“Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.”  Judy Garland

Why do we feel it is not OK to be who we really are?

How perverse you are! Is the potter no better than the clay? Something that was made, can it say of its maker, ‘He did not make me’? Or a pot say of the potter, ‘He does not know his job’?  (Isa. 29:16, NJB)

Earlier this month, I highlighted the book The Go-Giver: A Little Story About A Powerful Business Idea (see 2/4/08 DG).  In that book are presented five rather unusual laws called “The Five Laws of Stratospheric Success.”  For the last several DGs I have been featuring each of those laws individually.

We’re now up to the fourth law, the Law of Authenticity which states, “The most valuable gift you have to offer is yourself.”  Yea…sure!  Not much of a gift.  I’d be a lot more of a gift if I were better looking, like Jim over there.  Or if I had more money like Frank.  Or a more outgoing personality like Mary.  Or have a better education like Ann.  Or if I could just play the piano like Tom.  Man, I’d be the life of the party!  If only!  If only!  If only!!!

The only real “if only” is if only I would start to celebrate the way God made me.  According to the Law of Authenticity, one of the keys to “stratospheric success” is being yourself…being authentic.  You have to believe that people will be more impacted by the real you than by the false you that you are always pretending to be.  Here’s some of what The Go-Giver has to say about this:

“Reaching any goal you set takes ten percent specific knowledge or technical skills–ten percent, max.  The other ninety-plus percent is people skills.  And what’s the foundation of all people skills?  Liking people?  Caring about people?  Being a good listener?  Those are all helpful, but they’re not the core of it.  The core of it is who you are.  It starts with you.  As long s you’re trying to be someone else, or putting on some act or behavior someone else taught you, you have no possibility of truly reaching people….  You want people skills?  Then be a person.”

For some of us, this law may well be the hardest to follow.

Prayer Power
Lord, forgive us for all our complaining and dissatisfaction about how You made us.  Grant us the grace to recognize that You made us perfectly and gave us the perfect set of gifts and abilities to accomplish those tasks You planned for us to accomplish.

Link of the Day
The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea

Blessings on you as you choose to lay down one of the many masks that you use to conceal the real you.

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