What do you choose to do with your defining moments?

BEN NEWMAN: Welcome back to NEWMAN NEWWOMAN NEWWEEK. I’m Ben Newman, and you know I’m fired up to be with each and every single week, to come direct to you, to bring the fire, to bring the energy, to bring the excitement.

I know something that happens in your lives. It’s happened in my life, happens all the time: these defining moments. What do you choose to do with your defining moments in your life? Do they change your perspective? Do they change how you think? Do they make a difference in your actions?

Let me share something with you that’s pretty interesting. When our first son was born, Isaac, how amazing is it, the motivational speaker, the inspirational speaker, his son was born in March 4th, the only date in the calendar that is actually a phonetical statement. March forth and conquer. March forth and go do great things. That day changed my life. It changed my perspective. It changed how I thought about our responsibility in our lives to give and serve and to make a difference. It was the same when my daughter was born, on May 24th. Not a phonetical statement, but it changed my perspective. It changed my consciousness.

What do you choose to do with your defining moments? Because the way you lead others, the way you think, the way you act, people are watching. Even your little ones, for those that are parents. Maybe you’re an aunt. Maybe you’re an uncle. Maybe you have friends who have little kids. You’re doing things in your work where little kids are affected by what you do.

My son had a school assignment. I have never been so proud. This was unbelievable, and I just absolutely have to share this with you. It was during the month where we have Martin Luther King Day, and the teachers put together a blank sheet of paper – completely blank – and they wrote I have a dream… And then the children had the opportunity to draw a picture and to fill in the blanks as to what I have a dream means to them. I got teary-eyed when I came home from work and I looked down on the island in our kitchen, and I saw what my son had drawn. He had drawn a picture – it was a face, it was like a self-portrait of him – and then it said “I have a dream that everybody will be nice to each other.”

Think about that. The lessons that you teach, the things that you do, your actions: somebody’s out there watching. What are you doing with your defining moments? What does it mean to you in your life? Because when you take a defining moment, and you learn from it, and you become conscious of it, somebody’s going to watch your actions. Somebody’s going to learn from you, and somebody’s going to do something with that message which is going to have an impact on the legacy that you leave behind.

I was so incredibly fired up when I saw that picture from Isaac, so I want to share that picture with all of your, for your life, your journey, your defining moments. Get out there and embrace those defining moments. Even if they’re tough, what can you learn? And the ones that are beautiful? Smile big, share it with others, and make a difference.

I can’t tell you how excited I get to see individuals that are sharing our videos, sharing the message, liking, commenting. It is so fun being with each and every single one of you every single week for NEWMAN NEWWOMAN NEWWEEK. Until next Monday, go do great things.

YOUR Defining Moments! Episode 27 Vol 1