I Dare You #3

Today, I dare you to be a hero.
 
Of course, if you are going to be a hero, you might as well be a SUPER hero.
 
And, in order to be a superhero, you need to first figure out your superpower.
 
Think this is cartoonish?
 
Well, truthfully, we are ALL given amazing talents and gifts. 
 
In reality, we could actually call these talents and gifts, “superpowers.” If you still don’t believe me, consider the woman who has the incredible gift of perceived physical beauty; what do we call her?  
 
Answer: Supermodel. And though she might not be able to jump from tall buildings, she owns an amazing amount of “power” as she traverses the world of fashion, beauty, and business. As she strikes a pose on the covers of magazines, she also strikes an incredible balance between “Look at me; I’m beautiful” and “You, too, can be like me (just use these beauty products).”
 
Consider phenomenally successful singers, actors, and sports figures; who are they?
 
Answer: Superstars. And though they might not be able to stop a speeding train, they have unbelievable influence over millions of people around the world. Madonna, Robert Downey Junior, and Tiger Woods are all the top-earning superstars in their respective fields of play. They have each brought in well over $100 million in earnings!
 
Perhaps more importantly, these superstars have an amazing degree of influence over their respective professions.  
 
Undoubtedly, Madonna set the stage for many of today’s super acts (Lady GaGa, for example, was, at one time, the top-earning singer under 30, earning an estimated $80 million per year)
 
Indeed, all these people can be described as a super-star. But are they superheroes?
 
Perhaps all supermodels and superstars are not superheroes. But they CAN be.
 
And so it is with you and me.
 
We CAN be superheroes. In fact, you ARE a superhero.
 
To unmask your powers, you just have to do two things:
 
1. Understand and see your talent as a gift and a superpower.
2. Have a little faith, and then use that (super) power for the overall good.
 
Now… All this sounds simple, easy, and (perhaps) silly. But it’s none of these.
 
It’s not simple, primarily because YOU are the one who has to choose to see your ability, and subsequently and continuously USE your ability as a gift and superpower. (Hmmm… with you as the enabler, I guess this is easier than I thought).
 
It’s not easy, primarily because YOU are the one who has to CHOOSE to have a little faith, and then subsequently use your power for the overall good of your organization. (Hey – wait! Again, with YOU as the decision-maker, it looks like this is actually an easy step!)
 
And finally, this is NOT just a silly ol’ dare.
 
This is life. And you ARE endowed with super powers.
 
And before you go off on me about my choice of superhero examples, please know that I selected them on purpose. 
 
I grew up listening to Madonna’s music. And like it or not, from her sugar-coated, bubble-gum pop tunes to her controversial religious-themed stuff, she struck a chord among millions of people. Is she perfect? Obviously not.
 
Robert Downey Junior has been in and out of prison so many times that I can barely stand using him as an example for this post. And yet, he has persevered through his imperfections. Ironically, he has made his greatest comeback while in the role of the superhero Ironman, which has grossed over $585 million in sales (that’s over half a billion dollars!)
 
And then there’s Tiger Woods. No man has done more for contemporary golf than Tiger Woods. He has single-handedly turned the challenging game of golf into a sport wildly popular among an entirely new set of demographics. And, despite his notorious imperfections as a flawed human being, Tiger still sits atop his game, and he is still THEE major influencer in golf.
 
Tiger’s career was once in shambles… not only because of his well-publicized divorce, but also because of a series of debilitating injuries and four back surgeries.  And yet, after all of those human-like experiences and qualities, the 42-year-old golf legend recently won the Tour Championship in the FedEx Cup finale at East Lake Golf Club. He finished 11-under for his first PGA Tour win since 2013.
 
Is Tiger a successful singer/song-writer?  Obviously not.
 
Is Tiger a beautiful supermodel, gifted with amazing physical beauty?  Obviously not.
 
Am I ever going to win the FedEx Cup, a Grammy, or a million-dollar contract to strut myself down the stage? Maybe… but probably not.
 
My super hero status is reflected in my ability to see and accept things for how they are, adapt accordingly, and then put together a plan to achieve what was previously thought to be impossible.
 
You, too, have this awesome ability to accept, adapt, and achieve.
 
And you, my friend, have other amazing qualities that perhaps only you know about.
 
As an employee, you have the (amazing) ability to complete an (amazing) team.
 
As a leader, you have the potential to integrate assets and take your team to levels previously thought impossible to achieve.
 
As a parent, you are the single most important influencer in your child’s life, regardless of your age – or your child's age.  In this regard, you literally have SUPER powers.  Use them for the betterment of your family team.
 
As a member of your local neighborhood and business community, you have the power, presence, and potential to change how things are.  You can also directly influence what will someday become the results of your efforts… but only **IF** you choose to use your (super) powers.
 
You see, in some seemingly weird “metaphysical” way, you and I are connected.  Whatever you do somehow affects me.  Likewise, my behavior and attitude somehow propagate across the world and affects others in a way that I will never comprehend.
 
On a local level, our effect on others is relatively easy to see and understand.
 
But many people don’t accept the idea that somehow, some way, we all affect one another.
 
But it's true.  
 
In fact, it’s a natural law… a law that cannot be broken.
 
But what happens when we fall short of our goals?
 
Like Superman and his weakness with kryptonite, what happens when our superpower status is affected by our own weaknesses?  What happens when, after we set our goals, we ultimately miss the mark?
 
Well, first of all, let’s understand that we ALL miss the mark at some time or another.
 
In other words, none of us are perfect.
 
In archery, one is said to “sin” when the arrow misses its intended mark – the very center of the target. Interestingly enough, in Greek mythology, as well as in scriptural writings, the word “sin” is also used.  In fact, the Hebrew word “hamartia” literally means “to miss the mark.” And in mythology and classical literature, hamartia and “sin” are used to denote tragic flaws that ultimately lead to a dramatic downfall.
 
But the tragic downfall doesn’t HAVE to happen.
 
Much like the airplane that sets out on a long-range journey, you and I must continuously check and reflect upon our progress towards our goals.  Equally important, we must then apply a course correction; we must get back “on track” to achieve what we have said we will do.
 
And like the archer who sins by missing the center mark, we must study ourselves and seek a full understanding of what we are currently doing that causes us to miss our intended mark.
 
Ironically, something as simple as breathing incorrectly can cause an archer’s arrow to veer significantly away from the intended target.  Likewise, incorporating a few deep-breathing, meditative exercises every morning as you review your goals can add significant power to your progress toward achieving the next best level of you. 
 
Please note: becoming a better you and increasing the likelihood of hitting your intended target has absolutely nothing to do with anyone else… it’s all about YOU understanding YOU.
 
Your super-hero status is reflected in your ability to see and accept things for how they are, adapt accordingly, and then put together a plan to achieve what was previously thought to be impossible.
 
So, what’s my point?

Today, I dare you to take a moment to understand and see YOUR talent as a gift, and then have a little faith to use your power for the overall good. Use YOUR self-described talent or gift to influence somebody or something.
 
Of course, accepting this dare requires a bit of a cost/benefit analysis.
 
What are the potential consequences?
 
What are the probable costs?
 
Then again, what are the possible payoffs?
 
Though I am not a medical doctor, I assure you, this dare and all of the subsequent dares have been tested and tried.  And they are all safe to test and try again.
 
The payoff will be H U G E...
 
Go ahead... I dare you:
 
           Be a hero.
 
As you set out to save the world, remember this little prayer:
 
  “Lord, please help me to forgive those who have sinned differently than I do.”
 
I dare you: Be a hero. 
 
In fact…
 
Be a SUPER Hero!

John H. Clark III is an optimistic realist.
​
He believes better development of leaders is what we (all) need.  And to be better organizations, we need more good leaders, not followers.  To build better leaders, we must start with the individual (you, she, he, and me).
 
Described as “an innovative leader,” John teaches leaders, organizations, and individuals how to inspire each other. With a bold goal to inspire a worldwide community of optimistic realists who continuously accept, adapt to, and achieve the bold and beautiful concept of The Ideal Life, John is leading a movement to inspire people to apply his trademarked mantra {Accept. Adapt. Achieve! ®}.
 
An innovative business manager and retired naval officer, John is fascinated by leaders and organizations that make the greatest impact within their organizational culture and within the “real” world — people who “get it.” Over the course of his life as a military leader, corporate mentor, and innovative content creator, John has discovered a wealth of insight about how we think, act and communicate within our respective work/life environments. As a career naval officer, mentor, educator, and optimistic realist, he has devoted his life to sharing insights to assist in our quests to become better at what we all do – live @ work!
 
An optimist with a penchant for writing about realistic solutions to the challenges of everyday life, John is the author of 3 books: a leadership-development insider, "The Ideal: Your guide to An Ideal Life," a teen-focused guide, "Getting Out: Expert Advice for Today’s Teens," and the Christian-based book, "God’s Heartbeat: A Powerful Premise for Leading a Christian Life."
 
He delivers a unique and refreshing point of view to life's seemingly overwhelming situations. 
 
​Through books, blogs, and everyday conversation, John's message resonates with an empowering blend of ideals that enrich, uplift, and “authorize” people to set and achieve goals far beyond current mindsets.  His trademarked phrase is a winner: