Why consider “Rise to the Occasion”?

2/12/2020

Dear Why Team member,

The Why Team is now over ten years old, and it is a great pleasure and privilege to have you as a member.

It has been, and is, an enjoyable weekly challenge to seek out and discover new insights and ideas I hope will serve you.

Thank you so much for being a member and for all those you have invited to join!
This week’s message is:

Audio:

Every morning I rise to the occasion of a new day; don’t we all, if we are so fortunate? This idea of rising to the occasion came to me this past week while adding to my morning gratitude list. I was reflecting on how we seem to develop some indescribable ability to rise to the occasion, whatever the occasion may be; Merriam-Webster defines rising to the occasion as the ability to make a special effort that is required to successfully deal with a difficult situation. Unfortunately, we can forget that there is this ability within us - an ability that actually won’t be seen or put into action unless we sign up for something that would force that unseen ability to rise up. Hmm, could it be a lack of faith in that unseen ability to “rise to the occasion” that keeps us from taking on more responsibility, more challenge? Sometimes challenges “fall into our lap” but how are we to know our possibilities if we don’t sign up for things that are currently outside of our comfort zone? Notice, I said, “currently.” When you consider, for example, incredible actors like Natalie Portman, the diversity of her roles is incredible. She consistently signs up for challenges she has never encountered. It is very likely that while she does not know exactly how everything will go, she has developed enough faith and confidence that she will “rise to the occasion,” that she will say yes, let’s go for it.

I have depended on my ability to rise to the occasion throughout my speaking career. I have agreed to hundreds of speaking opportunities that when spread out across my calendar could bring on great anxiety if I thought about what all could go wrong. Today, while I might have doubts about the future, past success has informed me that when the time comes, I will rise to the occasion. This confidence born from experience has me enthusiastically saying yes to speaking opportunities in the future; and now climbing opportunities, even when I may not feel so confident the moment I commit.

Consider your own life, look back at all the really difficult challenges you have already faced, isn’t it revealing to note how you rose to the occasion, in mind, body, and spirit? How many of those occasions awoke you to your own potential and has led you to higher heights? Most people do not ask for character-building experiences, but with this awareness that we can and most often will rise to the occasion, why not live more valiantly and less fearfully?!
Why not come out of the tent more often to climb new and unfamiliar mountains?! Greater faith in your ability to rise to the occasion will have you living all the more excited for what the unknown will bring, rather than anxious about it. And the more excited we become, maybe all the more likely we will rise to the occasions that are coming our way.

Be excited for what’s coming and confident that you will have what it takes - there is something that resides in you that wants to rise up more often; nurture it, believe in it and say yes more often to the challenges life will bring; your courage will grow and you will become even more of an inspiration to yourself and others by doing so.

Make it a great week - knowing you’ll rise to the occasion!

Steve Luckenbach

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