I don’t watch a lot of television, but I am hooked on the “Celebrity Apprentice”. I find that show a fascinating study in other people’s thought processes and reactions to situations. Last night was particularly painful to watch.
In case you didn’t see it (hard to believe, but I guess some of you might have missed it;-) ). It was a trainwreck for Dennis Rodman. He was project manager of running a hotel experience and pretty much self deestructed over the course of the show. Now, mind you, he has been having difficulty since the beginning and last night sealed the deal in getting himself fired.
Now you may be wondering where in the world I’m going with this and there were actually some poignant moments that really had me thinking to myself…”This is an incredibly sad man who desperately needs help.”
In a nutshell, Dennis has a drinking problem that his team (and the women’s team) called him out on it while in the boardroom. Of course Dennis was very defensive, and while I have mixed feelings over the way it was done, he definitely needs help. And yes, I understand editing and the need for ratings, etc. But beyond all the show and hype, there is still a man who has a need for acceptance, love and peace of mind.
What struck me like a lightning bolt was how Dennis talked about what a remarkable team player he was (and that without a doubt, is a fact). He’s won 5 championships, clearly an outstanding player and team mate. My question is this: What has happened since then? He is someone who, at every opportunity, reminds others of his illustrious career AND the fact that he was a team player. (WAS being the key operative word here).
It is incredibly sad to me that he seems to be living in his past glory and can’t seem to move forward in his life. how amazing could his life be if he took those feelings of happiness, exhilaration, and self-worth that he clearly had as part of a basketball team and used them to create a plan for the future. This form of appreciative inquiry could be such a powerful tool to motivate and inspire him. Instead it seems to remind him of times and feelings he can’t get in touch with again.
The lesson is that you cannot live in the past. It paralyzes you from being able to move forward and look toward the future. You cannot create new goals and plans if you’re living in a past where former goals have been met and accomplished. Make no mistake, the past is crucial in knowing yourself and learning from those experiences…HOWEVER, the past is done and over with. It cannot be recaptured no matter how hard one tries to live in it.
You can’t move forward if you keep looking backward~
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