Peak Performance - Shine in 2009 !

I watched the Golden Globes tonight. Yup, I'm a junkie for those shows. I'm not sure why. It's so not cool to say you like to watch "stars," but I do. I like to see the awards shows. I like to see beautiful people. They are dressed in their finery and everyone appears to be in good moods and friendly with their colleagues. But you know what impresses me the most each and every time I see an awards show? - How utterly grateful and thrilled they are to have won. Really, I'm not kidding.

There is an amazement and sincere uttering of thankfulness that is very touching to me. It tells me they are really not that much different from "the rest of us." (Okay, a whole lot more beautiful, but . . .) Kate Winslet won two Golden Globes tonight. She was so moved and thankful while accepting the first for her starring role in "The Reader." (I was fortunate to see it just last night- amazing movie, I'm still thinking about her role today and will for weeks). Her second Golden Globe came for "Revolutionary Road" with Leonardo DiCaprio. She was dumbstruck - she was shaking - she was "beside herself" - and in it all she was just so amazingly thankful to be singled out as such a "winner." And with the thankfulness for being recognized was the equally compelling need to express gratitude to all the people that helped contribute to the best expression of her talent. - the directors, her co-stars, the crews, the make-up artists . . .

Most of us see movie stars as somehow very different from us. But they aren't "too cool" to not need recognition for a job well done. We all need that recognition. And we all need deep gratitude in our lives. We need to know we are bringing forth the best in ourselves and in others. It's important to tell our co-workers, our families, and yes, even our competitors when they have done a good job. It's important to express our gratitude for their help in our journey to be the best we can be. It helps everyone rise to a new level.

I'm a Performance Specialist with athletes, performing artists and business professionals. I love the entire area of Peak Performance. And it's all about winning - winning your personal best. Getting your own award for giving your best performance ever. It's a thrill! And it's a thrill because we are, each one of us, working at the very thing that is our deep passion. Our art, whatever it may be, comes from a part of our soul that has to be expressed. We thrive when we are giving our best performance. We light up! And yes, we sometimes even gush, even if for most of us, it might be in the privacy of our own hearts. Whatever your passion, my wish for you in this New Year, is that you pursue it with your whole self. Go for it! It was given to you to express to the world. Please don't die with your music still in you! This is your year.