Rev. E. Anderson
The Power of Possibility
By Phill Clayton
You can do more than you think, according to Dr Phill. You’re Looking Great’s motivational guru, Phill Clayton, attempts to unleash the power of possibility in your life. Come on, now is your time to think out of the box, rise to the potential within you, and launch yourself into the world. The sky’s the limit!
In the words of a man who has flown around the world in a hot air balloon … ’screw it, just do it’. That man is, of course, Richard Branson who has never written a C.V. in his life and has made Virgin a household name.
When I read his story two thoughts rushed into my head simultaneously colliding and instantly creating a headache that would not go away! “I want to be like this … but … how can I ever be like this?”
To some extent we all do this. We look around us and watch what people are doing, be it our heroes, characters on the television, people down our local pub, or at the gym. We often compare ourselves to these people wishing that we could be like them and we find ourselves saying such things as ‘if only I had enough time’, or ‘ I wish I had the courage to do that’. When we find ourselves making these absolute statements we are closing the door of possibility in our lives. Now unlike Mr. Branson I have written many C.Vs; it’s not necessarily about copying those around you but getting the spirit of ‘give it a go’. It is realizing that you can do more than you think you are capable of doing by seeing life through the lens of opportunity.
So how can you unleash the power of possibility in your life?
You Can Do More Than You Think
I studied history at university where anything over 6 hours lecture time a week was immoral and deemed a breach of the department’s ethical code of conduct! In the first year with only a 40% pass rate needed, many were tempted to watch television, wake up late and go out even later! However I was a little different. I went to uni wanting to gain two things, opportunity and experience. In my first year I started a regular music event in a local coffee shop and went on to become heavily involved with Union politics. I also sat on committees and joined various societies. I learnt to snowboard and write poetry. I also held down a job in a bank! It was a jam-packed life and I thought nothing of working late or early! Once I had started trying new things I realized I could do so much more than I thought possible and giving new things a go became easier and more fun.
I have recently had the privilege of meeting a young man called David who epitomizes this point of increasing your capacity. He is 20 years old and has been working full-time since he was 16. He owns two houses and is currently a full-time banking advisor and a full-time student completing a Masters in economics! He has grasped the concept of possibility. What we are capable of is far greater than we think. Don’t be held back, don’t think small, give it a go.
Give it a Go
The point is not to copy other people’s stories but write your own for others to tell. The reason why so many people don’t ‘give it a go’ is because they are afraid of failing. When Jamie Oliver started his campaign for healthy school dinners he did not know if it would succeed. When I tried snowboarding I didn’t know if I would like it. When David decided to work full-time and study he didn’t know how it would work out. It is the spirit of ‘give it a go’ that creates great stories. In the Sheffield University Students’ Union there is a student programme which has won various national awards and is now being copied by many more university unions across the country. It is called the ‘Give it a Go’ scheme. It is a programme of taster sessions that don’t require commitment and don’t cost much at all. The idea is to encourage students to try something new and if it doesn’t suit them then they can try something else. This is a great life lesson. The ‘give it a go’ spirit sets you free from the fear of failure. It sets you free to explore and experiment with new hobbies, new styles and new ideas. Have a ‘give it a go’ mentality and as Richard Branson said ’screw it, just do it!’
Go with the Flow
When you give something a go, for example horse riding, you try it out at the weekend. You book a special session with your best friend and just give it a go. If you discover that you’re not very good at it you will go again next week determined to be like all the other horse riders who can gallop around effortlessly. Instead of seeing them as a hindrance you see them as a goal, something to aim towards. You discover that you actually do have time to take up a hobby and you start to make more time because you are inspired to reach a new level. It is a challenge and it is fun. This is the third point … go with the flow. Once you have stepped into possibility thinking, you start to gain momentum. You picture what you want to achieve and that drives you to do it. You have given it a go and suddenly you realize you can do more than you thought and now the vision of growth and maturity in your new found hobby or lifestyle pushes you to achieve more and go further. Soon you realize that instead of using up energy you are gaining energy and begin to wonder what else is possible… you have now progressed into the realm of possibility and the sky really is the limit. Don’t just dream about it, do it!
Phill Clayton is a Sheffield University Graduate with pizazz. A great thinker with lots of creative flair. Phill is part of the Creative Arts Team at Hope City Church. You can take the man out of the uni but you can’t take the uni out of the man!
