With Regard To Life

Be a Blessing

Dr. Kevin Elko is a speaker and consultant to many companies and organizations and prominent sports teams. He writes a newsletter every month. It is two pages of information I believe you would find interesting and enlightening. Search for Dr. Elko on Google. Last night I was reading his latest article. A couple of thoughts just leaped off the page. He was writing about how one can gain understanding in the middle of a tragedy or trial. How can you find beauty in the devastation? Dr. Elko repeated a story he tells the University of Alabama football team often. "Don't ask me how I can receive blessings today and where my blessings are, but rather ask how I can be a blessing to someone today and where that person is. Don't ask what I can receive, but what I can give." He followed with this. A saint once said, "Be what you were meant to be and you will set the world on fire." You were meant to be a healer, Dr. Elko wrote. But you can never really be an effective healer until you are wounded in such a way that you understand the wounds of the wounded. Today's Winning Thought: There is nothing more that I can add to that, except maybe this: The world would be a better place if everyone would put Dr. Elko's words into practice. It is certainly worth a try.

Speak Up For Your Cause

May is National Bike Month. I am watching the 10 o'clock news as I write this. There was a story about a group of bicyclists who rode eight miles tonight to create awareness of cyclists. They want to make sure drivers share the road. The ride was organized by a woman who was just a regular citizen that loves to ride her bike. She was not young but she was young enough to enjoy cycling, and had a passion to promote the safety aspect of it. Another regular citizen who organized an event for a cause is Austin Gutwein. This youngster was only nine years old in 2004 when he founded Hoops of Hope. Today, it is an internationally recognized organization that raises money - more than a million dollars so far - for orphans in Zambia, Africa. It all started with a boy shooting free throws - lots of free throw. Now there are more than 500 Hoops of Hope events in seventeen countries. These two regular people are doing something bigger than themselves. Is there a cause close to your heart that you can invest in? Today's Winning Thought: "You have not lived today successfully unless you have done something for someone who can never repay you." -- John Bunyan

Overcome Obstacles

Jack Canfield is the man behind the Chicken Soup for the Soul books that are almost a household name. There are 115 of the books. One for moms, dads, kids, nurses...you name it. The books are printed in 47 languages and combined sales total more than 115 millions copies. Jack Canfield was not born into this success. Quite the opposite. He was raised in West Virginia. The education system in West Virginia was the worst in the nation when Canfield was growing up, he said. But that was not his biggest challenge. He said his mother was an alcoholic and his father was a workaholic. His family was dysfunctional. Canfield did not have to stay there and accept that as his lot in life. He overcame his difficult and troublesome childhood. Look at where he is today. You do not have to stay where you are either. Be like Jack. Whether things are horrible or wonderful, you can have a say in your future. Today's Winning Thought: Find a way to win. You will face trials. Have a plan to overcome them.

Monday Morning With George

I have been blessed to have many wonderful mentors in my life. I have watched, and listened and asked for their advice. These men have invested time in my life and I am stronger and wiser because of it. There are many. I visit with a couple of them several times each week. Every Monday morning, I meet my friend and mentor, George, for breakfast. I ask for his advice and he imparts wisdom and encourages me. The lessons I have learned from George and my other mentors are paying off today as I lead a group through a stressful time. I am so thankful they poured their wisdom into me. They did not have to spend their time with me. I hope I can pay it forward someday. If you do not have a mentor in your life, I encourage you to find one. They can teach you everything you need to know about having a life of purpose and success. Today's Winning Thought: "The wisest man is the one with the largest circle of counselors." -- C.S. Lewis

He Takes it Personally

My family and some friends served at a diner tonight. The local Catholic Diocese owns and operates the property. This week, they will open a second diner in an lower socioeconomic area in their community. There was a story in the newspaper about the anticipated opening of the second diner. A dedication was held there Friday. The Diocese Bishop said something in his remarks that is still ringing in my ears. He told those in attendance to "Remember Jesus. He takes personally what we have done for the needy there." That is as powerful a message as you will hear from any pulpit this weekend or next. Life is not about us. It is about serving others, about serving mankind. Today's Winning Thought: "Remember Jesus. He takes personally what we have done for the needy there." -- Wichita Diocese Bishop Michael Jackels

Efficient and Effective

I have been thinking a great deal lately about being efficient and being effective. Some days are better than others. Some days you hit the mark and some days you miss it. What does efficiency and effectiveness mean to you? If you are efficient, you will be producing the desired results without waste. You will know when you experience it. If you are effective, you will be getting the results you desire. Author and speaker Les Parrott said effectiveness is a habit. He said it is built on practices - like the mechanics in the pit stops at the Indy 500. They make their decisions beforehand, and then practice their drills. Today's Winning Thought: It is a competitive world out there. Efficiency and effectiveness are worth striving for.

Reflect on These

I was looking for a quote to use on a project I am working on. As usually happens, I found several. It was hard to narrow them down. Here are some of the better ones. I wanted to share them with you. "You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." -- C.S. Lewis "Confidence is contagious. So is lack of confidence." -- Vince Lombardi "Think like a wise man but express yourself like a common man." -- William Butler Yeats "It's not the load that breaks you down, it is the way you carry it." -- Lou Holtz "Try not to become a man of success, but rather become a man of value." -- Albert Einstein "You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you." -- Walt Disney Today's Winning Thought: "It is time we reduced the federal budget and left the family budget alone." -- Ronald Reagan

Be Better

I saw a bumper sticker recently that read, "Be What You Are." I like the church marquee better. It read, " Are you going to get better, or is this as good as it gets?" If you are going to live by the philosophy of one of those two signs live by the last one. Don't be what you are. You can be better. Don't be what you are if that is not the person you want to be. A friend of mine told me once when I was going through a personal struggle that if better is possible, good is not enough. This week, I heard John Maxwell, America's authority on leadership, say that you should not be goal oriented, but rather growth oriented. Goals are fine as part of your growth, Maxwell said. If you are goal oriented you might be tempted to stop when you reach your goals. If we are growth oriented we will always have more room for personal growth. Today's Winning Thought: "When you cease to be better, you cease to be good." -- George Knox

Cutting Corners

A common obstacle to success in life and business is a desire to cut corners. In today's unstable economy, you cannot afford to even think about taking short cuts. Think Squares. Squares have corners. Don't cut them. I looked at the definition of square in the dictionary. I found 11, including this one: "Be consistent." Being consistent means doing the little things , both large and small, which make you more efficient and more effective. Sometimes the smallest things can make the greatest impact. You can find examples all around you every day. Take the automaker Hyundai, for example. The company was once the laughingstock of the automobile industry because of poor quality. No one is laughing now. Hyundai fixed their problems and have, over time, rebuilt trust with their customers. If they cut corners before, they are not cutting them any longer. Today's Winning Thought: "Pursue perfection in your work, however elusive." -- Peter Drucker

Graduates

Countless young people will soon graduate from high school and college. The parties have already started. Some of the graduation ceremonies have already been held. I thought about graduations when I noticed a couple of invitations we received in the mail. And a book our daughter received a couple of years ago when she graduated. The book, by Charles Swindoll, is entitled Great Attitudes for Graduates. Swindoll lists 10 choices for success in life. Choose these and you will succeed. Choose Optimism. Choose Excellence. Choose Confidence. Choose Joy. Choose Integrity. Choose Enthusiasm. Choose Cordiality. Choose Perseverance. Choose Humility. Choose Generosity. Follow that advice and I do not see how you could possibly fail. Today's Winning Thought: Refuse to let your situation determine your attitude.