Graham had reached rock bottom.

From an outside perspective, you’d never know it. But Graham had pulled himself up from a very low place years ago, and vowed never to be that low again. When you reach a certain level of success, you never want to reach true rock bottom again.

It’s like those action-adventure movies where the hero falls from a cliff into a clump of trees. He’s always able to grab a branch and stop himself, before he plummets to the ground.

Graham had caught himself, but wasn’t sure how to begin the climb back from his low point.

“What worked for you in the past,” I asked.

“Usually I’d grab a success book or motivational CD, and it would give me the boost I needed to get going again. But I’ve heard all that stuff, and read and listened to hundreds of different books and CDs,” said Graham.

Then I told him this — I guarantee you haven’t heard it told by everyone.

It was as if a fog had been lifted. He had a look of clarity that you see with those moments of epiphany.

There was a new book by an author he hadn’t read before, but that covered many of the concepts Graham was familiar with. He put off buying the book, because he figured the author had nothing new to say.

Graham was right, and he was also wrong. The author did say much of what Graham already knew. But he had never heard it that way before. The new point of view clicked, and helped Graham gain the perspective ^[1] he needed.

What This Has To Do With You

I actually want to make 2 points here.

1. Don’t discount re-experiencing something you already know. There are people out there who are providing a point of view that you may never have heard before. That unique viewpoint may be just what you need at this particular point in time.
2. From the other side, don’t think you don’t have anything new to say. I constantly hear from folks who think they can’t follow their passion, because it’s already been done, or everyone else is already saying it. Nobody is doing it like you can — because you are unique. Your distinctive spin and perspective may be just what someone is looking for. That’s why you have to be you, and not just regurgitate things exactly as others have. Find your own voice and viewpoint.

The saying about the teacher appearing when the student is ready is true on many levels. Different points in our lives require new perspectives and teachers. Even in those concepts and principles we already know to be true.