Recently I read an article called “The 3 Fs to Life’s Greatest Riches” by Darcy Keith. In this article, the author discusses 3 Fs that surround us daily, that have the ability to make us rich! These three Fs have the potential to fill our lives with the greatest satisfaction and happiness that life has to offer if we pay attention to and cultivate them. The trouble is that many of us neglect them and fail to realize the riches that come from them. I’d like to share these three Fs with you and let you know why I agree with the author that these three Fs are the most important ingredients to a rich and satisfying life.
The first F is faith. Faith is belief; belief in oneself, belief that good will eventually prevail, and belief in something greater than ourselves. People with faith hope for things which are not seen yet are true. Faith brings hope, peace and comfort. Faith gives us strength and purpose even during our darkest hours. True faith will help us overcome any challenge or obstacle that may come our way. And our faith is something that can never be taken from us. Thus, our faith is a powerful tool that will richly bless our life when we pay attention to and develop it.
The second F is Family. Our family is unique and special. Like faith, families can support and help us through the good and the bad. Our families provide us with some of the most wonderful relationships we can experience in life and provide the greatest levels of satisfaction and joy. Without family, life is empty, lonely, and difficult. With family, life is full and rich.
The third F is Friends. Friends are like an extended family who can give us love and support when we need it most. Friends provide companionship, and camaraderie. When life is hard, or when life is good, a good friend is priceless.
Now, do we take full advantage of and pay enough attention to these three Fs in our lives, or do we take them for granted? Do we take time to nourish and cherish these three important Fs? Do these three Fs play an important part in our lives? The author of the article I read challenged readers to reflect on these similar questions. If we are not doing well, what is stopping us from making these three Fs a priority? For these three Fs have the capacity to make us truly rich! And they don’t cost money, all they require is time!
With faith, family, and friends, our lives are richly blessed. Like the author I encourage all of us to “invest in our faith, spend time with our family, and get together with our friends.” Doing so will be “time well invested and riches well received.”
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Life is too short to not Celebrate
In our hectic and often chaotic world, it is easy to become distracted and obsessed with the unimportant. It is also easy to allow time to pass without appreciating or enjoying what life has to offer. Though difficult, life can be and is very rewarding and we should never take it for granted. For us to fully enjoy life, we must take time to have a daily celebration of life.
Celebrating life daily can be done in many different ways. This does not mean we have to throw a party, eat cake, open presents, and blow up balloons each day (though we could). What it does mean is we recognize the significance and blessing it is to live. Rather than focusing on the bad, a daily celebration of life is striving to enjoy each day in at least some small way by appreciating the good.
A daily celebration of life is simple and may consist of taking a walk, spending an extra 5 minutes with our children, reading our favorite book, participating in our favorite hobby, or saying a short prayer of gratitude and thanksgiving. A daily celebration of life simply is making a conscious effort each day to enjoy and appreciate life. It involves giving ourselves credit for the good we are doing while giving thanks for the good that surrounds us.
So why celebrate? Because celebrating boosts our spirits, increases our energy and enthusiasm, and intensifies our joy and satisfaction in life. Because celebrating relieves stress, and helps us to have a more positive outlook and attitude. Because celebrating daily equals a happier person. Just think about it. How would pausing each day to celebrate life change our perspective? A daily celebration of life has the potential to change it, as it will change who we are and how we feel each day.
Finally, we should appreciate and celebrate each day because each day gives us a unique opportunity to do something special. Each day we have the ability to positively or negatively impact others. Each day has a special meaning and purpose. And each day we have the chance to be great. We must recognize this about each day and celebrate the blessing that each day is by taking full advantage of it!
So, have you celebrated life lately? We should strive to celebrate life daily. Let’s take time out of our day to celebrate the fact that we are alive. Life is too short to not celebrate.
Celebrating life daily can be done in many different ways. This does not mean we have to throw a party, eat cake, open presents, and blow up balloons each day (though we could). What it does mean is we recognize the significance and blessing it is to live. Rather than focusing on the bad, a daily celebration of life is striving to enjoy each day in at least some small way by appreciating the good.
A daily celebration of life is simple and may consist of taking a walk, spending an extra 5 minutes with our children, reading our favorite book, participating in our favorite hobby, or saying a short prayer of gratitude and thanksgiving. A daily celebration of life simply is making a conscious effort each day to enjoy and appreciate life. It involves giving ourselves credit for the good we are doing while giving thanks for the good that surrounds us.
So why celebrate? Because celebrating boosts our spirits, increases our energy and enthusiasm, and intensifies our joy and satisfaction in life. Because celebrating relieves stress, and helps us to have a more positive outlook and attitude. Because celebrating daily equals a happier person. Just think about it. How would pausing each day to celebrate life change our perspective? A daily celebration of life has the potential to change it, as it will change who we are and how we feel each day.
Finally, we should appreciate and celebrate each day because each day gives us a unique opportunity to do something special. Each day we have the ability to positively or negatively impact others. Each day has a special meaning and purpose. And each day we have the chance to be great. We must recognize this about each day and celebrate the blessing that each day is by taking full advantage of it!
So, have you celebrated life lately? We should strive to celebrate life daily. Let’s take time out of our day to celebrate the fact that we are alive. Life is too short to not celebrate.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Becoming an Unbeatable Person
“It is impossible to defeat a person who never gives up.”
Unknown
“The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender.”
Rick Pitino
Today I want to blog about perseverance—a characteristic that is critical for anyone who truly wants to be successful. Perseverance is a strong mental attitude, a nearly fanatical approach toward achieving something. Perseverance is not something we are born with necessarily however it is something we can develop and learn. Perseverance is an undying enthusiasm and passion for what we want. It impels us to never stop pursing or ever get deterred toward achieving our goals regardless of what may come. Hence, perseverance is a quality of a winner.
We cannot deny the fact that people are more successful when they never give up. In Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture he talks about how each of us will face “walls” when we are trying to accomplish something great. He explains that these “walls” are placed in everyone’s path to separate those who truly want it from those who do not. Those who preserver eventually scale the walls and come off triumphant while those who do not, allow the “walls” to force them down another path. For this reason, a lot of people are not successful in life because they simply give up when they come against a wall. Realizing that accomplishing anything worthwhile in life will require us to overcome challenges and to scale “walls” will motivate us to keep trying when times get tough.
Without perseverance, we will accomplish little and with it, we can accomplish anything we put our mind to. Many go through life afraid to work hard or step outside of their comfort zone because they don’t know what to expect. They fear the unknown and/or they fear failure. They fail to believe that anything good we are engaged in will only build us regardless if we ever reach our goal or not. Committing ourselves to achieving something great and persevering toward accomplishing it will deeply enrich and increase our satisfaction in life.
True perseverance is a unique quality and living in our “show me NOW” society, I believe it is a dying breed. Today, many people will persevere for a time until eventually they become distracted, tired, apathetic, lazy, or weak and they lose everything they’ve gained. This inability to endure causes avoidable stress, depression, and failures in life. When we choose to persevere, we are choosing to be successful.
Our personal level of determination and perseverance will have a huge impact on our life. Perseverance takes a great deal of will power, confidence, patience, and discipline but if we can learn to persevere we can accomplish anything we put our minds to. Because truly it is impossible to defeat a person who never gives up…
Unknown
“The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender.”
Rick Pitino
Today I want to blog about perseverance—a characteristic that is critical for anyone who truly wants to be successful. Perseverance is a strong mental attitude, a nearly fanatical approach toward achieving something. Perseverance is not something we are born with necessarily however it is something we can develop and learn. Perseverance is an undying enthusiasm and passion for what we want. It impels us to never stop pursing or ever get deterred toward achieving our goals regardless of what may come. Hence, perseverance is a quality of a winner.
We cannot deny the fact that people are more successful when they never give up. In Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture he talks about how each of us will face “walls” when we are trying to accomplish something great. He explains that these “walls” are placed in everyone’s path to separate those who truly want it from those who do not. Those who preserver eventually scale the walls and come off triumphant while those who do not, allow the “walls” to force them down another path. For this reason, a lot of people are not successful in life because they simply give up when they come against a wall. Realizing that accomplishing anything worthwhile in life will require us to overcome challenges and to scale “walls” will motivate us to keep trying when times get tough.
Without perseverance, we will accomplish little and with it, we can accomplish anything we put our mind to. Many go through life afraid to work hard or step outside of their comfort zone because they don’t know what to expect. They fear the unknown and/or they fear failure. They fail to believe that anything good we are engaged in will only build us regardless if we ever reach our goal or not. Committing ourselves to achieving something great and persevering toward accomplishing it will deeply enrich and increase our satisfaction in life.
True perseverance is a unique quality and living in our “show me NOW” society, I believe it is a dying breed. Today, many people will persevere for a time until eventually they become distracted, tired, apathetic, lazy, or weak and they lose everything they’ve gained. This inability to endure causes avoidable stress, depression, and failures in life. When we choose to persevere, we are choosing to be successful.
Our personal level of determination and perseverance will have a huge impact on our life. Perseverance takes a great deal of will power, confidence, patience, and discipline but if we can learn to persevere we can accomplish anything we put our minds to. Because truly it is impossible to defeat a person who never gives up…
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Wrestling Gorillas and Winning!
“You always can do more than you think you can do.”
Rick Pitino
“When wrestling a gorilla, you don’t quit when you’re tired—you quit when the gorilla is tired.”
Robert Strauss
With our economy struggling, employment soaring, our society standards lowering and homes deteriorating, one common theme in all of our lives is that we are facing a lot of adversity. And dealing with adversity often feels like we are wrestling gorillas with no end in site or hope of coming out on top. Indeed, it seems everywhere we turn these days there are new challenges, trials, and difficulties even in places that used to be safe such as home or school. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) none of us are immune to it or can escape it as we all will have to overcome adversity to be successful in life. And, truth be told, some of us will capitalize on it and become better and stronger, while others flounder in despair. Below are some suggestions on how to come out on top when faced with adversity.
Attitude
Attitude is everything when it comes to overcoming challenges. If we can maintain a positive attitude in the face of difficulties, we can accomplish just about anything. Knowing that we have the power to control our attitude regardless of what happens in life is a powerful tool that if applied, will guide us to success. Learning to accept the fact that things can and will go wrong with a positive attitude will propel us to greater heights and happiness.
Action
Sure, things will go wrong in our life, but this does not mean we should wait for something to go wrong before we take action. Actually, knowing things will go wrong should motivate us to take action now toward achieving our goals. And then, when things do not go as planned, as we know they won’t, it is important to take action to overcome challenges rather than wallowing in despair or being afraid to continue.
Do Good
One way to avoid feelings of despair and depression when adversity strikes is by constantly being engaged in a good cause. When we help others by giving meaningful service on a consistent basis, our challenges and problems dwindle and become small. Being involved in something greater than ourselves has an amazing way of helping us overcome our own personal trials and tragedies.
Knowledge
Understanding and accepting that hard times come to everyone and that the only way to be successful in life is by facing adversity head on is knowledge that is priceless. This life is temporary, we all know that, and understanding that adversity is simply an unavoidable part of life will help us to feel more at peace when life’s challenges hit us—and often unexpectedly. Knowing and internalizing this will help us to cope and overcome.
Perseverance
Finally, perseverance is key. When we feel as though we cannot possible take any more, undoubtedly, more comes. Being able to always bounce back and never giving up will become critical to our success. We cannot be overcome by adversity if we never give up.
Times are tough and will probably continue to be so and that is just life. Those who are successful in life will be those who learn to overcome adversity and then use it to their advantage. We can all start today to master our adversity by remembering to monitor and control our attitude, by taking action, by doing good, by gaining knowledge, and by persevering. Success is not always simply about how much we accomplish, but more often it is about how much we are able to overcome. Let’s start using adversity to our advantage!
Rick Pitino
“When wrestling a gorilla, you don’t quit when you’re tired—you quit when the gorilla is tired.”
Robert Strauss
With our economy struggling, employment soaring, our society standards lowering and homes deteriorating, one common theme in all of our lives is that we are facing a lot of adversity. And dealing with adversity often feels like we are wrestling gorillas with no end in site or hope of coming out on top. Indeed, it seems everywhere we turn these days there are new challenges, trials, and difficulties even in places that used to be safe such as home or school. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) none of us are immune to it or can escape it as we all will have to overcome adversity to be successful in life. And, truth be told, some of us will capitalize on it and become better and stronger, while others flounder in despair. Below are some suggestions on how to come out on top when faced with adversity.
Attitude
Attitude is everything when it comes to overcoming challenges. If we can maintain a positive attitude in the face of difficulties, we can accomplish just about anything. Knowing that we have the power to control our attitude regardless of what happens in life is a powerful tool that if applied, will guide us to success. Learning to accept the fact that things can and will go wrong with a positive attitude will propel us to greater heights and happiness.
Action
Sure, things will go wrong in our life, but this does not mean we should wait for something to go wrong before we take action. Actually, knowing things will go wrong should motivate us to take action now toward achieving our goals. And then, when things do not go as planned, as we know they won’t, it is important to take action to overcome challenges rather than wallowing in despair or being afraid to continue.
Do Good
One way to avoid feelings of despair and depression when adversity strikes is by constantly being engaged in a good cause. When we help others by giving meaningful service on a consistent basis, our challenges and problems dwindle and become small. Being involved in something greater than ourselves has an amazing way of helping us overcome our own personal trials and tragedies.
Knowledge
Understanding and accepting that hard times come to everyone and that the only way to be successful in life is by facing adversity head on is knowledge that is priceless. This life is temporary, we all know that, and understanding that adversity is simply an unavoidable part of life will help us to feel more at peace when life’s challenges hit us—and often unexpectedly. Knowing and internalizing this will help us to cope and overcome.
Perseverance
Finally, perseverance is key. When we feel as though we cannot possible take any more, undoubtedly, more comes. Being able to always bounce back and never giving up will become critical to our success. We cannot be overcome by adversity if we never give up.
Times are tough and will probably continue to be so and that is just life. Those who are successful in life will be those who learn to overcome adversity and then use it to their advantage. We can all start today to master our adversity by remembering to monitor and control our attitude, by taking action, by doing good, by gaining knowledge, and by persevering. Success is not always simply about how much we accomplish, but more often it is about how much we are able to overcome. Let’s start using adversity to our advantage!
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
5 Simple Motivation Tips
“A pat on the back is worth a lot more than a kick in the fanny.”
Charles Nirenberg
One of the most common ways to motivate others continues to be the old carrot and stick philosophy. This general philosophy entails a reward being dangled in front of some one in hopes that it will motivate them to do what is required to receive the reward. Though this philosophy may be successful at times, there are other ways to motivate people. And these other ways are often much easier and much more effective. Below are a few ideas that will help us break away from the old carrot and stick philosophy…
Look for the Good
Many managers persistently point out and correct bad behavior. However, good leaders have learned that positive attention and encouragement is more valuable in producing great results. Indeed, offering encouragement and pointing out the good is much easier than trying to lead someone to change by pointing out the bad. For this reason, positive reinforcement and simple recognition for the good people do works.
Notice
Often praise and recognition is held on to or delayed until a job is completed, however people like to know that what they are doing now is being noticed and is important. For this reason, it is motivating when we are recognized and reassured in our progress toward the completion of a task. Learning to recognize others at the end as well as during a project will motivate them to do better.
Celebrate
When projects are completed or a goal is met, make sure and celebrate. Providing a sense of accomplishment and victory through celebration will motivate others to accomplish more. Quickly or half-heartedly acknowledging an accomplishment or not celebrating a goal achieved will create a feeling of insignificance and will diminish motivation.
Enthusiasm
Being enthusiastic motivates others. When you have energy and are excited about what is going on, others will feel it and start to join you.
Show Appreciation
Finally, show appreciation for a job well done. Let people know often how much you appreciate what they are doing. Share with them how what they are doing helps you personally. Showing sincere and frequent appreciation will go a long way in motivating others.
So, rather than simply using the old carrot and stick philosophy, use these simple ideas above to motivate others. Doing so will have a huge impact on us, others, and the overall results.
Charles Nirenberg
One of the most common ways to motivate others continues to be the old carrot and stick philosophy. This general philosophy entails a reward being dangled in front of some one in hopes that it will motivate them to do what is required to receive the reward. Though this philosophy may be successful at times, there are other ways to motivate people. And these other ways are often much easier and much more effective. Below are a few ideas that will help us break away from the old carrot and stick philosophy…
Look for the Good
Many managers persistently point out and correct bad behavior. However, good leaders have learned that positive attention and encouragement is more valuable in producing great results. Indeed, offering encouragement and pointing out the good is much easier than trying to lead someone to change by pointing out the bad. For this reason, positive reinforcement and simple recognition for the good people do works.
Notice
Often praise and recognition is held on to or delayed until a job is completed, however people like to know that what they are doing now is being noticed and is important. For this reason, it is motivating when we are recognized and reassured in our progress toward the completion of a task. Learning to recognize others at the end as well as during a project will motivate them to do better.
Celebrate
When projects are completed or a goal is met, make sure and celebrate. Providing a sense of accomplishment and victory through celebration will motivate others to accomplish more. Quickly or half-heartedly acknowledging an accomplishment or not celebrating a goal achieved will create a feeling of insignificance and will diminish motivation.
Enthusiasm
Being enthusiastic motivates others. When you have energy and are excited about what is going on, others will feel it and start to join you.
Show Appreciation
Finally, show appreciation for a job well done. Let people know often how much you appreciate what they are doing. Share with them how what they are doing helps you personally. Showing sincere and frequent appreciation will go a long way in motivating others.
So, rather than simply using the old carrot and stick philosophy, use these simple ideas above to motivate others. Doing so will have a huge impact on us, others, and the overall results.
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