If you stop to reflect on it, I'm sure that you can remember certain moments in your life that could qualify as a "defining moment." These are meaningful experiences that often require us to reevaluate our identities, expectations, and even futures.
One main characteristic of a defining moment is that you tend to question yourself and everything around you. It causes you to dig deep, and you will realize you’re capable of so much more than you thought. Over time, these moments shape the person you become. When challenges occur, do you see yourself as a victim of circumstance, or are you someone who successfully overcomes obstacles?
Moments of insight that cause pivotal change in life can often come from an experience that, at first glance, can appear negative. As some of you may know, when I was 24 years old, I had one of the most profound defining moments of my life... being booed by 7000 people in Hong Kong during a production of "The Sound of Music" before I'd even opened my mouth to sing. I remember clearly in that moment saying to myself, "I’ve never heard such a sound in all my life." And what started out as what could have been one of the worst moments of my life turned into one of the most triumphant experiences... and certainly one of the most memorable.
How do the defining moments in our lives affect the kind of person we become? Not only do these moments define us, but they have a transformative effect on our perceptions and behaviors. There can be a temporary setback or a backlash, but there are almost always great benefits that come from coming through and making it to the other side. While everyone has defining moments in life, it's how we respond to these events that becomes the key to being successful.
Having a positive mindset, when the defining moment is negative, is where true character is developed. To achieve success, you have to take each seemingly negative experience and turn it around by using a deliberate positive mindset. Listening to those "boos," I remember making the very clear decision, "I am going to WIN." I knew that I had to do it, and I had to give it my all.
I will always be thankful for that incredible day because deep down, it definitely instilled more confidence in who I am as a person, and the value putting that positive mindset into action. If you want to read more about my fun and crazy defining moment of being booed during "The Sound of Music" in Hong Kong, you can find it in my newest book, Don't Eat The Scraps in the chapter called "Mindset Matters!"
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