Inspirational / Motivational
Hiroshima and The Power of Voice
September 4, 2016,8:43 pm
This week the New Yorker reprinted the story “Hiroshima” by John Hersey, which was originally published 70 years ago, and is 31,000 words in length. It is said to be “one of the greatest pieces of journalism in the 20th century”, because it influenced how people all over the world viewed war, by humanizing the “enemy.” Reading this article awakened strong emotions in me, and I highly recommend that you take the time to read it yourself. Here’s the link to the online reprint by the New Yorker: click here. And you can also get it in book form: click here. One aspect of my emotions relates to my conviction that every heroic act is an act of love, and there can only be love where there is compassion and understanding of the human condition of all people, be they supposed “friend” or “foe.” I was also reminded of a Simon and Garfunkel song from my youth called “The Sun is Burning”. To listen to it, click here. by Fantastic Frank Johnson PS – Do you need an Inspirational Speaker? Check out my site and get in touch to see if I have your dates available inspirational speaker Fantastic Frank Johnson |
Are Both Captain America And Iron Man Right All Along?
May 8, 2016,4:36 pm
Without giving away any juicy plot twits and turns, the movie title “Captain America: Civil War” itself indicates that when two leading Avengers super heroes have irreconcilable differences, the rest of the group is forced to take sides. Even if you’re not a super hero aficionado, there are some takeaways from the movie that we can all use to reflect upon our own lives. After all, with 50% of marriages ending in divorce and its related collateral damage, chances are that you’ve been affected by your own personal version of a “Civil War” – whether it be your own, that of your parents, siblings, close friends, business partner, etc. Facing the breakup of a relationship or business partnership? Here are some things to consider:
If you do see “Captain America: Civil War” keep yourself open to experiencing some “Aha” moments – it will make the movie more personal, and enjoyable! by Fantastic Frank Johnson PS – Do you need an Inspirational Speaker? Check out my site and get in touch to see if I have your dates available inspirational speaker Fantastic Frank Johnson
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Inspiration from Benjamin Franklin and Nelson Mandela
May 6, 2016,5:15 pm
Sounds like a terminal illness! And what should one do with such a diagnosis? Here’s what Nelson Mandela says: Have you heard that focusing on the positive will give you positive results? Or even that you have to “Give to Get” ? Well, I think it goes much, much deeper than that. To truly embody being positive, one must let go of attachment to the outcomes, and simply be love, with no expectation of receiving anything in return. This is a tall order, and something that I myself struggle with. I was talking about this concept on my radio show, From Flawed to Fantastic, with special guest Bob Miller of “Practice Gratitude Success” On the show, Bob gave keen insights that helped me, and can also help you. To listen to the replay, go to this link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/braininjuryradio/2016/05/06/from-flawed-to-fantastic-with-fantastic-frank-special-guest-bob-miller by Fantastic Frank Johnson PS – Do you need an Inspirational Speaker? Check out my site and get in touch to see if I have your dates available inspirational speaker Fantastic Frank Johnson |
“We Create Our Own Demons”
April 10, 2016,8:26 pm
I heard it from Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, in the movie Iron Man III. I think Oscar Wilde said it originally, but I couldn’t find the quote. Tony Stark was referring to how people he had rejected many years earlier returned to enact vengeance on him in a lethal plot to take over the world. Even though he had long since changed his ways, his personal transformation did not prevent the past from coming back to haunt him. I’ve always found comics to be a useful means to reflect on our own lives, and this is no exception. This got me thinking… part of being human is making mistakes, right? That includes hurting other people’s feelings, starting as early as not sharing your toys, right? And we can’t really control if the other person reacts as a violent maniac, right? But then… just where do our responsibilities lie? Reflecting on my own life, it is very humbling to come to terms with the part I’ve played in creating my own demons. How about you? Rather than despair, take heart in how far you’ve come. What positive changes have you made from the “old you” to who you are today? Are you able to notice your part more quickly, and be the first to extend an olive branch? A note of caution – don’t be too hard on yourself. It may feel like you’re constantly screwing up, or feel as if you are actually getting worse. This is just part of becoming more sensitive, which will make you better equipped to handle any situation as it arises. Remember – although you may create your own demons, you can also have the power to embrace the Hero In You. by Fantastic Frank Johnson PS – Do you need an Inspirational Speaker? Check out my site and get in touch to see if I have your dates available inspirational speaker Fantastic Frank Johnson |
Is it Discipline, Desperation, or Desire?
March 25, 2016,4:34 pm
Could it be that everyone’s survival mechanism gets triggered by different levels? And so, for one person, whatever it takes to maintain a middle class existence is the bare minimum they feel they “must” accomplish, and also the barrier to accomplishing more? For another person, could anything less than extravagance be utterly unacceptable? Is one person really any happier than the other? Or are they both just trying to survive within the framework of their own unique environments? Trying to fulfill their own concept of basic survival? There’s a lot of talk about “success”, and the picture that’s usually painted is a big paycheck, smiling face, happy family, good health, expensive car, mansion, travel, etc….But what if you’ve acquired all of that and still feel empty? Is that outward appearance of success a veil for inward desperation? How about taking a few minutes to feel into your concept of “success”? Do you feel that you are already “successful” just as you are? Or is the striving for elusive levels of “success” making you desperate? Do you come from a place of fullness or fear? Do you live with an attitude of abundance and love, or of scarcity and loss? For more thought provoking gems, read my book, “From Flawed to Fantastic“! by Fantastic Frank Johnson PS – Do you need an Inspirational Speaker? Check out my site and get in touch to see if I have your dates available inspirational speaker Fantastic Frank Johnson
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Are You Treating Your Life Like Fine China?
March 20, 2016,5:49 pm
The fear of damaging something can spoil your ability to enjoy it. Have you ever acquired a prized possession, only to store it away for safekeeping? It could be art work, jewelry, a car, silk sheets, etc. What are we saving these things for? A special day – what if that day never arrives? And what message are we giving ourselves – that we are not worthy, in and of ourselves, to make use of whatever it is, and that only an arbitrary holiday can make us worthy? And could you be scarcity minded? Is there an underlying fear that if that thing was damaged, you could never afford to get one again? If it’s a one-of-a kind object, are you holding your happiness hostage to its preservation? Let’s make a distinction here. There may be things, such as the urn with your loved one’s ashes, that hold a sacred place in your life and it’s totally appropriate to set apart. What I’m talking about is a scenario such as this: You have 10 pairs of new shoes in the closet that have never been worn, while you go around wearing scuffed shoes that sound like flip flops because the souls has separated off. You might feel ridiculous wearing formal diner attire on a camping trip or fly fishing, but why not make a random evening at home into a white tie affair with your family? How about this? Why not take 15 minutes to do a treasure hunt in your house – rummage through closets, attics, and basements – to take stock of what you have. Select something to enjoy today, and something else to give away. by Fantastic Frank Johnson PS – Do you need an Inspirational Speaker? Check out my site and get in touch to see if I have your dates available http://www.fantasticfrankjohnson.com/speaker/ |
Evaluating the “Dashes” of Your Life
March 13, 2016,9:19 pm
 Inspirational Motivational speaker One poem that always brings me to tears is “The Dash” by Linda Ellis. She speaks of the “dash” on a tombstone as representing all the years of our existence, and reflects on how we use our “dash”. This can be taken to a different level – does not every minute, every moment, every second, have its own “dash”? Albert Einstein defined insanity as doing same thing over and over again but expecting different results. Maybe insanity is a matter of wasting our moment to moment “dashes”. This is why the second “E” of my EXCEL formula stands for “Evaluate Your Life”. This isn’t so much about judging how productive you are, or what kind of car you drive, or how big your bank account is…it goes much deeper. How do you spend your “dashes”? Are you joyful? Do you feel alive? Are you able to let go of your attachment to a certain outcome, and give greater importance to giving love in every moment? Take a moment to think about this. Go out and hug your cat, your dog, your son, your daughter. Call up an old friend you haven’t seen for a while, or visit a friend in the hospital. How long is that going to take? And what impact is it going to make in someone else’s life? When you die, what the heck are you going to have left? Am I saying that goals are not important? Not at all. I even included a chapter “Goal Setting and Goal Achieving” in my book, From Flawed to Fantastic. The distinction I am making here is that, if all your tiny “dashes” are miserable, then a bigger dash, representing your “goal”, is going to be miserable also! Each and every moment doesn’t have to be about having a winning strategy to fall in love, although that would be nice; or to make a million dollars, although that would be nice; or even to make a big impact on the world, which would be nice too. It is how you live in the moment that makes a difference! Enjoy every little dash that you have. Give love. And let go.
PS – Do you need an Inspirational Speaker? Check out my site and get in touch to see if I have your dates available http://www.fantasticfrankjohnson.com/speaker/
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Do you have a “Money” problem? Or is it really a “Thinking” problem?
February 26, 2016,7:34 pm
Where has this chase taken you? And will you ever “arrive”? Will you ever be “satisfied”? When will enough be enough? And do you ever worry about losing what you do have? Do you live with an underlying fear or stress? Don’t get me wrong – I’m NOT saying that money is evil. Far from it, it used by philanthropists every day to make the world a better place. The problem isn’t the money (or lack thereof), it’s the way you THINK about money. What’s the answer? Well, you have be aligned with “spirit” or “energy” or whatever word you use for something that is beyond your own self aggrandizement. Now, there is another caveat – if you go about strategically trying to be “spiritual” or get aligned with your energy, with the expectation that you will be rewarded financially…well, then that mind set furthers money stress. You will know that you have “succeeded” when you don’t need the gratification of money any more. Money flows in and out with ease, and without stress.
PS – Do you need an Inspirational Speaker? Check out my site and get in touch to see if I have your dates available http://www.fantasticfrankjohnson.com/speaker/
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Without Your Superpower, Someone is Suffering
September 30, 2015,6:43 pm
 Fantastic Frank Johnson Finding the “Hero in You” may sound like it’s about “you”, but it’s actually about setting yourself aside. It takes courage to find your heroic gem, or superpower, and you may not have enough incentive to dig down to it on your own. PS – Do you need an Inspirational Speaker? Check out my site and get in touch to see if I have your dates available http://www.fantasticfrankjohnson.com/speaker/ |
9/11 – Turning Tragedy to Triumph!
September 11, 2015,5:39 pm
Why turn to a fictional movie when real life events were unfolding before my eyes? What was being broadcasted on the news was so surreal to me, so devastating, that I didn’t know how to assimilate it, and it actually seemed as unlikely as an alien invasion, and yet it was happening. When the twin towers were struck, I thought that it was going to be the end of America, and the end of the life I had grown up to love. Everything was too raw in the moment to make sense of, or to be inspired by. Watching the movie Independence Day helped me overcome fear because, despite the horror of the moment, it depicted the essence of humankind’s resilience, determination, and creativity in overcoming great setbacks when faced with an ultimate disaster that threatens our very existence. Today, it is the real life heroes of 9/11 that I turn to for inspiration. First responders and ordinary citizens made the ultimate sacrifice and willingly gave their lives to save others. While most ran away from the disaster, they ran into it, with only one thing driving them – the desire to rescue others, no matter what the cost. So, what do you want 9/11 to represent to you? Is there a way to transform this tragedy into triumph? That’s exactly what the 9/11 Day Organization is intending to do, by encouraging people to do a good deed today, on September 11, and share their story at https://911day.org/ What’s your good deed? PS – Need an inspirational speaker who can help you find the Hero in You? Check out my site and get in touch to see if I have your dates available http://www.fantasticfrankjohnson.com/speaker/ |
