Where will you be in one year from now?

I recently spoke to an IT company at Acer Arena ( the Olympic venue) at Homebush Bay, Sydney. The traffic was incredible, thousands of cars! Wow, all for me, I thought. Well, actually, I was later to find out that “Kings of Leon” were playing at the same venue, which explained the congestion!

My gig was in the ballroom to a group of 300. The venue wasn’t perfect for speaking. There was a dancefloor between me and the audience which meant it can make it difficult to connect and maintain contact with those sitting at the back. On top of that, the room was really large and those seated at the back would find it difficult to see me. Despite this, I would present as always, from the heart and hopefully my message would still have an impact.

I spoke for an hour and during that time, I could have heard a pin drop. As a professional speaker, there are times when you feel you have really, really connected with the audience, and this was one of them! It was awesome and the atmosphere was incredible. When I finished, I received  a standing ovation, which is always heartwarming. I really do have the  best job in the world! No, it isn’t a job, it is a calling, something I am so passionate about.

To be able to make a difference in someones life is the greatest honour and even though I get to do in on a pretty large stage, I do believe it is something we can all do.

After my presentation I spent time chatting with the delegates. There was a gentleman waiting patiently to talk with me, holding his partners hand.

“Hi” I said, as I finally made my way to him. He had tears in his eyes as he spoke.

“ I just wanted to thank you Janine” He said. “ I heard you speak five years ago and at the time I was in a wheelchair”

“ Really, what happened?” I asked.

“ I was hit by a truck, like you, when I was crossing the road and ended up in the spinal ward” he explained. “ After hearing you speak, I said to myself, if Janine can do that, so can I” he said emotionally. “ I am here, walking because of you, and I just want to say thank you.”

I was absolutely overwhelmed by what he was telling me.

I gave him an enormous hug. “Thank you so much for sharing that with me” .

I thought about that as I was driving home that night. How even though I give so much of myself when I speak, I am given so much back in return. We first have to give something away to get something back . The law of sow and reap. In the words of Zig Ziglar, ” You can have anything you want when you help others get what they want.”

I also thought about how far this man had come. Only years ago he had been in a wheelchair, ready to give up on life and now he is embracing life completely. A chance opportunity of hearing me speak had given him the inspiration to change his destiny.

There is a beautiful saying in the Vedanta, “You are what your deepest desire is”, as is your desire so is your intention, as is your intention so is your will, as is your will, so is you deed, as is your deed, so is your destiny.

How many dreams are forgotten, how many books have yet to be written, how many rivers are yet to be swum, how many mountains have not yet been climbed? I meet so many people who have given up on their dreams because they think it is too late, they are too old, or there is some other reason stopping them.

We all have everything we need to achieve anything we want in our lives. Like the man I met that night, we can all overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles to achieve our deepest desires. We can rewrite our destiny at any moment. Miracles occur everyday, and every choice we make today has an impact on where we see ourselves in the future.

So where do you see yourself in one year from now?

Love Janine