“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, “I used everything you gave me.”
Erma Bombeck
I’ve Been Thinking. . . about my responsibility to develop my God-given abilities.
I love the story of the ninety-year-old man who, when asked if he knew how to play golf, responded that he didn’t know. “What do you mean, you don’t know?” he was asked. The man, with a wry grin on his face, replied, “I’ve never tried.”
Many of us have talents, abilities and gifts we’ve never fully developed. Others haven’t taken the time to identify their strengths and still others don’t have a clue what they can do because they’ve never tried.
Gallup, Inc., an international research and consulting company, studied 250,000 successful people and concluded that “the highest levels of personal achievement came when people matched their activities with their strengths.”
Author H. Jackson Brown Jr. quipped, “Talent without discipline is like an octopus on roller skates. There’s plenty of movement, but you never know if it’s going to be forwards, backwards, or sideway.” If you know you have talent, and you’ve seen a lot of motion – but little concrete results - you might benefit from an intense strengths focus.
Activity without productivity is often talent without disciplined application. Often times, people are so intent on improving their weakness, talent takes a back seat. Unless your weakness impedes your results or zaps your confidence, learn to manage rather than correct. Let the strength of your talents compensate for your weakness and make them irrelevant.
We have a responsibility to nurture our talents to become the best we can be so we are prepared for life’s opportunities. But how? How do I develop the necessary discipline to develop my natural abilities? Actually, it’s simpler than you might think.
First, determine what you are naturally good at. What activities tend to give you a natural high, peak your interest, or trip your trigger? Where do you enjoy investing yourself? What comes easily to you? What tasks are a no-brainer for you to accomplish?
Secondly, find a way to invest yourself enlarging your talents. Professionals understand the price to be paid to achieve impressive results. They practice, apply and refine their talent. Find paths to contributing your unique abilities to achieve what your organization needs you to do and produce uncommon results. How could you get involved in special projects that would highlight your strengths and allow you to contribute in a special way?
Follow the wisdom of basketball great Larry Bird. “A winner is someone who recognizes his God-given talents, works his tail off to develop them into skills, and uses those skills to accomplish his goals.” This is a wonderful lead-in to our final step.
Finally, Act! Sitting on the sideline is unacceptable. What is holding you back? What keeps you from applying your God-given abilities? Face it head on. It is time to do what you were designed to do. Find a need and invest everything you have in making life better for someone else. Les Brown says, “You don’t have to be great to get started, but you have to get started to be great.” Do it!
In his book, Just Like Jesus, Max Lucado tells about a wealthy woman who lived 100 years ago. She was extremely stingy with her money, so neighbors were shocked when she finally had her home wired for electricity. Weeks later, a meter reader noted very little usage, so he asked, “Are you using your power?”
“Certainly,” she replied. “Each evening I turn on my lights long enough to light my candles; then I turn them off.”
Are you using your power? Are you doing all God equipped you to do? Have you joined the anti-just-get-by league? Commit fully to the power that is in you. I love what Charles Swindoll says about having the discipline to apply ourselves. “When you do the most what you do the best,” he said, “you put a smile on God’s face. What could be better than that?”
Don’t paint stripes on your back if you’re not a zebra. Focus on building upon your unique abilities.
Lee J. Colan
Monday, February 20, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Find Your One Thing
“I am appalled at the aimlessness of most people’s lives. Fifty percent don’t pay attention to where they are going; forty percent are undecided and will go in any direction. Only ten percent know what they want, and even all of them don’t go toward it.”
Katherine Anne Porter
Pulitzer Prize Winner
I’ve Been Thinking. . . about movies and direction in life. Stay with me on this one.
The first movie is a scary one. What if? What if I could watch a movie today that will be played for me when I reach my eternal destination and it is entitled: The Life, Adventures and Accomplishments of Glenn Van Ekeren --- As They Could Have Been. I have a feeling this could be a horror movie with a bad ending.
If only I had understood early on that every choice I made contributed to the overall quality of my life. If only I had understood that there was a purpose in every action. If only I had realized that there was meaning in everything I attempted and achieved. If only. . . If only. . .
Enough of that scene. It’s depressing. Let’s leave my life and explore a couple commercial movies with a message. If you’ve seen the movie City Slickers, you probably recall a memorable scene involving Billy Crystal, who played a city slicker enduring a dude ranch vacation, and Jack Palance, who played a crusty old trail boss.
Here’s the scenario. Palance and Crystal are riding slowly across the terrain on horseback, discussing life and love. Crystal is amazed at Palance’s apparent ability to enjoy his seemingly questionable, less than exciting life and have his act together while Crystal is struggling to find direction and meaning. Here’s their conversation:
Palance: “How old are you? Thirty-eight?”Crystal: “Thirty-nine.”
Palance: “Yeah. You all come out here about the same age. Same problems. Spend fifty weeks a year getting knots in your rope -- then you think two weeks up here will untie them for you. None of you get it. [Long pause] Do you know what the secret of life is?”
Crystal: “No, what?”
Palance: “It’s this.” [Holds up his index finger]
Crystal: “Your finger?”
Palance: "One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that and everything else don’t mean nothing.”
Crystal: “That’s great, but what’s the one thing?”
Palance: “That’s what you’ve got to figure out.”
The weather-beaten, crusty old cattle driver nailed it. He wasn’t verbally elegant but he was profound and well-seasoned on life’s necessities. That one thing is what you’ve got to figure out.
Don’t make this too philosophical. Simply, what is your reason for living? What is your ultimate aim? Why are you here? What is that “one thing” you want to be the driving force for everything you do? If you’ve never thought about such questions before, you will find the process stimulating and enlightening.
Someday, your movie will be played back to you as well. These are the very questions that might come back for you to answer. Have you found that “one thing?” Have you figured it out? Are your actions consistent with achieving your “one thing?”
Movie number three. Recently my wife and I decided to attend a movie we previously determined to forego. A combination of newspaper reviews and a heart tug led us to the theater Saturday evening.
A 9-year old boy, the central character of the movie, lost his father in the World Trade Center attacks on 9/11. I wanted to avoid reliving the potential sadness, emotions and reality of loss related to this horrific tragedy. Instead, director Stephen Daldry filled Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close with hope, honor and intense purpose.
Nine-year-old Oskar Schell is attempting to cope with the aftermath of his father’s death by pursuing the purpose of a mystery key. He believes the key will lead him to a message from his father and thereby keep him connected to the man he fervently admired. His borderline Asperger’s syndrome fuels his obsession to do whatever it takes to solve the mystery key.
Oskar’s quest ultimately reveals that the purpose of the key actually has an enormous message for someone else’s life. Facing his strongest fears, engaging others in his search and pursuing answers with unquenchable determination leads Oskar to the realization that the answers weren’t as important as the journey.
Isn’t that just the case of our lives? Purpose in hand, it’s the journey that really matters. But, it’s the purpose that directs the journey. They’re Siamese twins. Purpose and journey.
Find your one thing. Understand that the journey is worthwhile because of the one thing and someday your movie will receive a standing ovation.
“How different our lives are when we really know what is deeply important to us, and, keeping that picture in mind, we manage ourselves each day to be and to know what really matters most.”
Stephen Covey
Katherine Anne Porter
Pulitzer Prize Winner
I’ve Been Thinking. . . about movies and direction in life. Stay with me on this one.
The first movie is a scary one. What if? What if I could watch a movie today that will be played for me when I reach my eternal destination and it is entitled: The Life, Adventures and Accomplishments of Glenn Van Ekeren --- As They Could Have Been. I have a feeling this could be a horror movie with a bad ending.
If only I had understood early on that every choice I made contributed to the overall quality of my life. If only I had understood that there was a purpose in every action. If only I had realized that there was meaning in everything I attempted and achieved. If only. . . If only. . .
Enough of that scene. It’s depressing. Let’s leave my life and explore a couple commercial movies with a message. If you’ve seen the movie City Slickers, you probably recall a memorable scene involving Billy Crystal, who played a city slicker enduring a dude ranch vacation, and Jack Palance, who played a crusty old trail boss.
Here’s the scenario. Palance and Crystal are riding slowly across the terrain on horseback, discussing life and love. Crystal is amazed at Palance’s apparent ability to enjoy his seemingly questionable, less than exciting life and have his act together while Crystal is struggling to find direction and meaning. Here’s their conversation:
Palance: “How old are you? Thirty-eight?”Crystal: “Thirty-nine.”
Palance: “Yeah. You all come out here about the same age. Same problems. Spend fifty weeks a year getting knots in your rope -- then you think two weeks up here will untie them for you. None of you get it. [Long pause] Do you know what the secret of life is?”
Crystal: “No, what?”
Palance: “It’s this.” [Holds up his index finger]
Crystal: “Your finger?”
Palance: "One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that and everything else don’t mean nothing.”
Crystal: “That’s great, but what’s the one thing?”
Palance: “That’s what you’ve got to figure out.”
The weather-beaten, crusty old cattle driver nailed it. He wasn’t verbally elegant but he was profound and well-seasoned on life’s necessities. That one thing is what you’ve got to figure out.
Don’t make this too philosophical. Simply, what is your reason for living? What is your ultimate aim? Why are you here? What is that “one thing” you want to be the driving force for everything you do? If you’ve never thought about such questions before, you will find the process stimulating and enlightening.
Someday, your movie will be played back to you as well. These are the very questions that might come back for you to answer. Have you found that “one thing?” Have you figured it out? Are your actions consistent with achieving your “one thing?”
Movie number three. Recently my wife and I decided to attend a movie we previously determined to forego. A combination of newspaper reviews and a heart tug led us to the theater Saturday evening.
A 9-year old boy, the central character of the movie, lost his father in the World Trade Center attacks on 9/11. I wanted to avoid reliving the potential sadness, emotions and reality of loss related to this horrific tragedy. Instead, director Stephen Daldry filled Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close with hope, honor and intense purpose.
Nine-year-old Oskar Schell is attempting to cope with the aftermath of his father’s death by pursuing the purpose of a mystery key. He believes the key will lead him to a message from his father and thereby keep him connected to the man he fervently admired. His borderline Asperger’s syndrome fuels his obsession to do whatever it takes to solve the mystery key.
Oskar’s quest ultimately reveals that the purpose of the key actually has an enormous message for someone else’s life. Facing his strongest fears, engaging others in his search and pursuing answers with unquenchable determination leads Oskar to the realization that the answers weren’t as important as the journey.
Isn’t that just the case of our lives? Purpose in hand, it’s the journey that really matters. But, it’s the purpose that directs the journey. They’re Siamese twins. Purpose and journey.
Find your one thing. Understand that the journey is worthwhile because of the one thing and someday your movie will receive a standing ovation.
“How different our lives are when we really know what is deeply important to us, and, keeping that picture in mind, we manage ourselves each day to be and to know what really matters most.”
Stephen Covey
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Responsibility 101
People waste more time waiting for someone to take charge of their lives than they do in any other pursuit.
Gloria Steinem
I’ve Been Thinking. . . about the relevance of a very old movie. Grab your TV Guide. Oh, that’s right, they quit making TV Guide. Okay, go to your local cable listing and hope you can find the next showing of Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front.
There’s a scene where an angry German soldier in a hospital ward smashes a bottle against the wall. An officer quickly comes storming into the room demanding to know who threw the bottle. “I did,” said Joseph Hamacher, even though he had nothing to do with the incident.
The angry officer takes down Hamacher’s name, informs him he’s in big trouble and then stamps out of the room. The other soldiers are curious. Why did Hamacher take the heat when he didn’t commit the crime? Hamacher grins and explains, “I got a crack in the head, and they presented me with a certificate to say that I was periodically not responsible for my actions. Ever since then I’ve had a grand time!”
Sound familiar? There are a lot of people walking around today declaring themselves temporarily not responsible for their actions.
Relinquish responsibility to someone else or an event and you become powerless as well as angry and resentful. Grant someone or something responsibility for the quality of your day and be assured the results will be undesirable. You’ll soon believe that you have no control over what happens to you. This is the fast track to becoming a helpless victim of the past, other people and life. Trapped.
When you consciously take responsibility for the outcomes in your life new possibilities and alternatives will surface. Responsible people see no reason to blame others or the world around them for how they feel, think, or act. Their approach is to face the facts, meet challenges, decide how to make changes, and actively plan how they will make a difference in their future.
Two questions will assist you in making this transition. What do I want? What am I willing to do to make it happen?
You possess all the necessary tools to determine what activities and thoughts to activate. Being clear about what you want and how you will achieve it provides fresh insight into desirable behaviors.
“Success on any major scale requires you to accept responsibility,” says Michael Korda. “In the final analysis, the one quality that all successful people have...is the ability to take on responsibility.”
Formulate a course of action to focus on who you want to be and how you want to feel.
“If you’re tough on yourself, life is going to be infinitely easier on you.”
Zig Ziglar
Gloria Steinem
I’ve Been Thinking. . . about the relevance of a very old movie. Grab your TV Guide. Oh, that’s right, they quit making TV Guide. Okay, go to your local cable listing and hope you can find the next showing of Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front.
There’s a scene where an angry German soldier in a hospital ward smashes a bottle against the wall. An officer quickly comes storming into the room demanding to know who threw the bottle. “I did,” said Joseph Hamacher, even though he had nothing to do with the incident.
The angry officer takes down Hamacher’s name, informs him he’s in big trouble and then stamps out of the room. The other soldiers are curious. Why did Hamacher take the heat when he didn’t commit the crime? Hamacher grins and explains, “I got a crack in the head, and they presented me with a certificate to say that I was periodically not responsible for my actions. Ever since then I’ve had a grand time!”
Sound familiar? There are a lot of people walking around today declaring themselves temporarily not responsible for their actions.
Relinquish responsibility to someone else or an event and you become powerless as well as angry and resentful. Grant someone or something responsibility for the quality of your day and be assured the results will be undesirable. You’ll soon believe that you have no control over what happens to you. This is the fast track to becoming a helpless victim of the past, other people and life. Trapped.
When you consciously take responsibility for the outcomes in your life new possibilities and alternatives will surface. Responsible people see no reason to blame others or the world around them for how they feel, think, or act. Their approach is to face the facts, meet challenges, decide how to make changes, and actively plan how they will make a difference in their future.
Two questions will assist you in making this transition. What do I want? What am I willing to do to make it happen?
You possess all the necessary tools to determine what activities and thoughts to activate. Being clear about what you want and how you will achieve it provides fresh insight into desirable behaviors.
“Success on any major scale requires you to accept responsibility,” says Michael Korda. “In the final analysis, the one quality that all successful people have...is the ability to take on responsibility.”
Formulate a course of action to focus on who you want to be and how you want to feel.
“If you’re tough on yourself, life is going to be infinitely easier on you.”
Zig Ziglar
Friday, December 30, 2011
Fresh Page
“Every man should be born again on the first day of January. Start with a fresh page. Take up one hole more in the buckle if necessary, or let down one, according to the circumstances; but on the first of January let every man gird himself once more, with his face to the front, and take no interest in the things that were and are past.”
Henry Ward Beecher
I’ve Been Thinking . . . about the New Year. A fresh page. A blank slate. Another hole in the belt buckle – one way or the other.
Prior to 1995 the Northwestern Wildcats football teams were the most notorious losers in the Big Ten, and probably in college football. They set an NCAA record by losing thirty-four consecutive games between 1979 and 1982. Although each year brought the possibility of a “fresh page," they didn’t have a winning season in twenty-four years.
Then in 1995, the Wildcats finished the season 10-2, won the Big Ten Conference title, and participated in the Rose Bowl ranked eighth in the nation.
In an essay entitled “Good Guys Finish First (Sometimes),” Andrew Bagnato relayed this experience.
Following a rags-to-riches season that led them to the Rose Bowl – their first in decades – Northwestern University’s Wildcats met with Coach Gary Barnett for the opening of spring training.
As players found their seats, Barnett announced that he was going to hand out the awards that many Wildcats had earned in 1995. Some players exchanged glances. Barnett does not normally dwell on the past. But as coach continued to call players forward and handed them placards proclaiming their achievements, they were cheered on by their teammates.
One of the other coaches gave Barnett a placard representing his seventeen national coach-of-the-year awards. Then, as the applause subsided, Barnett walked to a trash can marked “1995.” He took an admiring glance at his placard; then dumped it in the can.
In the silence that followed, one by one, the team’s stars dumped their placards on top of Barnett’s. Barnett had shouted a message without uttering a word: “What you did in 1995 was terrific, lads. But look at the calendar: It’s 1996.”
No matter what your past has been, you have a spotless future. The past isn’t your present and the present doesn’t determine the future. The future is a blank canvas waiting to be fashioned, designed and constructed one piece at a time. The only way to create an original future is to leave the past behind.
The successes, challenges, joys, disappointments, failures and awards of the past are history. Learn from them. Leave them there. Look to the future. This is the time to create your future – you’re going to live the rest of your life there.
Don’t be like the guy who walked by a little shop with a sign reading “Fortune Teller.” Discouraged, disappointed with his past and curious about his life, he decided to consult with the mystic and ask for a glimpse into his future.
The fortune- teller looked in her crystal ball and slowly raised her eyes to meet with her client’s.
“What did you see?” he asked.
“You’ll be poor, unhappy and miserable until you’re fifty.”
“Then what?” asked the man with desperation in his voice.
“By that time,” the fortune–teller said, “You’ll get used to it.”
The future isn’t something to ‘get used to.’ Determine today that your spotless future will be filled with aspirations, adventures, action, and anticipatory energy. Don’t allow the past or the present to sideline your future potential. Let the wisdom of Spanish essayist, novelist, poet, playwright and philosopher (multi-tasker) Miguel de Unamuno rattle your thinking a bit. He asserted, “We should try to be the parents of our future rather than the offspring of our past.” Powerful!
Get specific about where you are going this year. What pieces of the past do you need to let go? What do you want to experiment with? Who will you build a relationship with? What risks are you willing to take? What is it you’ve wanted to do but just haven’t had the get up and go to do? How will the future be different from the past?
It is time! Your best days are still ahead. . . Create a fresh page. Today.
“Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.”
Carl Bard
Andrew Bagnato, Chicago Tribune Magazine, September 1, 1996
Henry Ward Beecher
I’ve Been Thinking . . . about the New Year. A fresh page. A blank slate. Another hole in the belt buckle – one way or the other.
Prior to 1995 the Northwestern Wildcats football teams were the most notorious losers in the Big Ten, and probably in college football. They set an NCAA record by losing thirty-four consecutive games between 1979 and 1982. Although each year brought the possibility of a “fresh page," they didn’t have a winning season in twenty-four years.
Then in 1995, the Wildcats finished the season 10-2, won the Big Ten Conference title, and participated in the Rose Bowl ranked eighth in the nation.
In an essay entitled “Good Guys Finish First (Sometimes),” Andrew Bagnato relayed this experience.
Following a rags-to-riches season that led them to the Rose Bowl – their first in decades – Northwestern University’s Wildcats met with Coach Gary Barnett for the opening of spring training.
As players found their seats, Barnett announced that he was going to hand out the awards that many Wildcats had earned in 1995. Some players exchanged glances. Barnett does not normally dwell on the past. But as coach continued to call players forward and handed them placards proclaiming their achievements, they were cheered on by their teammates.
One of the other coaches gave Barnett a placard representing his seventeen national coach-of-the-year awards. Then, as the applause subsided, Barnett walked to a trash can marked “1995.” He took an admiring glance at his placard; then dumped it in the can.
In the silence that followed, one by one, the team’s stars dumped their placards on top of Barnett’s. Barnett had shouted a message without uttering a word: “What you did in 1995 was terrific, lads. But look at the calendar: It’s 1996.”
No matter what your past has been, you have a spotless future. The past isn’t your present and the present doesn’t determine the future. The future is a blank canvas waiting to be fashioned, designed and constructed one piece at a time. The only way to create an original future is to leave the past behind.
The successes, challenges, joys, disappointments, failures and awards of the past are history. Learn from them. Leave them there. Look to the future. This is the time to create your future – you’re going to live the rest of your life there.
Don’t be like the guy who walked by a little shop with a sign reading “Fortune Teller.” Discouraged, disappointed with his past and curious about his life, he decided to consult with the mystic and ask for a glimpse into his future.
The fortune- teller looked in her crystal ball and slowly raised her eyes to meet with her client’s.
“What did you see?” he asked.
“You’ll be poor, unhappy and miserable until you’re fifty.”
“Then what?” asked the man with desperation in his voice.
“By that time,” the fortune–teller said, “You’ll get used to it.”
The future isn’t something to ‘get used to.’ Determine today that your spotless future will be filled with aspirations, adventures, action, and anticipatory energy. Don’t allow the past or the present to sideline your future potential. Let the wisdom of Spanish essayist, novelist, poet, playwright and philosopher (multi-tasker) Miguel de Unamuno rattle your thinking a bit. He asserted, “We should try to be the parents of our future rather than the offspring of our past.” Powerful!
Get specific about where you are going this year. What pieces of the past do you need to let go? What do you want to experiment with? Who will you build a relationship with? What risks are you willing to take? What is it you’ve wanted to do but just haven’t had the get up and go to do? How will the future be different from the past?
It is time! Your best days are still ahead. . . Create a fresh page. Today.
“Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.”
Carl Bard
Andrew Bagnato, Chicago Tribune Magazine, September 1, 1996
Monday, December 19, 2011
How’s Your Gratitude Aptitude?
Christmas is most truly Christmas when we celebrate it by giving the light of love to those who need it most."
Ruth Carter Stapleton
I’ve Been Thinking. . . it is the perfect time of the year for me to refine my attitude of gratitude.
I can’t believe that Christmas 2011 is knocking at our door. It has been quite a year of local, national and international roller coaster experiences. Sometimes we might feel like we just want to stop the ride and get off. At other times we enjoy the thrill each day brings despite the discouraging news that invades our lives. We’re all at different stages, perspective, and demands in our lives.
The economic uncertainty, international unrest and political contentiousness have impacted everyone to some degree. The paper, television and internet are loaded with exasperating stories of financial challenge, ravaging devastation, personal ruin and the collapse of governments. Stress and anxiety about the future have penetrated the hearts of millions. In some way, all of our attitudes, emotions, plans for the future and perception of today have been challenged.
And yet, there is reason to celebrate. Christmas is a time for joy, despite the circumstances. Sure, the family celebrations, traditions, decorations and the memories we create are important. But, there is even a greater opportunity to impact and enrich our lives. There is an overriding message in every Christmas moment and it began when God decided to GIVE us the gift of Jesus. That gift alone should prompt our generous spirits and grateful hearts.
Anne Keegan’s article “Blue Christmas” was a collection of Christmas stories told by Chicago police officers. One was the story of George White.
George lived in a rented room at the YMCA. He had one set of clothes, shoes wrapped with rubber bands to keep the soles from flopping, and a threadbare black overcoat. He spent his mornings napping in an old metal chair by the heater in the back of the 18th District office.
Two officers, Kitowski and Mitch, took an interest in the old man, occasionally slipping him a few bucks. They found out that Billy the Greek over at the G & W grill gave him a hot breakfast every morning, no charge.
The two policeman and their families decided to have George as their guest for Christmas dinner. They gave him presents, which he unwrapped carefully.
As they drove him back to the Y, George asked, “Are these presents really mine to keep?” They assured him they were. “Then we must stop at the G & W before I go home,” he said. With that, George began rewrapping his presents.
When they walked into the restaurant, Billy the Greek was there as always. “You been good to me, Billy,” said George. “Now I can be good to you. Merry Christmas.” George gave all his presents away on the spot. Chicago Tribune Magazine (12/24/95)
Generosity is natural when a grateful attitude prevails. It is amplified when we realize our responsibility to give as we have been given. How’s your gratitude aptitude? Consider these penetrating thoughts as we enter the Christmas season.
Attitude of Gratitude
If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep... you are richer than 75% of this world.
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace... you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.
If you woke up this morning with good health you are more fortunate than the million who will not survive this week.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle unfolding all around you, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation... you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.
If you can attend a church meeting without fear of persecution, harassment, arrest, torture, or death... you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.
If your parents are still alive and still married...you are very rare, even in the United States.
If you can read this message, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read at all.
Author Unknown
Don’t let the condition of a fickle world rob you of the incomparable blessing to Give with a grateful and generous heart. Develop, nurture and encourage a life of gratitude and generosity no matter what the circumstances. Even if your situation or condition never changes, your attitude toward them can change -- and this can be life-changing.
Determine to make this Christmas truly special by giving to someone in a way you’ve never done before. Amplify your Gratitude Aptitude by giving of yourself. . .
Christmas is a necessity. There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that we're here for something else besides ourselves.
Eric Sevareid
Ruth Carter Stapleton
I’ve Been Thinking. . . it is the perfect time of the year for me to refine my attitude of gratitude.
I can’t believe that Christmas 2011 is knocking at our door. It has been quite a year of local, national and international roller coaster experiences. Sometimes we might feel like we just want to stop the ride and get off. At other times we enjoy the thrill each day brings despite the discouraging news that invades our lives. We’re all at different stages, perspective, and demands in our lives.
The economic uncertainty, international unrest and political contentiousness have impacted everyone to some degree. The paper, television and internet are loaded with exasperating stories of financial challenge, ravaging devastation, personal ruin and the collapse of governments. Stress and anxiety about the future have penetrated the hearts of millions. In some way, all of our attitudes, emotions, plans for the future and perception of today have been challenged.
And yet, there is reason to celebrate. Christmas is a time for joy, despite the circumstances. Sure, the family celebrations, traditions, decorations and the memories we create are important. But, there is even a greater opportunity to impact and enrich our lives. There is an overriding message in every Christmas moment and it began when God decided to GIVE us the gift of Jesus. That gift alone should prompt our generous spirits and grateful hearts.
Anne Keegan’s article “Blue Christmas” was a collection of Christmas stories told by Chicago police officers. One was the story of George White.
George lived in a rented room at the YMCA. He had one set of clothes, shoes wrapped with rubber bands to keep the soles from flopping, and a threadbare black overcoat. He spent his mornings napping in an old metal chair by the heater in the back of the 18th District office.
Two officers, Kitowski and Mitch, took an interest in the old man, occasionally slipping him a few bucks. They found out that Billy the Greek over at the G & W grill gave him a hot breakfast every morning, no charge.
The two policeman and their families decided to have George as their guest for Christmas dinner. They gave him presents, which he unwrapped carefully.
As they drove him back to the Y, George asked, “Are these presents really mine to keep?” They assured him they were. “Then we must stop at the G & W before I go home,” he said. With that, George began rewrapping his presents.
When they walked into the restaurant, Billy the Greek was there as always. “You been good to me, Billy,” said George. “Now I can be good to you. Merry Christmas.” George gave all his presents away on the spot. Chicago Tribune Magazine (12/24/95)
Generosity is natural when a grateful attitude prevails. It is amplified when we realize our responsibility to give as we have been given. How’s your gratitude aptitude? Consider these penetrating thoughts as we enter the Christmas season.
Attitude of Gratitude
If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep... you are richer than 75% of this world.
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace... you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.
If you woke up this morning with good health you are more fortunate than the million who will not survive this week.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle unfolding all around you, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation... you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.
If you can attend a church meeting without fear of persecution, harassment, arrest, torture, or death... you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.
If your parents are still alive and still married...you are very rare, even in the United States.
If you can read this message, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read at all.
Author Unknown
Don’t let the condition of a fickle world rob you of the incomparable blessing to Give with a grateful and generous heart. Develop, nurture and encourage a life of gratitude and generosity no matter what the circumstances. Even if your situation or condition never changes, your attitude toward them can change -- and this can be life-changing.
Determine to make this Christmas truly special by giving to someone in a way you’ve never done before. Amplify your Gratitude Aptitude by giving of yourself. . .
Christmas is a necessity. There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that we're here for something else besides ourselves.
Eric Sevareid
Monday, December 5, 2011
The Good Life
“The good life is when you wake up in the morning and can’t wait to start all over again.”
Some Smart Person
I’ve Been Thinking. . . about the Good Life.
Some things never change. What day of the year did I always wake up early as a kid? Christmas Morning! I loved Christmas morning!
Why?
Dah! Presents.
When I went to bed Christmas Eve I knew tomorrow was going to be a great day. I believed, without a doubt, my parents had found the perfect present for me and I couldn’t wait to unwrap it to see what it was. Positive anticipation prompted me out of bed.
How does the Christmas morning experience compare to the way you woke up this morning? What does Christmas morning have to do with living the good life?
What if we viewed each new day as a specially selected gift for us to unwrap and discover? We might be on to something.
Let me draw from the wisdom of a few wise people to provide a glimpse of what might help us experience the Good Life. Mark Twain lamented, “I can teach anybody how to get what they want out of life. The problem is that I can’t find anybody who can tell me what they want.”
How true Mr. Twain! It would be a lot easier to achieve what you want out of life if you knew what it was you wanted. If you get up in the morning excited about starting all over again; Congratulations! If you’re looking to drag your way through another day; my condolences!
Figure out what you want and you’re well on your way to the Good Life.
I thoroughly enjoyed watching Payne Stewart play golf. His flamboyant outfits, highlighted by knickers along with his equally flamboyant personality, complimented by his passion for the game endeared many fans. Payne definitely stood out from the norm. So did his attitude about life.
He’s my next wise person. Payne once reflected: “I’m going to a special place when I die, but I want to make sure my life is special while I’m here.”
I once heard someone describe their life like this: “Each day is just yesterday warmed up!” Same old people. Same old problems. Same old work. All just disguised a little differently than the day before. That is not the kind of ‘special’ Payne Stewart was referring to.
There is a mental, emotional, physical and spiritual aptitude difference between each day being ‘special’ and yesterday’s leftovers ‘reheated’. The best part is . . . we get to determine what our aptitude will be.
Choose carefully.
Roger Dawson is my next wisdom contributor. “Good things don’t happen to you. Bad things don’t happen to you. Life is what happens to you. The more you examine the events in your life and categorize them into good things and bad things, the more messed up you’re going to become.”
Life isn’t good! Life isn’t bad! Life is life! Stuff happens!
One day, Joe came home from work and his wife greeted him with a passionate hug and warm kiss. “I’ve got good news and bad news,” she said as they ended the embrace.
Joe swallowed hard and suggested she give him the good news first.
His wife managed a slight smile as she said, “the good news is, the air bag works.”
Indifferent. Unfortunate. Blessing. Travesty. Glorious. This is a sampling of the adjectives we could use to describe the events in our life. Instead, look at them for what they are – events, and then determine ways to use them to shape your destiny.
Circumstances do not determine the Good Life or lack of it. Capitalize on the knowledge, insight and wisdom gained from these valuable experiences as a springboard to thinking about how you want things to be.
Ruth Boorstin reminded us, “Our days are identical suitcases – all the same size – but some people pack more into them than others.”
Pack your suitcase with good life ‘stuff.’
“The good life, as I conceive it, is a happy life. I do not mean that if you are good you will be happy; I mean that if you are happy you will be good.”
Bertrand Russell
Some Smart Person
I’ve Been Thinking. . . about the Good Life.
Some things never change. What day of the year did I always wake up early as a kid? Christmas Morning! I loved Christmas morning!
Why?
Dah! Presents.
When I went to bed Christmas Eve I knew tomorrow was going to be a great day. I believed, without a doubt, my parents had found the perfect present for me and I couldn’t wait to unwrap it to see what it was. Positive anticipation prompted me out of bed.
How does the Christmas morning experience compare to the way you woke up this morning? What does Christmas morning have to do with living the good life?
What if we viewed each new day as a specially selected gift for us to unwrap and discover? We might be on to something.
Let me draw from the wisdom of a few wise people to provide a glimpse of what might help us experience the Good Life. Mark Twain lamented, “I can teach anybody how to get what they want out of life. The problem is that I can’t find anybody who can tell me what they want.”
How true Mr. Twain! It would be a lot easier to achieve what you want out of life if you knew what it was you wanted. If you get up in the morning excited about starting all over again; Congratulations! If you’re looking to drag your way through another day; my condolences!
Figure out what you want and you’re well on your way to the Good Life.
I thoroughly enjoyed watching Payne Stewart play golf. His flamboyant outfits, highlighted by knickers along with his equally flamboyant personality, complimented by his passion for the game endeared many fans. Payne definitely stood out from the norm. So did his attitude about life.
He’s my next wise person. Payne once reflected: “I’m going to a special place when I die, but I want to make sure my life is special while I’m here.”
I once heard someone describe their life like this: “Each day is just yesterday warmed up!” Same old people. Same old problems. Same old work. All just disguised a little differently than the day before. That is not the kind of ‘special’ Payne Stewart was referring to.
There is a mental, emotional, physical and spiritual aptitude difference between each day being ‘special’ and yesterday’s leftovers ‘reheated’. The best part is . . . we get to determine what our aptitude will be.
Choose carefully.
Roger Dawson is my next wisdom contributor. “Good things don’t happen to you. Bad things don’t happen to you. Life is what happens to you. The more you examine the events in your life and categorize them into good things and bad things, the more messed up you’re going to become.”
Life isn’t good! Life isn’t bad! Life is life! Stuff happens!
One day, Joe came home from work and his wife greeted him with a passionate hug and warm kiss. “I’ve got good news and bad news,” she said as they ended the embrace.
Joe swallowed hard and suggested she give him the good news first.
His wife managed a slight smile as she said, “the good news is, the air bag works.”
Indifferent. Unfortunate. Blessing. Travesty. Glorious. This is a sampling of the adjectives we could use to describe the events in our life. Instead, look at them for what they are – events, and then determine ways to use them to shape your destiny.
Circumstances do not determine the Good Life or lack of it. Capitalize on the knowledge, insight and wisdom gained from these valuable experiences as a springboard to thinking about how you want things to be.
Ruth Boorstin reminded us, “Our days are identical suitcases – all the same size – but some people pack more into them than others.”
Pack your suitcase with good life ‘stuff.’
“The good life, as I conceive it, is a happy life. I do not mean that if you are good you will be happy; I mean that if you are happy you will be good.”
Bertrand Russell
Monday, November 21, 2011
Don’t Eat The Goodies If You Can’t Pay The Bill
“The more I learn the more I realize I don’t know, and the more I realize I don’t know the more I want to learn.”
Albert Einstein
“The more I learn the more I realize I don’t know, and the more I realize I don’t know the more I want to learn.”
Albert Einstein
I’ve Been Thinking. . . how much I’ve learned in these few short years on earth. I’m especially reflective on the simple experiences that taught me the most.
Learning has little to do with intelligence or talent. It has everything to do with exposing yourself to unfamiliar experiences, untapped people, and new directions. These resources arouse your curiosity, peak your interest, stretch your imagination and help create a spirit of adventure.
I stayed in a hotel recently that reminded me of an experience I had several years ago. (Keep in mind I was a young, naïve, inexperienced traveler) I made my first speaking trip to San Francisco. The flight was irregular, to say the least, and I traveled several hours without the opportunity to grab a bite to eat. By the time I reached the downtown Marriott Hotel I was famished.
This was a great hotel! They had a refrigerator in my room stocked with beverages and snacks I could enjoy. The room rates were indeed expensive enough to offer such a perk but I wasn’t expecting it. I indulged until satisfied and then made my way downstairs for a meeting with the seminar organizers. That evening I once again enjoyed a cold beverage and gourmet cookie.
When I entered my room after speaking the next day, I noticed an envelope on top of the refrigerator. Much to my chagrin it was a bill for $18.95 to pay for the goodies I had enjoyed the day before. I hadn’t seen the price sheet when removing the items, so naively assumed these amenities were free.
I learned a valuable lesson, all for less than twenty dollars (that’s a cost of one cookie these days inside of one of those money snatchers). And, as far as anyone else knew (up until now) the whole event was natural, planned, without embarrassment. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t resist telling the story.
I agree with Archibald MacLeish; “There’s only one thing more painful than learning from experience, and that is not learning from experience.” I learned from my hotel experience a lesson I have no intention of repeating.
Being naive is one way to learn but I wouldn’t suggest it as your only avenue for seeking new information and sampling the smorgasbord of life. In fact, lifelong learners are continually launching consciously planned endeavors that allow them to enjoy well rounded meals from the buffet line. They have an insatiable appetite for the “ah-hah’s” of life. Lifelong learners are just that because of their desire to expand their capacity and achieve personal mastery.
You can continue today the same as yesterday. Or you can choose to pursue a lifestyle of continual learning that ignites a fire of desire within you, and begin to experience and learn things you never thought existed. Kahlil Gibran once said, “Desire is half of life; indifference is half of death.” Desire can’t be taught. It’s a choice.
Be willing to experiment. With my lawn mower tipped on its side, I struggled to remove the blade so I could get it sharpened. I normally take the entire mower in to the repair shop to get the blade sharpened but decided I would experiment with doing it myself. Finally, when my biggest crescent wrench wouldn’t budge the nut, I slipped a pipe over the wrench handle for more leverage. No movement. Now I’m jumping on the pipe. Still no success. I’m now desperate. So, I loaded the entire mower in my car and off to the repair shop I went. My repair buddy slapped the wrench on the nut and with reasonable force loosened it.
“How did you do that?” I asked with noted frustration in my voice.
“No, problem,” he responded. “I think you were turning the nut the wrong way.”
A willingness to experiment in this situation taught me one thing and confirmed another. First, I learned what direction to turn the nut on a lawn mower blade to tighten or loosen it. Secondly, it confirmed how little I know about being a do-it-your-selfer. Nevertheless, experimentation in unfamiliar areas will always produce a lesson of value.
An old Chinese proverb reminds us that, “He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes. But he who doesn’t is a fool for the rest of his life.” Learning doesn’t always look or feel good. But you must be undeterred by feeling self conscious or appearing ignorant. Just get excited about the new found information.
An open mind allows your imagination the freedom to be your friend. A closed mind, on the other hand, is a mystery. With the restriction of nothing new going in, you can only expect stagnant things to come out.
Shunryu Suzuki, a Japanese Buddhist scholar, explained, “In Japan we have the phrase, ‘Shoshin,’ which means ‘beginners mind.’ Our ‘original mind’ includes everything within itself. This does not mean a closed mind, but actually an empty mind and a ready mind. If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything. It is open to everything. In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities; in the expert’s mind there are few.”
Approach life with a beginner’s mind; always open and ready for the influx of fresh information. Dispense with preconceived notions. Be careful not to take familiar sights and sounds for granted. See your life through fresh eyes and a receptive mind.
Become an explorer of life. Eleanor Roosevelt advised in her book You Learn By Living, “Continue to learn and grow as long as you live. Life is interesting only as long as it is a process of growth.” You possess learning potential and growth capabilities that can only be discovered with an attitude of flexibility and willingness to exploit the gifts of information and experience.
You are living in a constantly changing world that rewards people who expand their capacities, fine tune their skills, sharpen their insights, and increase their competence. The opportunities to thrive and excel have never been better. Resources exist for you to achieve personal mastery. Dreams are achievable. Go for it! Learn something new today.
“The day that you stop learning is the day that you start decreasing your rewards and start suffering from frustration and lower levels of satisfaction.”
Brian Tracy
Albert Einstein
“The more I learn the more I realize I don’t know, and the more I realize I don’t know the more I want to learn.”
Albert Einstein
I’ve Been Thinking. . . how much I’ve learned in these few short years on earth. I’m especially reflective on the simple experiences that taught me the most.
Learning has little to do with intelligence or talent. It has everything to do with exposing yourself to unfamiliar experiences, untapped people, and new directions. These resources arouse your curiosity, peak your interest, stretch your imagination and help create a spirit of adventure.
I stayed in a hotel recently that reminded me of an experience I had several years ago. (Keep in mind I was a young, naïve, inexperienced traveler) I made my first speaking trip to San Francisco. The flight was irregular, to say the least, and I traveled several hours without the opportunity to grab a bite to eat. By the time I reached the downtown Marriott Hotel I was famished.
This was a great hotel! They had a refrigerator in my room stocked with beverages and snacks I could enjoy. The room rates were indeed expensive enough to offer such a perk but I wasn’t expecting it. I indulged until satisfied and then made my way downstairs for a meeting with the seminar organizers. That evening I once again enjoyed a cold beverage and gourmet cookie.
When I entered my room after speaking the next day, I noticed an envelope on top of the refrigerator. Much to my chagrin it was a bill for $18.95 to pay for the goodies I had enjoyed the day before. I hadn’t seen the price sheet when removing the items, so naively assumed these amenities were free.
I learned a valuable lesson, all for less than twenty dollars (that’s a cost of one cookie these days inside of one of those money snatchers). And, as far as anyone else knew (up until now) the whole event was natural, planned, without embarrassment. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t resist telling the story.
I agree with Archibald MacLeish; “There’s only one thing more painful than learning from experience, and that is not learning from experience.” I learned from my hotel experience a lesson I have no intention of repeating.
Being naive is one way to learn but I wouldn’t suggest it as your only avenue for seeking new information and sampling the smorgasbord of life. In fact, lifelong learners are continually launching consciously planned endeavors that allow them to enjoy well rounded meals from the buffet line. They have an insatiable appetite for the “ah-hah’s” of life. Lifelong learners are just that because of their desire to expand their capacity and achieve personal mastery.
You can continue today the same as yesterday. Or you can choose to pursue a lifestyle of continual learning that ignites a fire of desire within you, and begin to experience and learn things you never thought existed. Kahlil Gibran once said, “Desire is half of life; indifference is half of death.” Desire can’t be taught. It’s a choice.
Be willing to experiment. With my lawn mower tipped on its side, I struggled to remove the blade so I could get it sharpened. I normally take the entire mower in to the repair shop to get the blade sharpened but decided I would experiment with doing it myself. Finally, when my biggest crescent wrench wouldn’t budge the nut, I slipped a pipe over the wrench handle for more leverage. No movement. Now I’m jumping on the pipe. Still no success. I’m now desperate. So, I loaded the entire mower in my car and off to the repair shop I went. My repair buddy slapped the wrench on the nut and with reasonable force loosened it.
“How did you do that?” I asked with noted frustration in my voice.
“No, problem,” he responded. “I think you were turning the nut the wrong way.”
A willingness to experiment in this situation taught me one thing and confirmed another. First, I learned what direction to turn the nut on a lawn mower blade to tighten or loosen it. Secondly, it confirmed how little I know about being a do-it-your-selfer. Nevertheless, experimentation in unfamiliar areas will always produce a lesson of value.
An old Chinese proverb reminds us that, “He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes. But he who doesn’t is a fool for the rest of his life.” Learning doesn’t always look or feel good. But you must be undeterred by feeling self conscious or appearing ignorant. Just get excited about the new found information.
An open mind allows your imagination the freedom to be your friend. A closed mind, on the other hand, is a mystery. With the restriction of nothing new going in, you can only expect stagnant things to come out.
Shunryu Suzuki, a Japanese Buddhist scholar, explained, “In Japan we have the phrase, ‘Shoshin,’ which means ‘beginners mind.’ Our ‘original mind’ includes everything within itself. This does not mean a closed mind, but actually an empty mind and a ready mind. If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything. It is open to everything. In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities; in the expert’s mind there are few.”
Approach life with a beginner’s mind; always open and ready for the influx of fresh information. Dispense with preconceived notions. Be careful not to take familiar sights and sounds for granted. See your life through fresh eyes and a receptive mind.
Become an explorer of life. Eleanor Roosevelt advised in her book You Learn By Living, “Continue to learn and grow as long as you live. Life is interesting only as long as it is a process of growth.” You possess learning potential and growth capabilities that can only be discovered with an attitude of flexibility and willingness to exploit the gifts of information and experience.
You are living in a constantly changing world that rewards people who expand their capacities, fine tune their skills, sharpen their insights, and increase their competence. The opportunities to thrive and excel have never been better. Resources exist for you to achieve personal mastery. Dreams are achievable. Go for it! Learn something new today.
“The day that you stop learning is the day that you start decreasing your rewards and start suffering from frustration and lower levels of satisfaction.”
Brian Tracy
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