Out With a Bang – The Final Chapter (12/7/14)

The end of 2014 is here.  We can go out with a bang or we can go out with a whimper.  Which do you want?  You have one month to finish the book of 2014.  Make the last chapter exactly as you want it.

Transcript

BIG Life Mentoring

December 7, 2014

Out With a Bang: The Final Chapter

 

This weekend you were challenge to watch the “The Pursuit of Happyness” with Will Smith. While it is one of my favorite movies, it is one of the most heart breaking, gut wrenching, tear jerkers ever. This poor man can’t get a break. It goes from bad to worse and keep escalating throughout the movie.

He loses his car, his wife, his house. He struggles to raise his son on his own. He gets hired at a job that doesn’t pay, gets hit by a car, sleeps in a public restroom and subway. And if you can’t handle the heartbreak and turn off the movie 2 minutes before it ends, you miss it all. You miss where all the struggle and misfortune comes together for a breakthrough. It’s the last chapter of the movie where it all makes sense. He lands the job as a stock broker and goes from homeless to a multi-millionaire.

What’s even better is it’s a true story. Chris Gardner is a real man, real father, real millionaire today. In the closing scene as Will and his son walk across the street hand in hand, the real Chris Gardner crosses the other way.

But it was the final chapter of the movie that did it all. Without the final chapter, his life was a hopeless disaster.

The difference between an okay book and a great book is the final chapter.

December is the final chapter of the book of 2014. How will yours end? The previous 11 chapter may seem chaotic or boring, overwhelming or pointless. Maybe it doesn’t make sense because you haven’t see the final chapter yet. The final chapter can change it all.

Oh the importance of the final chapter. Where would Cinderella be without the final chapter? She’s a chic with one shoe crying in her attic.

With every month of this year, you’ve written a story. Is it a story you would have hoped for? Has it fallen short of the dreams you had for this year? Do you wish there would have been more? Do you wish it would have been different? Do you wish you would have stuck with it? Sister, the pen is still in your hand. It’s time to write the final chapter.

Most people just try to get through this last month. Maybe that’s what you usually do. You crumple up the paper and throw it away. But you’re missing the most important chapter of 2014. This is it, here’s your chance to finish the darn book and write the ending you want.

What do the chapters of 2014 look like for you? Does this look familiar?

Chapter 1: Hopeful Start
Chapter 2: 2 Steps Forward, 1 Step Back
Chapter 3: Screwed Up
Chapter 4: And Again
Chapter 5: Shaking It Off
Chapter 6: Face Plant
Chapter 7: Didn’t See That Coming
Chapter 8: Shaking It Off Again
Chapter 9: This Could Be It
Chapter 10: That Wasn’t It
Chapter 11: Ughhhhhhh!

We all struggled somewhere this year, all of us. We can spend this month licking our wounds and re-reading the past chapters, or we can shake that crap off and write the best darn final chapter of 2014 E.V.E.R.

We can be pitiful or powerful, but we can’t be both. We can go out with a bang or we can go out with a whimper. Which do you want? It’s all about the final chapter.

If you’ve already given up and checked out of this year, you’ll never see the final chapter. You’ll never finish your story. And because of it, you may never experience the breakthrough and find the meaning of it all. This year will be lost without this final chapter.

I wonder how many prayers we’ve stopped praying the day before the miracle? How many dreams have we given up on when we were finally within reach and just didn’t know it? How many times have we been steps before our breakthrough and we quit? Not this time sister. Not this year.

It’s all about the final chapter. This is where it makes sense. This is where you find purpose. Without the final 2 minutes of the movie, it was all for not. Without this final month, this entire year may be lost … but it doesn’t have to be. Now, right now we get to choose the title of our final chapter. Then we get to write the story around it. I’m suggesting we go out with a bang. We start living as the women we always wanted to be.

What’s the title of your final chapter of 2014?

  • Because I’m Worth It
  • I’ve Got This
  • Beast Mode
  • My Victory Lap
  • The BIG Epic Ending
  • It All Makes Sense Now
  • Stronger Than Ever
  • Last Minute Comeback
  • HAPPINESS

Choose one of these chapter titles or create your own, but do it now. We must get better at making decisions and taking action. Chose that final chapter title of 2014, then SURROUND YOURSELF WITH IT. It is now your main Sticky Goal, front and center for the month. Create a cover photo with your final chapter title on FaceBook. Make it your home screen. Title your alarm. Put notes all over your house. Everywhere you turn, be reminded of the importance of the final chapter you’re in, and the title you’ve chosen.

With this single chapter title you will change your perspective on everything that happened this year. That changed perspective will give you the power to write each page of this final chapter and begin living as the woman you most want to be.

It’s time to make sense of a few setbacks and failures you may have encountered in the story of 2014. Now is the time to make sense of them so you DON’T BECOME STUCK IN THOSE CHAPTERS, RELIVING THEM over and over again.

Grief. Some of you, my friends, suffered a true loss this year. Your grief has been heavy, even unbearable at times.

Failure. Some failed to lose that weight, get out of debt, organize the house and now you’re disappointed. Even disgusted.

Never Started. Some sat on the sidelines and watched, again. You didn’t do what you said you would do, you didn’t do what you really wanted to do, and you never gave yourself a fighting chance.

Do you want to keep reading the chapters of pain, disappointment and failure again, or are you ready to finish this story and finish it on your terms? As you look back over these past 11 chapters and you find pain, regret, and disappointment here are 4 simple steps:

 

Step 1: Get Mad

Go ahead, get mad and cry it out. Maybe it wasn’t fair. Maybe it hurt like heck and you’ve been trying to hold it in. Maybe you’re disgusted with yourself. Allow yourself to be mad.

 

Step 2: Break Something

Yes, grab that glass and throw it. Stomp the crap out of it. Break it into tiny pieces. Why, because you will never forget the day you were officially DONE WITH IT.

 

Step 3: Move On

That chapter is now finished and you don’t have to live the rest of your life stuck in it. This final chapter is where the happy ending is and this year you’re not giving up on it.

For those who have lost a loved one, I am so sorry. With all my heart, I truly am. I believe your loved one is begging you to live now. To live the life you want.

For those who have failed miserably this year, every time we fail we learn something. Failure leaves clues and because of all your previous chapters of 2014, you can be better. It wasn’t just a hurdle, it was a lesson. You can only begin doing better when you know better … and now you officially know better.

For those who never got started and have been firmly planted on the sidelines, you’ve had a great view of the game. You now have a feel for it. You’ve seen others in the game and now the coach is calling your name. You now know how to play and it’s officially time for you to get in the game.

 

Step 4: Do Something Radical For One Day

Just one day to live out the final chapter title of 2014. One day, one challenge to change it all. You can do it … or you can read over that chapter of failure and disappointment again. Your 2014. Your choice.

 

Now, do you think I’m just going to leave you hanging there and not give you some radical one day suggestions? Oh no, this is way too much fun! I have a suggestion for every single one of you. Whatever your primary disappointment has been for 2014, listen up and do something radical for one day.

 

Disappointed with your Diet? You’ve been unhealthy, going hog wild eating way too much. Your 1 Day Radical Challenge is a 1 Day Smoothie Cleanse.

Disappointed with your Fitness? You’ve been lazy and full of excuses. Your 1 Day Radical Challenge is a 5K. Create your own race and give your absolute best effort, whatever that is. Maybe it means you can only walk and you must break it into 5 parts. Do that. But do it your best in one day.

Disappointed with your Finances? You spent a lot of money and not sure where it all went. There was a lot of waste of hard earned money. Your 1 Day Radical Challenge is to gather up all the coins in your house and car (and I mean ALL of them) trade them in for some crisp folding money, and donate it to someone in need. Personally hand over the money.

Disappointed with your Temper? You’ve yelled too much and nagged until no one even listens. Your 1 Day Radical Challenge is 1 Day Zip It. Write “Zip It” on your hand in sharpie and for that entire day you will not allow a single negative word, criticism, or bit of anger seep through your lips.

Disappointed with your Faith? There’s a distance between you and God and you just haven’t made time for Him. Your 1 Day Radical Challenge is a 1 Day Prayer Fast. From sunrise to sunset instead of eating you will pray, meditate, and read the word.

Disappointed with your Self-Confidence? You still struggle with your worth and fear what others think. Your 1 Day Radical Challenge is the Starbucks Moment. Walk into Starbucks (or another public place) and lay down on the floor on your back for 60 seconds. Then get up and walk out. Yes people will look at you, laugh and talk, but the world will not come to an end and you will have faced that fear in a radical way.

Disappointed with your Honesty? There’s something you’ve been hiding and this secret/lie has been eating you alive. Your 1 Day Radical Challenge is to confess and ask for forgiveness from the person you have harmed.

Disappointed with the Mess? You said you would clean this crap up and it’s only gotten worse. Your 1 Day Radical Challenge is 15 minute speed cleaning in each room. Set a timer for 15 minutes and tackle one room. Give your full focus and best effort on that area until the buzzer. Then move to the next room, resetting the timer, working as quickly and efficiently as possible until each room has been hit.

Disappointed with your Sleep? You’ve got yourself a bad little affair with Mr. Snooze Button and you just want more sleep. Your 1 Day Radical Challenge is to wake up 1 full hour earlier than you’re supposed to. If you’re supposed to get up at 6, but you’ve been hitting the snooze until 6:20, you will get up one day at 5.

Disappointed with your Addiction? You absolutely must have your caffeine, sugar, carbs, cigarettes, or wine? Your 1 Day Radical Challenge is 1 day cold turkey. Cut it out completely for one day. None. Zilch. It’s gone.

Disappointed with your Marriage? The distance has grown further and further. You’re angry and you’re not even sure why at this point. The love doesn’t feel as deep anymore. Your 1 Day Radical Challenge is to make a list of 20 things you love about him, and share it with him in a special way. This list is big and small things. Put thought and effort into it, then share it in a way that he would appreciate. Expect nothing in return.

Disappointed in your Time? You’ve been busy, but darn you have nothing to show for all those hours/days/weeks/months. Useless things have sucked the life out of you. Your 1 Day Radical Challenge is to plan your day, time block it completely, then follow it religiously.

 

Now, I have a few other 1 Day Radical Challenges for those who just want to get more out of life.

  • Polar Bear Plunge
  • Climb a Mountain
  • Begin a New Tradition
  • Crash a Party
  • Dance Through the Isles
  • Play Freeze Out
  • Have a Food Fight

 

Remember, choose the title for your final chapter of 2014 and surround yourself with it.

And for all the things that don’t make sense this year, the things that weren’t fair, the areas where you failed or never even got started, follow these 4 steps:

Step 1: Get mad
Step 2: Break something
Step 3: Move on
Step 4: Do something radical