Tag Archives: #growth

#inspiration

Merit

I love watching the Olympic Games. The very best athletes in the world come together to compete in their respective sport. All of the dedication, missed parties and discipline culminate in this. Just qualifying is a great honor. They earned it.

In the United States we have placed great emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). It doesn’t matter how hard you work to position yourself for success under DEI. I believe DEI is a breeding ground for mediocrity.

Personally, I want the most qualified person flying the plane I’m traveling on. Only the best will do when that pilot is responsible for hundreds of lives.

Don’t mistake what I’m saying. Everyone should have equal opportunity to better their lives through education and training. Women should be paid the same as men for the same job. And everyone should feel included in this great experiment known as the United States. Everyone.

Merit is a good thing. Earning your way forward gives you a wonderful sense of accomplishment. Consider how the Olympians felt when they learned they qualified to compete with the best of the best. DEI deprives people of this…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Impulses

I have an impulsive habit. I admit it. Remember the infomercials that would be aired in the middle of the night? They were targeting people like me. You might recall the Ronco “set it and forget it” oven. I bought it and forgot it. Twice! Thank God I have a full head of hair or I may have bought the spray on hair.

In today’s politically charged world, there are many who want to goad us into visceral outrage. I have one “friend” on social media who tells outright lies with no consequences. He wants us to impulsively reply to his nonsense and, admittedly, sometimes I want to let him have it. After all, lying to people without being called out on the lies just encourages more lies. I just take a deep breath and pass him by, reminding myself that I wouldn’t want to live inside his head or heart.

Controlling our emotions is a sign of maturity. Perhaps I’m growing up!

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#inspiration

Shortcuts

Shortcuts are good sometimes. For example, if I’m driving from Austin to San Antonio there might be a better route than I-35. That road is constantly under construction and traffic is unpredictable. Rerouting to the west and coming in on 281 might be the preferred option.

When we are trying to accomplish something great, it’s best to avoid shortcuts. To write a book or prepare for a podcast interview, you need to do research. You will do a much better job when you fully engage yourself. You owe your audience your best work. Nothing less is acceptable.

To do things the right way means you take the road less traveled. That road is a lot less congested than I-35, and you will meet some interesting people along the way…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Worth Fighting For

The American dream remains alive and well. Yes, we have our share of problems and challenges, but we remain the freest country on earth.

Freedom gets taken for granted. We treat it cavalierly, as if there wasn’t a price paid to have it. The truth is, a great price was paid, from the Revolutionary War to the courts today. Many have died for a cause greater than themselves. Their sacrifice was not in vain.

The United States remains the greatest experiment ever conceived, and that is worth fighting for…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Check The Box

A lot of life feels like we are just checking the box. We get to work on time. Check the box. Pick up kids and get them to their after school events. Check another box. It’s like we have a daily to-do list and then we do the same list the next day. As I have said before, much of daily life is routine and boring. It’s that way for everyone, no matter what People Magazine wants us to believe.

Let’s take a moment to consider our goals, dreams and desires. Are we checking any boxes in this important part of our lives? If we are just going through the motions or giving it lip service, we are cheating others as well as ourselves. We are built for purpose, God’s purpose. Let’s live like it matters because it does. Ignoring our purpose will not make it go away.

I encourage you to do something, even if it’s just one thing, every day to get you where you want to be. Start today. In fact, start now…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Inspiration

On this blog site I have posted original content every day since June 9, 2019. I will be the first to admit that some pieces are much better than others. But the poor outings don’t stop me.

The reason I started writing every day rather than occasionally (which I had been doing) is this: I kept hearing a voice inside my head telling me that I needed to write every day. For a couple of weeks I argued with the voice. “I don’t want to write every day” I would say in my mind. But that voice was really persistent! It just wouldn’t go away. So I gave in.

Any time I write something I believe is really good, I give credit to God. I’m just not that good on my own. I never took a course on writing. In fact, I didn’t take a single English class in college (I went to a private college). I hated writing papers, yet now I love writing! Weird, huh?

I’m not sure why the voice told me I should write every day. I just listened and, eventually, obeyed. I’m glad I did.

If you have a voice nagging at you, perhaps it is time to listen. You never know where life will take you…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

You Said It!

A man was asked if he minded that his wife always got the last word. The man replied, “No. I’m just glad when she gets to it.”

The average person speaks about 16,000 words per day. I’m more interested in the quality of our words than the quantity. Our tongues can be sharper than a surgeon’s scalpel. They can be used to slice and dice people into shreds. Yet our words can lift others when they are down.

It’s important to recognize that our world is hurting. People are still struggling with the after effects of isolation, it’s expensive to live (over $10,000 per year more than just three years ago), and everywhere you turn it seems like people are at each other’s throats.

I encourage everyone to choose their words carefully. I’m not suggesting you avoid the truth. Use some gentleness and self-control when engaging in conversation with others.

Unite when possible, don’t divide. We are better together…

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#inspiration

Halfway There

We are now in the second half of 2024. Before you know it we will be celebrating Christmas! And as crazy as it sounds, some retailers already have Christmas decorations up. Yes, retailers are hurting that bad in this economy.

Take a moment to review the past six months. Think about the high moments, your victories. Keep those in the forefront of your mind every day while adding new successes as you go along.

Did you make any resolutions for 2024 that went by the wayside? It’s not too late to start again. Don’t beat yourself up, just begin again. And again. And keep trying.

You can accomplish anything you set your mind to. Make the next half of the year your best half…

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#inspiration

New Roads Await

Today we will revisit doing inner work and why it is vital.

Many people shy away from doing the self work required to grow and mature. The work challenges you to look at yourself and the decisions you’ve made, and why you went down that road. But on the other side of darkness lies peace, wisdom and new, healthy neural pathways.
Fourteen years of self-work and counting for me.

But it has been so worthwhile…

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#inspiration, #spirituality

Teach Children Well

There are many dedicated, devoted teachers in our schools. I know several. They didn’t become teachers to achieve fame and fortune. Hardly! There are lots of careers available with less headaches along with better pay.

All of us had our favorite teachers growing up. Why were they our favorites? It wasn’t because they broke down difficult mathematical equations with ease, or they made English interesting. They captured our hearts. They truly cared about us. We remember them fondly because they reached us at a deeper level than most.

Teaching is a high calling. Even Jesus spoke about it. He said if anyone misleads a child it would be better for them to have a millstone tied around their neck and thrown into the sea. That’s not a casual statement.

Most teachers are off for the summer. But that doesn’t stop us from remembering the best among them…

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