The WakeUp Call Newsletter
The Voice of the WakeUp Revolution!
January 2007 Issue

Welcome to the January issue of The WakeUp Call - The Voice of the WakeUp Revolution!

I hope you had a really wonderful holiday. Can you believe that it is already mid-January? Time is slipping by so quickly. And guess what – the rest of the year is going to do the same thing! So what are you waiting for – start those resolutions now! It’s not too late!

For me, I have lots of plans but only one real resolution for this year, and I think what it is may surprise you …read on!

- Mike
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FEATURED STORY

“The greatest mistake you can make in your life is to be continually fearing you will make one.” - Elbert Hubbard

Back in the October 2006 newsletter, which was our inaugural issue, I spoke about declaring yourself to the world and then paying attention to the signs. Here’s another ‘sign’ that showed up for me just the other night that affirmed my resolutions and kicked off my year just right…

The other night I was sitting in a hotel lobby in New York City, with a small group of wonderful people who happen to be aspiring coaches. We were enjoying a glass of wine and talking about lots of interesting things.

All of a sudden, an older gentleman who was sitting behind us came over, put his hand on my shoulder and asked me if I was a chiropractor.  I smiled and told him I was a life and business coach, which warranted a returned smile.

He told us about how he was a man who had done some coaching in his career and was a very big player in the corporate finance world – dealing with extremely large numbers and deals. As he put it, “a billion dollars or so – it’s all the same, you just add a few zeros at the end.” You could intuit from his manner and the ease in which he interacted with us that this was a very accomplished and very wise soul.

He asked us to guess his age – always a trap question by people, which I try to maneuver around as best I can. Guess too high and you insult them (especially women.) Guess too low, and you insult them (especially men.)

But we ventured a guess because he seemed sincere and genuinely interested. 52…60…62.

He told us he was 75 years old and that his youngest son was 50, and his oldest grandson was 29! He was filled with energy and spark and we were all blown away and inspired by his presence and his essence.

He offered us some tidbits of his septuagenarian mind and lastly shared the most important words of the night, words that felt like they were spoken directly to me: Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.

In fact, he said, we must make mistakes and we must fail – even if there is a little pain from it. He went on to tell us that people waste too much time trying to avoid pain and the mistakes but that is the very thing that makes us grow! A little pain is good for us. (see “Falling Down” in the JLD Blog for a funny perspective on this)

Then off he went into the night, leaving us touched, reflective, and hopefully, a little bit wiser.

So where was the sign I was referring to…? He was.

I had a great insight stemming from a conversation I had over the holiday with my wife, about failing and making mistakes and that this upcoming year I had to stop being afraid to make them and just go for it. I had intended to write this newsletter article last week – well before my path crossed this man’s, but as sometimes happens, I was procrastinating on writing the story and hadn’t yet started! (maybe I need to speak with my coach? J)

So one week later, here he was, this man (I don’t even know his name), to affirm that yes I needed to write my article, and yes indeed that is my topic of the month!

So here is my declaration – I expect to make a lot of mistakes and fail a whole bunch of times this year. I said it out loud and I said it to all of you. And boy does it feel good! It’s like all of a sudden I have permission to do the things I have been afraid to try because of a fear of making a mistake and looking bad!

I am going to publish my first and maybe second ebook, I am going to create new coaching workshops and start delivering them, I will get new business and personal clients and I will put The WakeUp Revolution on the map!

Along the way, I will make mistakes, fall down, stub my toe, bloody my nose, feel foolish, look silly, make dumb decisions and feel some pain.

But I will also grow and learn and experience and develop and feel and deliver and add vitality and laugh and smile and scream triumphantly and strengthen my relationships with everyone who joins me and supports me on this ride.

To really experience the latter, I believe you need to embrace the possibility of the former.

I ended last year’s newsletter by warning you to buckle up because in 2007 we were going to take it to a whole new level. Are you going to make mistakes with me and experience all of the things I outlined above?

C’mon partner – join the fun! Let’s make this one of the most important years of our lives! I’m ready (and yes a little nervous). Aren’t you?

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Overheard In the WakeUp Room… Blog Digest for January 2007

• Falling Down – If you haven’t ice skated in a while, this will bring a smile as you decide whether to risk going for it, or spending the day skating cautiously so you don’t fall down.

• The Best Resolutions - Ten of the Best New Year Resolutions you can make, without letting yourself down.

• Random Acts of Kindness –What if everyone did one small random act of kindness today? It would give a whole new meaning to the phrase "Global Warming"

Share Your Own Thoughts here

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Tenets of the WakeUp Revolution:

It’s realizing that life is a gift,
                                         and every single day counts!

It’s looking forward and saying 'what now,
                                         ' not looking back saying ‘I wish I had’!

It’s designing your life the way you want it to be,
                                         so life doesn’t just ‘happen’ to you!

It’s believing in the possibility of your desired life,
                                         not a life of compromises!

It’s remembering what's really important,
                                         so you can slow down and breathe again!

It’s having courage to take small steps now,
                                         instead of watching days slip past!

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© 2006 Jaffe Life Design LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Feel free to share this newsletter with anyone you think might enjoy it. In fact, I encourage it! Please send it in its entirety and keep the contact and copyright information on it.

If you want to use this month’s article on your website or your own ezine that’s great! However, you MUST include the following info at the end (that’s fair right?)

“Mike Jaffe is a Human Wake-Up Call and the founder of the Wake-Up Revolution!^TM For more information on Mike’s powerful and insightful speaking, coaching and workshops, or to receive Mike’s inspirational audio course "7 Steps to Wake Up and Live An Extraordinary Life!" visit www.jaffelifedesign.com.”