Bella is a diva.

You’re all probably quite familiar with Captain Jack. well, we have another – not quite so well known but as eccentric – Jack Russell terrier that fancies herself the queen of the castle. It’s still a little chilled outside which makes the house colder than I care for. Bella, too. As I sat down during lunch to watch a little of the NCAA basketball tournament, I turned on the heat to remove the chill. Turns out the heat was sucked up by one body…. Bella.

It’s normal practice for Bella to hog a heater vent that’s turned on. I’m not so sure she really cares that she is keeping any other body in the house from getting warmed up. I think it’s just her taking full advantage of the vent.

Bella has figured out that in order to maximize her heat intake, she needs to use the entire vent. Being 10 feet away doesn’t do it. Neither does being off to either side of the vent. In order to maximize her heat input, she’s got to own the space. (To add to it, she’s been known to issue a stern bark at anyone that dares turn off the heat.)

That’s how it is with your career and life.

You want to squeeze every bit out of your career – be it entrepreneur, executive, or employee? Then you can’t be on the outskirts trying to catch whatever “heat” is left over. There will be too much room to make up and you will be left with very little and little control over event hat. You can try to get closer, but even the edges don’t give you the full effect. In order to take up the entire vent, you need to take risks, be bold, be confident in your ability, have the courage of your talent, fight off fear, and dream big. There’s no room for the timid next to the heater. You need to scare yourself a little every day.

[Accelerate the heat in your professional life, career, and company]

The same can be said for your life. I’ve met too many people that are reticent to be bold becasue they are frightened to death of getting burned. Fear of failure; fear of rejection, and fear of being “found out” hold many of you back in your professional and personal life. I’m convinced that many people go to their graves carrying a lifetime full of left over and now useless “poker chips.” They couldn’t drag themselves to take on the full brunt of the heater. The same suggestions I listed above are applicable personally, too. The difference is that you may well have people that are very important to you counting on you being everything you can be. You’d do well not to let them – or yourself- down.

Be  more like Bella. Don’t take a chance of letting one degree of heat get by you. You never want to end a game with extra “chips” in your hand.

[Check out Unleashed Universe to transform your business and life in 90 days. Feel the heat…]

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