"
See more info under "Keynotes & Seminars: Here

Emmanuel Lopez-Motivatorman
Motivational Specialist For Professionals
Your Motivational Wingman!
www.motivatorman.com
© Emmanuel Lopez 2009

Tip#296: If You Build It They Will Come - Field of Dreams

I am going through one of the biggest career challenges since starting this blog almost 3 years ago. This is my "Field of Dreams" moment and my situation has been mirroring this powerful movie.

My story started about 8 weeks ago in the midst of my current financial challenges when someone recommended I arrange a workshop to generate immediate cash flow. An inner voice told me that this was the answer I was looking for and began creating this event. I would offer my popular workshop to professionals called How To Press Play When You’re Stuck On Pause.

I was resistant but my gut was saying I needed to give this workshop within 10 days. Amazingly I found an ideal space in the heart of downtown Toronto within 8 hours. And I started promoting the workshop as best as I could. I discovered that friends and colleagues around me were quick to help in any way they could.

Just 2 days before the event I had only 2 people signed up but wasn't worried. At first I needed this event to generate immediate income and instead I focused on how I could help others even if, in the end, there were only 2 people.

Field of Dreams

The movie Field of Dreams was my inspiration to keep me moving forward. I watched it a week before my event because I was feeling stressed about having started this initiative. I felt so much like the movie hero Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) who had followed his own mysterious voice that told him to build a baseball field in the middle of his farm.

Ray persevered with this crazy idea even at the expense of what others thought and the money he and his family were losing. Even on the eve of foreclosure he refused to sell the farm simply because his daughter and a supporter reminded Ray that "people will come".

The magic of the movie is that people did indeed come and, in my case, a total of 8 attendees paid for my workshop. And like Ray's magic baseball field, my workshop helped empower and uplift the people drawn to what I had to offer. And news of the positive difference I made for these 8 professionals has already started to spread out into the world.

People Will Come

So if you hear an inner voice guiding you to create, build or do something special and yet frightened by the idea remember my story and the movie Field of Dreams. The universe has a way of prodding you in a direction for you to discover inner strengths you thought you never had.

You will also learn how to become more resourceful than ever and magnetize the people who will help make your dreams and goals come true. It all begins with trusting your inner voice and then believing with all your heart and soul you are on the right path!

NOTE TO MY LOYAL READERS:
During October I will be blogging only on Sundays in order to focus on new, exciting Motivatorman services!

Emmanuel Lopez-Motivatorman
Motivational Specialist
Your Motivational Wingman!
www.motivatorman.com
© Emmanuel Lopez 2009

Tip#295: Put On Your Captain’s Hat - Star Trek Generations

In the previous blog entry (tip#294) I wrote how I needed to solve an immediate financial challenge before the end of that workday. I am happy to say that I accomplished this task within 2 hours.

It was my optimistic mindset that allowed me to focus on taking command of my situation and truly KNOW I would solve my crisis. And I kept in mind of what was said in the film Apollo 13, "Failure is not an option."

The first step I took was to ask key contacts for advice. Then I looked at the obstacle in front of me and saw that I could divide it into smaller pieces and just deal with the one piece that was the true immediate goal to focus on. I took a calculated risk and made a proactive decision like the captain of any ship in a crisis.

Star Trek - Generations 1994

There is a scene in the movie Star Trek - Generations that demonstrates how to solve an immediate challenge. This was the 7th feature film based on the Star Trek TV series and it opened with Captain Kirk (William Shatner) as a guest aboard the maiden voyage of the new U.S.S. Enterprise-B.

They quickly receive a distress signal from ships needing immediate rescue caught within an energy storm in space. The new captain of the Enterprise is clearly inexperienced thus lacking the confidence to solve this crisis. Thankfully he is wise enough to ask Kirk for suggestions.

Kirk immediately suggests moving the Enterprise closer to the surviving ship to rescue the passengers. The new captain replies that this would put the Enterprise in the same energy storm that had trapped the other ships. Kirk says smiling...

"Risk is part of the game if you want to sit in that (captain's) chair."

I've often thought about this scene when faced with overwhelming obstacles in my career or life. It reminds me that dealing with unexpected change or crisis is about taking one small step at a time. And it's about taking a risk even when that one small step takes you into the unknown.

So remember that any obstacle, whether it's financial, career or life related, can be solved. Remember to ask for advice and assistance in your life or workplace when you are at a loss for answers. And know that risk is part of your life lessons. Risk is an important step to achieving success.

Put on your captain's hat today and feel your inner confidence take command!

Emmanuel Lopez-Motivatorman
Motivational Specialist For Professionals
Your Motivational Wingman!
www.motivatorman.com
© Emmanuel Lopez 2009