Life Is 10% What Happens to You and 90% Your Response
“Attitude to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, greatness or skill. It will make or break a company – a church – a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. I am convinced life is 10% what happens to me and 90% my response to it. And so it is with you for we are all in charge of our attitudes.” — Charles R. Swindoll
“Between stimulus and response there is space. In that space, is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth AND our freedom…” — Carol Burnett
There is a saying I heard many years ago from Charles R. Swindoll. I am not sure if he is to be credited for saying it or Coadh Lou Holtz. Whoever said it, it is worth repeating: “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% your response.”
Just about the same thing happens to all of us in one way shape or form. What differentiates us is our response to that which happens to our around us. It is imperative we take that time, that space, and use it to think through our response and then respond. It is just as important to respond, as it is to think before responding. The stimulus is what is happening to or around us. When this stimulus happens, there is a very brief space or period of time, we have in which to respond.
Unfortunately, many react. When they react, they are allowing their feelings to dictate how they will act. The key is to respond and not react. When we are sick and the doctor gives us a shot, they will wait to see how the person receiving the shot will respond or react. If the person responds properly then all is well. If the person reacts, the doctor must give the patient something to counteract the reaction. It is best that we respond. When we react we more often than not over react and wind up acting or saying something that will wind up being detrimental to all. When we correctly respond, we wind up growing. When we correctly respond we are free from words and actions that bind us and cause us pain. We are free.
We are free to become all we were designed to be. Now go make that happen.
Best of LUCK as you
Labor Under Correct Knowledge…
Respectfully,
Rick Cox