A new day on the Intracoastal Waterway…
Last night I fell asleep listening to this dude named Brian Tracy school me on YouTube, about “The 7 Qualities of Success.” It was like those 1950’s movies where the hero goes to sleep with big earphones plugged into a boxy reel to reel tape player and wakes up speaking Chinese… This morning I feel like a subliminal success waiting to happen!!!
Actually, Brian is a kindly looking fellow in a well cut suit who gives off the air of someone who would be dumfounded by an alcoholic. “WHAAT? You are drinking alcohol in the morning?” he would paw through his goal orientated to-do list and say, “That is in direct conflict with success qualities 3 and 5!”
The funny thing is that when I listened to the tape, I couldn’t help but compare and contrast it to the qualities of the practicing alcoholic. Not because I am resistant to Brian’s good advice, but because it is so glaringly apparent that the qualities of success and alcoholism do not jive…Luckily I don’t drink anymore and now that I am brainwashed and pliant, I intend to walk this way from now on…
The 7 Qualities of Success (with commentary from Mare):
1. Goal Orientation: Brian says to establish daily goals and write them down. Do the most important one first (even if it’s the most difficult). When I was drinking, the most important aspect of my day was finding the corkscrew (Refrigerator? Underwear drawer?) and walking the dog without falling off my mules…
2. Result Orientation: Learn new skills and be the best, most effect version of yourself you can be. I know someone who used to sit on a dirty box in the garage (because he wasn’t allowed to smoke in the house) and drink and think, all by himself – all night long. Do I even need to say that is not what Mr.Tracy had in mind?
3. Action Orientation: He actually said what could be a recovering alcoholic’s mantra, “Take the first step. Overcome procrastination: the positive feedback will build self-confidence and galvanize you for more action!” Let’s face it, procrastination is the alcoholic’s performance art…
4. People Orientation: Brian says, “Capitalize on the health of your personal relationships. Get a lot of face time with the important people in your life.” Okay. Got that. Don’t isolate and don’t hide in a broom closet when concerned friends (or bill collectors) are peeking through the French doors to see if you are alive…
5. Health and Wellness Orientation: I woke this morning thinking, “I will not put anything in my mouth without deciding whether it is good for my waistline beforehand.” That is one of those weird mental pictures that will stick with me forever – the effects of the party-box of Good n’ Plenty lumped beneath my belt…. Thanks for the guilt trip Brian.
6. Honesty and Integrity Orientation: Brian Tracy indicates it is cleaner, and more productive to tell the truth. I like this one. Alcoholics are pathological liars. We have to be. My favorite things about sobriety are mornings and telling the truth about where I am.
7. I swear to God, the tape just cut off here: How’s that for a game of soldiers Brian? Mr. Success Orientation, how about editing your tape to include all seven qualities so you don’t leave us hanging and filling in the blanks?
But I think I may have this one. And maybe it is a good thing Mr. Tracy forgot to include the piece de resistance, because we have to remember from whence we came. Here is the alcoholic’s number 7:
Get up in the morning. Say your prayers. Don’t just ask for stuff, remember to say, “Thank you for this new day. Thank you for my sobriety.” Try to hold your head up and be proud, because you’ve been through a lot…
