Friday, October 11, 2019
Thursday, October 10, 2019
Monday, October 7, 2019
Friday, August 9, 2019
Be the Exception - Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater
This annual bath was usually in the spring and also one of the reasons for the popularity of June brides and June weddings. The couple to be, was relatively clean and washed.
Throwing the baby out with the bathwater has become a popular cultural movement. Important people in our history were almost always flawed. While they may have accomplished great things and made great advances, it can be easy to pick at faults and overlook the good. Unfortunately, that can be a tendency in our interactions with each other. There is a danger in this.
Even if we are doing our best, most of the time, to Be the Exception, we are flawed and even in self-improvement, will continue to be flawed. Doesn't it make sense to recognize and increase the good in ourselves, reinforce the good in others, and remember the good in those who have gone before?
Be the Exception - To Get Nowhere, Follow the Crowd
“If 50 million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing.” Anatole France
We live at a time of sound bites and memes, where so many react and just follow what they believe to be popular without thinking deeply and investigating. It was once taught that to be a good debater or to have a liberal education, it was important not only listen to but understand the perspective of others who may have a different opinion and point of view. Today, free speech is often stymied and critical thinking discouraged.
As has been said, To Get Nowhere, Follow the Crowd.
If your goal is mediocrity or perhaps even less, then by all means, follow the crowd.
While you can and will find small groups interested in excellence, and on occasion you may be able to lead the crowd in excellence...
It will be rare and seldom lasting. Yes, there are always the few who, like you, will desire and work to be the exception, but never expect it to be popular, with the majority, for long.
While excellence may be lonely at times, it is it's own reward and if your desire is to lift others to join you, do all you can to establish yourself on higher ground.
Saturday, July 20, 2019
Wednesday, July 3, 2019
Wednesday, May 15, 2019
Thursday, May 9, 2019
Friday, April 26, 2019
Saturday, April 20, 2019
Wednesday, April 17, 2019
Tuesday, April 16, 2019
Tuesday, April 2, 2019
Monday, April 1, 2019
Saturday, March 30, 2019
Tuesday, March 26, 2019
Monday, March 25, 2019
Saturday, March 23, 2019
Thursday, March 21, 2019
Shawn Achor - "The Happiness Advantage: Linking Positive Brains to Performance"
To some this may seem trivial, but if you do these things, it will change your life and the lives of those around you.
Friday, March 15, 2019
Tuesday, March 12, 2019
SMARTERR Goals and objectives
Goals
Remember, a goal is where you
want to go, objectives are how you are going to get there… the map, or the steps to propel you to the goal.
Consider:
1. Needs
which need to be met. What are basic unmet needs for you or others you care about?
2. Issues
which need to be resolved. Are there problems or conflicts that may need to be resolved?
3. Interests or things you like to do or skills you'd like to gain. What would you like to be able to do? What do you enjoy? What are you interested in?
4. Strengths you can build on. What are you good at already?
5. Resources you have, can find, or develop. Do you have friends, family, associates who can help... and who you can help?
6. What is the current situation. Write down what is going well and what could be going better. For everything that you write that could be going better, or is a struggle, write two things that are going well. These could be your own strengths, or things you are grateful for.
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How to write a SMARTERR goal
Specific (with a baseline)
Measurable
Achievable/Attainable
Results-Focused
Time-Bound
Evaluate/Enhance/Adjust
Reporting/Accountability &
Reinforcement/Reward
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Wednesday, March 6, 2019
Tuesday, March 5, 2019
Saturday, March 2, 2019
Friday, March 1, 2019
Writing and Publishing
There is a story, which may be urban legend; however,
there is great value in the point which I will explain later. Many years ago, in the 1800’s in England a
famous motivational speaker was going to speak in a great hall. A poor English woman worked peeling potatoes
for a boarding house. An esteemed speaker
was going to speak in London and she decided to attend in a great hall. The speaker spoke of finding opportunities
and making the most of them.
After the lecture she approached him and said that
was easy for him to say because of his own status and opportunities, but her
situation was different. He asked her
what she did. She explained where she
worked and what she did. He asked her what
she sat on, “as stool,” he asked her what was under the stool, “bricks.” He then asked her to learn all she could
about bricks and write an article and send it to him. She did, and he was able to get it published
and paid her for it. He then asked her what
was under the bricks, she looked and responded, “ants.” He then asked her to write about the
ants. She did a great deal of research
and with his help, published a book on ants, which became well known and was
considered a top book on the subject at the time.
Now, I do not know of a surety that this story is
true, however, I do know of many people who came from nowhere, from great
poverty, wrote and published and went on to make a great deal of money doing
it. Mark Twain (Samuel
Clemens), Charles Dickens, and J.K. Rowling are just a few examples. If you click on Dickens' name, you will see a few more that may surprise you.
It has never been easier to get something
published. Anyone can get published
themselves, free of charge. They can
self-publish with Amazon https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US?ref_=kdpgp_p_us_psg_kw_ad79 of course, that doesn’t mean it will sell or ever
be read, but there is a line from an old very B movie that I love, Take Down,
about a high school wresting team https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Take_Down_(1979_film)
“getting pinned is closer to victory than never getting on the mat at all.”
I just came across another opportunity for getting
writing published somewhere, it’s called Hubpages https://hubpages.com/ . I have absolutely no idea how legitimate they
are; however, there is another old saying, “nothing ventured, nothing
gained. I will submit something and see
what happens. Perhaps you may as
well. If you do, and it works out, or
doesn’t, please let others know here.
If you are reading this, there are things you know
and care about. There are things you can
research and submit for publishing. Perhaps
you can make some money doing it.
Perhaps I can too. I'll let you know how it goes for me.
I have not, but know some people make thousands of dollars blogging. Blogging sites such as the one I use, are free to use and set up. That may be an option. Many years ago I had a site with courses on child development. For a while I made about $500.00 a month from the site. That lasted only a short while and it got to the point where the site cost me more money than I was making from it. I will add some videos on making money from blogging.
I have not, but know some people make thousands of dollars blogging. Blogging sites such as the one I use, are free to use and set up. That may be an option. Many years ago I had a site with courses on child development. For a while I made about $500.00 a month from the site. That lasted only a short while and it got to the point where the site cost me more money than I was making from it. I will add some videos on making money from blogging.
Thursday, February 28, 2019
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
What should I study?
As for what you should study, I do not know. Consider:
What are you are interested in?
What are you or what might you be good at? (you may have aptitude for which you are not aware)
What is practical, what will provide you with a good income?
What you can afford to finish?
Should it be academic or a trade?
Should I work for myself or for others? (this may change over time and according to your current situation)
Investigate the possibilities. Talk with people who are doing the work you believe you may be interested in. Ask if you can (shadow) follow them for a day or two and observe what they do.
Write out the pros and cons. If you can, take a few courses to see your aptitude and what you enjoy, then take it to God.
Please review and ponder the messages below.
Monday, February 25, 2019
Saturday, February 23, 2019
Friday, February 22, 2019
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