Some Kidding Aside – It’s Elementary – The Power of Choice

What would Sherlock Holmes deduce in regard to your Power of Choice?

I was already in my early thirties before I discovered Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s wonderful books about master sleuth Sherlock Holmes. Like everyone else, I had been exposed to the character Homes all my life, but had somehow missed reading any of his adventures up until then. Once I read one book, though, I was hooked and eagerly devoured each tale, one right after the other, until I had consumed every story.

The thing that I loved so much about Holmes was his ability to use his powers of observation and deductive reasoning to extract meaning from the most ordinary of things. In the stories, Sherlock Holmes often only has to look at a few fragments of evidence before producing the name of the perpetrator or, at very least, the next essential step in solving the crime.

I believe all of us have a bit of that same ability to observe and deduce. No, not to the degree that Holmes exhibited, but certainly enough to accomplish a little exercise I want you to do.

If you were sitting in front of Sherlock Holmes right now, and he were to examine your life for the past five years, what would he deduce in regard to your Power of Choice?

• If he were to look at your relationships
• If he were you look at your education
• If he were to examine your professional life
• If he were to look at your physical life

I’m trying get you to step outside of your life for a moment and honestly evaluate how you are applying the Power of Choice.  I want you to see that your life, your path, your destination, is truly in your hands.

If your life isn’t what you want, or isn’t on the road toward want you want it to be, then you have sacrificed and yielded the Power of Choice in some area. This is not intended to be a statement of condemnation but rather of empowerment. Once you are aware of a weakness, you can begin to correct it.

Excerpted from The Seven Powers of Success; Unlock Your Strengths, Unleash Your Dreams.  www.charlesmarshall.net  © 2013 Charles MarshallCharles Marshall is a nationally known humorous motivational speaker and author. Visit his Web site at www.CharlesMarshall.net or contact him via e-mail at charles@charlesmarshall.net.