3 Steps to Move from Mediocrity to Meaning (Part 1)

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Is your life an exciting adventure?

Are you ecstatic about your unique gifts and the exciting and unique role you are destined to play out in this unfolding adventure we are collectively creating called life?  Be careful, you won’t find your unique path by focusing primarily on other people’s journeys.  Your journey will require energy so don’t waste yours backbiting, emulating, or being envious of others.  Yes, we can be motivated, inspired, and even learn from others, but ultimately we must do our own search and learn our own truths.  The map for your success is within you and the map for my success is within me. We will find answers for our journey if we are open, expectant, and actively searching.  But we must search in the right place.  If I search forever, but in the wrong place I’ll never uncover my own treasure.  My book ‘Miner Miracles‘ shares my personal journey through poetry and prose on how I, “mined within to discover my God-given greatness.”

The first of three of  the lessons that I’ve used to move from mediocrity to a life of meaning and purpose: are:

  1. Dig Inside.  You’ve got to search in the right spot to find your own treasures.  You’ve seen the treasure maps that mark the spot of the treasure.   You could put a big old X on your forehead and you’d be marking the spot of the greatest treasure on earth.  Your dreams, your vision, and your gifts and talents are inside you.  You’ll never find them searching outside your own self.  Our journey on this side of the sod begins the day we become conscious and lasts until our very last breath.  We are on this journey together so it is important that we play our part and offer our unique contribution.   Please enjoy my signature poem in this short video, Finding the Jewels Within You. I hope it will inspire you as it has inspired me to continue to dig inside and find my own jewels.

I’m Barbara Talley, The Poet who speaks and inspires.   To find more about me, check out my promo sheet or visit my website.

The First Secret to Moving Beyond Mediocrity

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Do you know what moves a person beyond mediocrity?

It is the size of their dreams.  Puny dreams have no power to propel us beyond mediocrity.  I dare you to dream and to dream big and not find yourself getting more excited and more attractive in the process.  One of the books that inspired me in my youth was, ‘The Magic of Thinking Big.’  While the faithless may try to convince you that you are dreaming too big,  dreaming too big is not usually the problem.  Instead it is not having a dream at all or not dreaming big enough that causes more failures.  My own life attests to these principles.  I was a single mom living in the Projects of Upstate New York, surrounded by naysayers.  Mediocrity was everywhere and was the norm.

I had to consciously dream bigger.

I share this journey out of mediocrity in my book, On Track On Fire On Purpose.  I learned to listen to motivational people and read motivational books.  I still get inspired by others.   Mary Morrissey talks about making a ‘Quantum Leap in 2011′, Les Brown talks about ‘It’s Possible.’ Clif McKnight talks about, ‘If You Can’t Calm the Waters- Learn to Ride the Waves. Inspiration is everywhere. Once we’ve got the right dream, we need the right map, the right mentors, and the right muses.  Stay tuned.

I’m Barbara Talley, The Poet who speaks and inspires.   To find more about me, check out my promo sheet or visit  my website.

Wanted One Mediocre Person

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Now is not the time to abandon your dreams or your drive.

When you abandon your dreams, your drive, energy, and excitement wane too.  And that is precisely when you need more drive, energy, and excitement, for they attract opportunities to you.  Okay, so you’ve suffered a setback and things haven’t turned out the way you’ve planned.  Perhaps you’re tired, anxious, and feel like you’ve been backed into a corner.  You feel like you should just give in and accept anything.  But just anything won’t fill your spirit, move you closer to your dreams, or inspire you to move beyond mediocrity.

We were born to find meaning.

We were born to make a difference and to matter. And, people who are dreamers themselves like to be around other people who have faith in themselves and who are pursuing or living their dreams.

People without dreams are people without faith.

Faith inspires us to dream and to believe that anything is possible.  That feeling of faith energizes us and people are looking for that energy.  You’ll never see an ad that is searching for “One Mediocre Person.”  No one gets excited about someone  who has no dreams, no passion, or no purpose.  You’ll also never find a person intentionally looking for a friend, colleague, or life  partner who has no passion or purpose for life unless they have given up themselves and don’t want reminders of their faithlessness around them.   Misery does love company and it just takes too much energy to keep a dreamless person and yourself motivated.   It is our passion for life that makes us attractive to others, whether it is an employer, mate,  or as a friend.  People with inspired dreams and visions are magnets and they attract opportunity to them.  You’ve got a choice; do you want to be mediocre or magnetic?

Thanks for your comments

I’m Barbara Talley, The Poet who speaks and inspires.   To find more about me, check out my promo sheet or visit  my website.

It Could Be Better, But It Could Be Worse

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This was my dad’s who passed in 1979 favorite saying, “It could be better, but it could be worse.”  Are you facing some challenges right now and wondering how you will survive?  It’s amazing what we can endure when we have to.  Once after a talk, a lady came up to me and said, “I thought I was drowning in a thimble, but after hearing your words I realize that others are drowning in an ocean.”   What she meant was that her problems were so minuscule (thimble) in comparison.

I feel the same way after hearing the prison account of a young girl imprisoned in Iran for being a Baha’i in a Muslim controlled country where religious freedom is not the right for all.  She shares her experience in Raha’s Letter.  What a wonderful message of faith, patience, radiant acquiescence, and service.  Many of us think we have a reason to complain, but when we hear a story about a young girl imprisoned for four years simply because she was trying to teach the youth virtuous qualities, all of our problems seem to pale by comparison. She was only able to get 30 minutes of sunlight a day and lived in isolation, no refrigerator, no mirror, no one to talk to.  And yet her account was filled with gratitude.

Face Each Day Prayerfully

She faced each day prayerfully, reciting “Is their any remover of difficulties save God…” over 1000  times a day!   And, the brief time she was out of prison, she was comforting families of the imprisoned, typing her notes so that she could share her prison accounts,  and getting books so that she could continue to learn.  All I can say is, “What a jewel.”  I pray that God continues to protect and bless her and keep her strong.

Part 2: Three Divine Remedies for Tests, Sorrows, and Adversities

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We can’t seem to escape the pain.  Everyday we learn about someone we know who is laid off from their job, experiencing a personal health or financial crisis, or is feeling the pain of the death of a loved one, career uncertainty, or relationship woes.  Although we may doubt that the world will do right by us, there is a source  to which we can turn that is always fair and righteous.  The second divine pearl comes from the Bible.  It reminded me to keep my eyes on the right prize, to not worry about tomorrow, to not judge others, but instead to focus within to find the answers I need.  Much of our anxiety, worry, and sorrow are due to our “fear”  of tomorrow.  But, we’re told to not think of those things.  If we focus on the world, its problems, and its fears, they will consume us.  But, if we focus on following God’s Will, the morrow will take care of itself.  In Mathew 6:33 it says:

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.  7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

Who Is Your Real Enemy?

It’s easier to blame others for our predicaments, but that is fear talking.  We have free will; we make decisions.  We are responsible for those decisions, the ones that work out and the ones that don’t.  The responsible thing to do is to ask ourselves: “What did I do or not do to cause this to happen or not to happen?”  Then prayerfully reflect inward.  The answers lie within us but, if we are focusing our energies outside of ourselves, trying to find someone to blame, then we will never find the right answers.  Turn within; how generous are you with your resources? Do you measure out a little for others or are you generous beyond measure.  “We reap what we sow.”  What are you sowing?   Remember, what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again!” Now, I ask you , “Where and who is your real  enemy?”

‘Les’  Offers More

“If there is no enemy within, the enemy without can do us no harm.” This  is the third gem from Proverbs  that Les Brown’s, ‘It’s Possible’ video focuses on.  I was already feeling better and getting back on track when my friend Clif sent me this video message from Les.  It was extremely motivating and right on time.  I hope you enjoy it!  Les says, “Feed your FAITH and your doubts will starve to death.  Check it out, you will be glad you did!

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