A few years ago I was speaking in the Galapagos Islands and witnessed the eruption of the La Cumbre volcano. As the lava flowed down the sides of Fernandina Island, it destroyed everything in its path. Animals and plants perished as the island’s landscape was ravaged by the volcano’s fury.
The next morning we landed on the opposite side of the island where life still flourished. We could see the steaming volcano, but now had a very different perspective. And as I looked at the geography of the island and that of the entire archipelago, I realized that millions of years of volcanic activity have not destroyed the landscape as much as they’ve changed it. And throughout all of this change, wildlife has endured.
Adversity is an unpleasant but necessary part of our growth. During times of prosperity, it’s easy to take things for granted. When we’re no longer challenged, we stop challenging ourselves. We get lazy and feel entitled to the status quo. A problem is a wake up call – a call to action that often improves our life.
We see the benefits of adversity all around us. Naturally occurring forest fires clear out excess brush, extending the life of the forest and preventing larger fires. Muscles damaged during the stress of weight lifting heal back bigger and stronger. Countless people have had marriages and careers crumble, only to find themselves more happily married and employed later.
Helen Keller once said “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved.”
This principal has been expressed for centuries through countless clichés, such as “No pain, no gain” or “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.” These sayings are overused, but the wisdom behind them is golden.
Challenging times such as these are unpleasant, but there’s a good chance they’ll propel us forward. Stay strong, and look for the lesson.
Scott Greenberg, Motivational Speaker, Receives The “Best Customer Service” Award For His Edible Arrangements Franchise In Los Angeles, CA
Scott Greenberg, motivational speaker, has received the “Best Customer Service” award for his Edible Arrangements franchise in Los Angeles, CA. Out of 973 stores in 12 countries, only three were nominated for this award. Greenberg’s store won the top prize at the Edible Arrangements franchisee convention is Washington D.C. on August 8th.
(Vocus/PRWEB ) August 17, 2010 — Motivational Speaker Scott Greenberg received the “Best Customer Service” award for his Edible Arrangements franchise in Los Angeles, CA. Out of 973 stores in 12 countries, only three were nominated for this award. Greenberg’s store won the top prize at the Edible Arrangements franchisee convention is Washington D.C. on August 8th.
“I’m very honored and proud of my employees for providing the level of service needed to win this acknowledgement,” says Greenberg, who manages ten employees from the road while speaking. “They have demonstrated that teamwork, commitment and self-mastery not only have personal benefits, but also yield great service to others.”
Edible Arrangements is a worldwide franchise that creates floral arrangements made of fresh fruit. The company has more than 900 operating locations worldwide and is rapidly expanding with franchises across the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Italy, Qatar, Turkey, Hong Kong and throughout the United Arab Emirates. Greenberg built and opened his franchise in 2005 not only to supplement his income, but as a laboratory to try out his methods of management and peak performance.
“There are many motivational speakers who discuss leadership without any practical first hand experience. My store has been a great place to develop and test the concepts I speak about. Having this business has made me a better motivational business speaker, and being a speaker has made me a better businessman.”
In addition to customer service recognition, Greenberg’s franchise is also one of the highest grossing Edible Arrangements in California.
About Motivational Speaker Scott Greenberg:
In 1992 Scott Greenberg dropped out of the New York University Graduate Film School after being diagnosed with cancer. Inspired by his grandmother, a “Schindler’s List” holocaust survivor, Scott beat the disease and went on to run the Los Angeles Marathon to raise money for cancer research. Since 1996 he has been a fulltime motivational speaker on the subjects of leadership, resilience and peak performance. Clients include Nike, the Young Presidents Organization and the U.S. Department of the Interior. He has written three books on leadership and is a contributing author to “Chicken Soup for the College Soul.” Full bio, topic and client list are available at www.scottgreenberg.com .
###
Recently the California Association of Directors of Activities interviewed me for podcast. As a motivational speaker, I facilitate a considerable amount of student leadership training programs. Much of what I discuss is on how to bring out the best in others, including ways of helping student leaders overcome self-doubt and insecurity. In this podcast I discuss my “Fact. versus Feeling” technique for helping people distinguish between real problems and mere negative self-talk.
The basic idea is that when you’re feeling insecure, ask yourself if your negative conclusion is based on real fact, or just your feelings. Facts are objective and irrefutable. Anyone with the same information would draw the same conclusion. But if you’re problem is based on a feeling and you can’t back it up with facts, there’s a good chance it’s simply not true. Don’t ignore the feelings, but get the facts. They may lead you to a different conclusion.
You can also use this technique for handling criticism from others. Just because they say it doesn’t mean it’s true. So much of my job as a motivational speaker is helping people bounce back from the crippling effects of criticism. We take what others say way too seriously.
Next time someone passes judgement on you, ask yourself the same questions mentioned above. Is the commentary based on facts, or just the person’s feelings? If their opinion is not grounded in proof, don’t take it too seriously. If it is, consider it constructive and use it to improve. In all cases of criticism, though, remember that is says more about the critic than it does about you.
Listen to the podcast to explore this in a little more depth. I’ve got many student leadership training programs coming up, and you can be certain I’ll be discussing this subject live.
