Tag Archives: #leadership

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In An Instant

We live life in a hurry, don’t we? We have instant grits, fast food and convenience stores. All of these things are designed to save us time. The less time we spend doing menial things, the more time we have to do other stuff. But there are trade offs.

Fast food doesn’t mean healthy food. Convenience stores offer fewer choices than supermarkets, and they are more expensive to shop in. And, of course, instant grits don’t measure up to the twenty minutes grits!

By taking shortcuts, we might be robbing ourselves of the sense of accomplishment we gain. There’s no quick way to get in shape and build muscle. Talk to text is a good alternative when we need to remember something. However, writing hits the same spot in the brain that meditation does. Taking an extra moment to write has more benefits than just the thing we need to remind ourselves of.

Slow down, just a little. Your effectiveness rises when you do…

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Starbucks

Coffee is my favorite drink in the morning. I easily drink 48 ounces of coffee every day. In the times I have abstained from coffee it has rewarded me with a headache!

Starbucks was started in 1971 by three friends who wanted to bring dark roast coffee to Seattle. In the beginning they only sold beans. People loved the flavor so the business thrived. Today there are over 40,000 Starbucks stores all over the world.

I have read about people who boycott Starbucks for a variety of social reasons. That’s their choice. I love their coffee, and the workers tend to be friendly. That’s good for a store that is trying to sell you something!

If you haven’t, I encourage you to give Starbucks a try. If you don’t like coffee, they sell lots of other stuff. And you’ll be supporting the workers with your patronage.

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Spirituality

Today in History

On May 19, 1943, Prime Minister Winston Churchill was in Washington DC to plan the D Day landing at Normandy Beach. When the assault took place over a year later, it changed the course of World War II. Many people died that day, but their deaths were not in vain.

Led by the United States and Great Britain, thirteen total countries were involved in the attack. Because of the strength of the tides, there was only a few days each month when the landing could occur. God was with us that day in 1944. Tyranny took a serious blow. Hitler went from playing offense to defense almost overnight.

The people who sacrificed, fought, and the families who suffered lost loved ones have been called the greatest generation. They had a toughness that I do believe still exists today. In some cases it might just be lying dormant. The Spirit of good over evil is alive within us. We must continue the fight.

Take a moment to thank God for guiding the thoughts and plans that Churchill and Roosevelt came up with. Freedom should never be taken for granted…

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Spirituality

Burned Out

When people tell me they are going through a period of burnout, most associate it with being overworked, overwhelmed and tired. Burnout is more than this. And it can be prevented.

People get burned out because the stressors of life are too much to handle in that moment. Work, obligations, unexpected challenges, the list of stressors never ends. This is just how life is, yet it’s manageable.

Setting healthy boundaries is the key to preventing burnout. Learn to say no. Take the time to take care of yourself. If you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t be any good to anyone else. It starts with your mental health.

Prioritize sleep, eat good food, real food not processed crap, and have meaningful conversations with others. All of these impact your mental well-being. Neglecting one or more and your life becomes unbalanced. You have burned out.

The better you are, the better you can be for others. Take care…

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I’m Flattered

Oscar Wilde wrote “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness.” There is much to unravel with Wilde’s quote, but for brevity’s sake let’s stick with flattery.

It’s nice to receive a compliment. Being confident in yourself and your abilities allows you to accept the compliment with humility and appreciation. I have had been privileged to have dinner with some accomplished people in the acting and sports world. To a person, each one realized how fortunate they were to have had such great success in their respective fields. No arrogance or rudeness, even when dinner was interrupted by people seeking autographs and pictures.

There are people who try to flatter others thinking they will get something in return. The fakes are pretty easy to spot.

I encourage you to look for ways to pass on compliments when you can. Remember that it’s not always about you. Be sincere. Write a short note to people you admire. Sincere flattery can go a long way when offered in the right way…

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Spirituality

Friendliness

Are you a friendly person? Making acquaintances and getting to know people has always been easy for me. I’m insatiably curious about people and their life stories. God should take pity on my seat mate on an airplane. I’ll get their story before we land!

When I meet someone who is standoffish or quiet, I see them as shy. Being quiet doesn’t mean they are rude. They simply aren’t outgoing and that’s okay.

One of the reasons I podcast is to learn about successful people and how they kept going during the dark times. Everyone has pain and struggles. We find ourselves in the stories. And when you do see yourself you think, “if they made it through, maybe I can, too.”

Life is filled with ups and downs. Life is easy when things are going well. It’s during the downtimes, the darkness when you need people. Good people.

Do you want good friends? Solid friendships begin with us being a good friend first. Be willing to give of yourself and see how many good people you attract into your life, whether they are outwardly friendly or not…

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Coaching

The coaching business seems to have exploded over the past decade. You can hire a personal coach for business, health, even life coaching is available. For every need there is a coach.

Some of my acquaintances have told me they hired a coach to be an accountability partner. I have hired personal trainers for the past 30 years. I guess they are a coach in a way. My purpose in hiring them is that they will allow me to do some exercises I might not do on my own. And weight training is more fun when you do it with someone.

If you feel stuck in life, like no matter what you do you can’t seem to get ahead or break bad habits, then perhaps hiring a coach might be the right thing for you. Find one you have some chemistry with. Make sure it’s someone who will tell you what you need to hear, not what feeds your ego. You can do that on your own…

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

Commencement

Recently, I was given the privilege of being the Commencement Speaker for 15 inmates who had earned their G. E. D. It was the experience of a lifetime, and I wish everyone could attend one of these ceremonies.

Commencement means a new start, a new beginning. Even though the graduating inmates weren’t getting released from prison that day, it signified a new chapter in their lives. The look of pride each man had on his face was unmistakable. This day was special. No one could take the moment away from them.

Every moment in life is special. You won’t get this day back, so do your best to live it fully. And don’t get too far ahead of yourself. You might miss something. Stay in the moment.

I guess I did okay with my speech. I received an invitation to give the commencement speech at a women’s prison in June. And as much as I can’t wait for the day to arrive, there are a lot of moments to live between now and then…

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Spirituality

The Temple

Solomon built a temple in Jerusalem as a place where people could worship God. It’s sometimes called the first temple. The structure Solomon had built was made from the finest stone and wood. The interior was inlaid with solid gold. It must have been quite a sight.

The Bible tells us that our bodies are temples. This is not a casual observation. It is intended as a reminder of the goodness of God who gave us our bodies to live in. But it’s the whole structure: our minds, heart, lungs, kidneys…everything. We must take care of it.

Solomon never lost sight of his why in this world. He asked God for wisdom, not money or power. All those things followed because Solomon ruled fairly and with the greatest wisdom that ever existed.

Take care of yourself mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Your body is a temple…

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

Forced

Many years ago there was a comedian named Flip Wilson. He had a character he portrayed in his comedy show named “Geraldine Jones.” In the setup, Flip, as Geraldine would get caught in some bad behavior and “she” would say, “the devil made me do it!” Although Wilson died in 1998, you can find his comedy on YouTube.

We are given the gift of free will. God doesn’t force us to do anything, and that includes loving Him. We can take care of our bodies, or we can live a sedentary lifestyle and have poor health. We can be a jerk and act like the world revolves around us, thereby alienating others. Or, we can be focused on the needs of others and end up with all the friends in the world. Remember George Bailey from the movie “It’s A Wonderful Life.”

(There are children who are forced into forced labor and sex slavery. Always be on the lookout for them. Report suspicious activity to law enforcement).

You have a choice today, right now. Will you live today like it’s your last, or will you just let it pass you by? It really is up to you…

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