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December 11, 2007

The Most Powerful Force in the Universe

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 8:18 am

In Business and in Life

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It’s been said that only two things motivate us — fear and love.

Every cause, every effect, every random act of kindness, every apparent generosity can be traced back to a fear that something will be lost or love that wants to be shared. It seems reasonable and in keeping with humans as I know us.

Through my life, I’ve found other pairs of words to describe this same concept.
In his Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey talked about deprivation and abundance. Allan Cox, in his new book, Your Inner CEO, describes the looming threat and the guardian presence. I’ve often spoken of dealing from a point of weakness or a point of strength.

Each pair of words really points to the same thing. We can be motivated by a need to protect ourselves or by a feeling of open participation.

We Get to Pick

Even with our best effort and imaginings, we have no control over many things that happen around us. (Maybe we could, but I’ve yet to meet anyone who’s quite that evolved.) We have total control over how we respond to all of that input. It’s in that response that our motivation most counts. Here’s what I mean.

Living in Fear, Deprivation, and Weakness

  • When I respond with fear, people sense that I’m holding back. I know it too. I can’t bring all of my potential to a situation. Part of my brain is taken up with strategizing how I’ll respond when something goes wrong. If a friend has offered help, fear makes it easy to believe that friend thinks of me as someone in need. Life is about self-preservation.
  • When I respond from deprivation, I can’t enjoy a success of my own or of that of someone I admire. I’m always looking for what I’m lacking. If a friend gets a promotion, I think that could have been, should have been, never will be me. Life is about whether I get my piece.
  • When I respond from a place of weakness, I look for the slight in the words or the actions of the people around me. I’m protective and defensive, and I often find what I seek. Life is about whether people care about me.

Living in Love, Abundance, and Strength

  • When I respond with love, people sense I’m fully present. By definition, all of my potential is focused on the moment and the people I see. If a friend has offered help, I can answer with gratitude and partnership, believing in the good intentions that fuel the gift. Life is about enjoying the people I’m with and what we’re doing.
  • When I respond from abundance, I can enjoy every success I see, because I know that the universe has plenty for everyone. I can give what I know, because I know more will come back to me. If a friend gets a windfall, I can celebrate, knowing that my turn is still available, and my time will come. Life is about sharing good things with everyone.
  • When I respond from a place of strength, I overlook a slight misstep, and I forgive the signs that we’re all human. I know that most unkind events are merely how I interpret them and not really about me. Life is about understanding people, not them understanding me.

That last sentence of that last point is the key.

When we live in a world of fear, deprivation, and weakness, our world shrinks. We become the center. When we live in a world of love, abundance, and strength, the world expands and our lives revolve around other people.

It’s such a lonely existence to be the center of the universe. It’s an unhappy state to always be protecting things from what we imagine could be. Holding tight to one place means we never move forward.

Peak performance in business and life requires from love, abundance, and strength.

There is no difficulty that enough love will not conquer . . . — Emmett Fox

Love is the most powerful force in the universe.

How will you use it to change your business and your life?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz to reach your potential.

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Filed under Motivation/Inspiration, Successful Blog |



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35 Comments to “The Most Powerful Force in the Universe”

  1. December 11th, 2007 at 8:39 am
    Karin H. said

    Hi Liz

    Living in fear, deprivation and weakness is like ‘keeping score’ - a very time-consuming and tiring attitude.

    Once you forget (learn to forget) about getting equal - be it in receiving or giving - life opens up, breathing gets easier, relationships grow deeper. The sun shines every day with a golden warm glow. And who wants to miss out on that warm glow?

    Karin H. (Keep It Simple Sweetheart, specially in business)

  2. December 11th, 2007 at 9:19 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Karin!
    Keeping score is a tiring endeavor, I agree. When we look to other folks with generosity, they can feel it and reciprocate in kind. :)

    Lifelong friends are hard to come by.

  3. December 11th, 2007 at 9:38 am
    Robert Hruzek said

    “When we live in a world of fear, deprivation, and weakness, our world shrinks. We become the center. When we live in a world of love, abundance, and strength, the world expands and our lives revolve around other people.”

    Wow! Beautifully put, Liz! It’s both amazing and contrary that putting ourselves in the center of our own universe is the surest (and possibly the quickest) way to insignificance.

    Lovely thought for the day; thank you! :-)

  4. December 11th, 2007 at 9:41 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Robert!
    This is profound as well.

    It’s both amazing and contrary that putting ourselves in the center of our own universe is the surest (and possibly the quickest) way to insignificance.

    It’s what I’ll be thinking all day. Thank you! :)

  5. December 11th, 2007 at 9:49 am
    Karin H. said

    ..they can feel it and reciprocate in kind

  6. December 11th, 2007 at 9:50 am
    Karin H. said

    Not sure what happened there, but the rest of my text was:

    and if they ‘dare’ they will start to live in Love, Abundance, and Strength too.

    And sometimes we must show them the way before they really become lifelong friends. Of us and of themselves.

    Karin H.

  7. December 11th, 2007 at 11:29 am
    Zakman said

    Hi Liz,

    Deep reflections here!

    You know, I can’t help but feel that a relationship has to exist between two entities before one can feel any sort of love. I’m not necessarily talking about the relationship between two people. More importantly, it’s like do I have a relationship with myself? Do I know what I am? Am I capable of loving myself? Indeed, only if I love myself first, I’ll be able to love others.

    As about living in fear, it’s tantamount to focusing on one’s problem rather than living in the solution. Focus on the problem and it gets bigger, focus on the solution and the solution gets bigger.

    Cheers… and love to all :)

    ps: And yes, the centre (or the center :) of the universe is a lonely and cold place, because the whole universe is revolving around you… and you’re still.

  8. December 11th, 2007 at 11:33 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Karin!
    Sometimes when we feel the warmth of good behavior, we want to be the one who makes others feel the same way. :)

  9. December 11th, 2007 at 11:35 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Zakman,
    You are a wise one. All of your living has brought you these truths that you share.

    I so agree that what we focus on is what expands. I, too, think the solution is a far better choice . . . and that being still is watching the universe go on without you. :)

  10. December 11th, 2007 at 12:45 pm
    Mike said

    Liz,

    I will use the most powerful force in the universe to make people happier. And if we get world peace out of the deal, all the better! ;-)

    One of my favorite pieces you have written (and that’s saying something!). Thanks you.

    Mike

  11. December 11th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Mike!
    A happier group of people could lead to world peace, no question about that. :)

    Wow! A favorite — that’s something! I’m so smiling! :)

  12. December 11th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
    Aruni said

    Hi Liz - Welcome back! That sentence “Life is about understanding people, not them understanding me.” is indeed powerful.

    This post is so true. I wonder why people so often respond with fear? There are days I feel no fear and then days I question every step I make and every action that happens to people around to me. I see this happening in others too.

    I’m going forward today with this post in mind and work on being aware of how I respond continue to work on it being more from love, abundance, and strenght. :-)

  13. December 11th, 2007 at 1:49 pm
    Zakman said

    Quote Aruni: Why people so often respond with fear?

    I guess one reason could be that they’re comfortable with the ‘emotion of fear’, because they’ve identified some kind of safety in fear.

    In other words, to be afraid means you dare not try anything unknown, hence no harm will come to you.

  14. December 11th, 2007 at 1:56 pm
    Timothy Johnson said

    Great post Liz… We do control our reactions and our destinies… carried on the conversation back at my own blog on this topic.

  15. December 11th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
    Amie Gillingham said

    Truly inspirational as always, Liz. And this post goes hand in hand with my current read, “Egonomics” (I’m spacing on the authors at the moment) which hits on the ideas of balanced “ego” being a positive rather than a negative thing. Feels like a lot of things are coming together to give me a message I really need to hear right now!

  16. December 11th, 2007 at 2:19 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Aruni!
    I wonder why people so often respond with fear? I guess the reason is because we don’t have to prepare for a good thing. Good things require no defense. :)

  17. December 11th, 2007 at 2:21 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Zakman,
    Your response to the same question is so observant. It’s true, if we choose a fearful response we are safe from risking.

  18. December 11th, 2007 at 2:23 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Amie!
    A balanced ego, I like the thought of that. Having a sense of who we are does give us the patience and strength to realize abundance around us. We live in a universe so beautiful. :)

  19. December 11th, 2007 at 3:02 pm
    Lisa Gates said

    Mmm. This post is like eating hot soup on a winter day. Delicious, Liz.

    I’d say this takes the whole “magical thinking” of law of attraction hoopla and puts legs on it. Now we’re firmly grounded in choice, and choosing our perspectives consciously–as opposed to unconscious reacting. To me, this is where our work as humans lives and breathes, and where we get to hold ourselves accountable for what we’re creating.

    I believe Emerson said that nothing happens to us without our agreement. We’re responsible (not as in blame) whether we’re conscious of it or not.

    Thank you Liz!

  20. December 11th, 2007 at 4:24 pm
    Aruni said

    Hi Zakman - I agree. What is it about us as humans that we are so comfortable with fear and so uncomfortable with joy? Is it as Liz says we prepare for bad things so fear is in our DNA? I’m not a cavewoman but I wonder if a cave woman had more or less fear than we do living in today’s world where we don’t have to worry about being eaten by some animal.

    Hi Liz - what a profound statement. I am already thinking of a blog post around this topic called Good Things Require No Defense. :-) No when will I find the time to get to doing that post…

  21. December 11th, 2007 at 7:07 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Lisa!
    I think we really do get to choose our reality. What we see is what we get, so to speak. Take off the “kick me” sign and most folks will stop doing what the sign said to do. It’s amazing!

  22. December 11th, 2007 at 7:08 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Yeah, Aruni,
    I often wonder, myself, whether people of another time had more or less stress or fear. I usually decide it was probably about the same. :)

  23. December 11th, 2007 at 7:42 pm
    Zakman said

    Haha, Liz, why “whether people of another time had more or less stress or fear”?

    If I only look at myself like how I was two months ago, I’d probably say, “OMG, what did I have to fear about?” or “Was I stressed out about that???”

    That was then and now is now, but the underlying factor is I was fearful then and so am I now. Fearful by default. Today, fear has a new face, a new angle, and it always justifies itself.

    Perhaps I want to be fearful, because it’s such a cozy corner.

  24. December 11th, 2007 at 7:45 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Yeah, Zakman,
    Sometimes our familiar fears are more comfortable than we realize and we miss them when they’re gone.

    But not for long. :)

  25. December 11th, 2007 at 9:21 pm
    FV Classic said

    it only works if what is preached is actually practiced.

  26. December 11th, 2007 at 9:42 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    HI FV!
    Yep, I agree, but that’s true of most things, isn’t it?

  27. December 12th, 2007 at 7:25 am
    ang chuan chooi said

    To overcome these problems is to do meditation. I find meditation most helpful when i have similar problems.

  28. December 12th, 2007 at 7:32 am
    Rowan Manahan said

    Wonderful post Liz. So many corporate surveys come up with ‘Greed,’ ‘Fear’ or other negative human drivers in their results. It’s nice to see some really clear, really positive thinking for a change.

    Your post reminded me of the show-closing remarks from the late, great Bill Hicks:

    “It’s a simple choice; no effort, no work, no job, no savings and money. A choice, right now, between fear and love. The eyes of fear want you to put bigger locks on your doors, buy guns, close yourself off. The eyes of love, instead, see all of us as one.”

    It’s a pity that so many of the well-meaning ideas in the world have to start with the phrase, “If only people would …”

  29. December 12th, 2007 at 8:12 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi ang chuan chooi!
    Welcome!
    I have a saying that fits with your thoughts . . . Every time I give my soul room to breathe, everyone gets nicer.

    I agree with you. :)

  30. December 12th, 2007 at 8:14 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Rowan!
    Welcome!
    Thank you so for the wonderful quote. Mr. Hicks says it all so well.

    I saw too much managing by fear in the companies that I’ve worked with and for.

  31. December 12th, 2007 at 7:09 pm
    Touga said

    Thanks Liz, for this wonderful piece. I will certainly begin to focus my life on love, abundance and strength. But let me ask a few questions on this last part -

    “Love is the most powerful force in the universe.”

    Isn’t it amazing how humanity, in all our search for meaning in life, always returns to the beginning? Isn’t it written “God is love,and he who abides in love, abides in God and God in him”? Can such order and beauty that we observe in the universe have “originated” or “evolved” without a “Creator” or “Guiding Hand”? Can we truly live fulfilling lives in neglect of the Creator, irrespective of what our concept of “Him” may be? If the creator is greater than his creation and “He” is “love”, then little wonder that “love is the greatest force in the universe”, because he who operates in love keys into the nature and power of the Creator? (I trust you will forgive my gender insensitivity, it is for the sake of simplicity and clarity).

    Isn’t it also written “…today…I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live…”? Fear is death, but love is life. I believe that choice of life (love) leads to abundance and strength. Without allowing this to become a religious discussion, I believe fear and unhealthy competition, particularly in business, come from a “scarcity” mentality and this is killing. Of course operating in abundance does not detract from my personal responsibility, because my liberty stops where that of the other begins…and this is the practice of love!

  32. December 12th, 2007 at 8:33 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Touga!
    Welcome!
    The pwoer comes from knowing that with enough love we don’t need what anyone else might have; we have enough. We can give unconditionally.

  33. December 13th, 2007 at 8:43 pm
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  35. March 10th, 2008 at 6:14 am
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