How To Become Powerful Beyond Measure

In 1988 I played my 7th game in the VFL/AFL for Hawthorn FC versus Essendon FC at Waverley Park – I had just turned 19.

Essendon at that time were our biggest rivals and the atmosphere before the game was tense – it was expected to be a tight contest and a few ‘paybacks’ were likely to be settled out on the ground.

Starting the game on the bench in those days meant you could wait a really long time before you had a chance to run onto the field and join in the game. There were no ‘rotations’ like we have now.

Picked on the bench that day, I watched the whole of the first half from ‘the pine’, hoping to get a call up any moment but it didn’t happen until a few minutes into the third quarter.

Our coach, Alan Joyce instructed our runner, George Stone to put me on the field in the forward line so I ran on to replace our legendary half forward, Gary Buckenara.

I entered the field and had a few quick ‘touches’ and felt really good about getting into the fray.

5 minutes later, ‘Stoney’ ran out to me on the field and told me to come back to the bench as I was to be replaced on the ground by a team-mate from the bench.

I said: “but George, I’m going well out here and I’ve only just come on”. He said: “I don’t care; Joycey wants you off so sprint back to the bench”.

So I raced back off the ground and spent some more time ‘stewing’ over things.

5 minutes later and I get called up again – back into the forward line and it was almost a carbon copy of what had happened before.

George ran out after a few minutes and despite me being well involved in the game with a few more possessions, I was told to get off the ground again.

So I came off the ground but this time I was absolutely fuming.

I can’t recall ever being so angry and out of control.

I stormed around the players’ race, refused an offer of a dressing gown (which the players on the bench wore to keep warm), threw a few drink bottles against the concrete wall, yelled, swore, told a few people offering me something to eat or drink where to go, resisted the command to sit down on the bench and stay warm, punched my own hands, yelled out aloud and generally carried on.

Maybe the bench let the coach know about my carry on, I’m not sure, but pretty soon I was being told to get ready because I was going back on the ground.

This time I was going to make absolutely sure that the coach knew how I felt because I was going to demonstrate to him, my team-mates, the crowd, the media covering the game and everyone who was there watching that I was furious and I should be out on the ground, without any shadow of a doubt.

“I’ll show them”, I thought.

So I raced back onto the field and basically had a ‘blinder’ – I kicked my first ever goal, had a number of possessions including a crazy mark running back with the flight of the ball where I actually caught it whilst fully stretched out, horizontally, almost flying through the air.

We won a really close game, I had played a key role in helping us win and I was almost swamped after the game by my team-mates who were super impressed with my skills and efforts out on the ground.

How did you think I felt? Possibly very excited because I had helped our side win this big game against our old rivals?

No - I felt so emotional; I couldn’t stop crying....tears of sadness.

No-one could console me and I didn’t understand what had happened – why was I so upset when I had played so well?

A number of years later I walked into a client’s building and staring at me on a huge wall was the following quote by Marianne Williamson – when I read it, everything suddenly made sense.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.

There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

The reason I was crying after this performance and couldn’t stop was I had ignited my deepest fear – that I was powerful.

Marianne Williamson is obviously a Christian - whether you believe in God or a higher power or not, the fact is we are all powerful in our own ways and we have a responsibility to ‘let our own light shine and we give other people permission to do the same’.

The tall poppy syndrome is in fact the complete opposite of how things should be – rather than talking others down, we should be focusing instead on achieving our own successes and ‘liberating others’ to achieve their own success too.

It is probably no surprise that Marianne Williamson’s quote above is my favourite of all time – I hope it provides you with some clarity and inspiration to achieve success in your own world and in turn inspire others too.

Time Advice helps business owners, executives and families pursue their ideal lives by organising them financially – we are in the business of helping our clients ‘let their own light shine’ with smart, sensible financial advice.

Are you letting your own light shine and liberating others?