Thank You Johann, I have finally found someone who thinks like me when it comes to helping people, especially my kids!! Love your quote!!
"If I accept you as you are, I will make you worse; however, if I treat you as though you are what you are capable of becoming, I help you become that." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 1749-1832, Author and Philosopher
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
How to Guarantee a GREAT Day every Day
Chris Widener is a popular speaker and author who has shared the podium with US Presidents, helping individuals and organizations turn their potential into performance, succeed in every area of their lives and achieve their dreams. Join subscribers in over 100 countries for a weekly leadership & success eZine by clicking here. Enjoy motivational audio programs from Chris Widener & other top speakers including Zig Ziglar & Brian Tracy by visiting
I have a standing interview every Monday morning on a radio station in the southeast that I enjoy very much. You can imagine though that it can become routine. So to make it a little more fun, the host nowadays doesn’t even tell me the topic before we go live on the air – that puts some excitement into it!
This past week he asked me the following question cold at the beginning of the show: How can a person guarantee that they will have a great day, every day? Now some may find that a hard question but for me it was actually a very easy question to answer (a little harder to actually live, but not that hard). You see, I believe in principles that govern our lives so that we can control our destinies and create for ourselves the kind of lives that we desire. People who live based on principles achieve what they desire while people who live reacting to circumstances do not.
So, what were the principles that I gave to guarantee that a person could have a GREAT day every day? Here they are:
Focus on today only.
Yes, we need to have long-range goals. But our focus must be on today. My old equation is that your short-term tasks multiplied by time equal your long-term accomplishments. With that in mind, it is imperative that we focus in on our short-term, to control it and make it what will eventually, when multiplied by time, equal our long-term goals. Don’t think about tomorrow. Today is enough trouble in and of itself. You can work on tomorrow when it gets here. Instead, make today the best day you have ever had. Realize that when you lay down to sleep tonight you will have just given up the only shot you will ever have at today. Today is now gone and it is only a memory. You only get one shot at your today so focus intently on making it all that it possibly can be. Focus, focus, focus! When you focus on making today great, you are on the road to guaranteeing that you will make your day GREAT, every day!
Embrace your power to choose.
Dwight D. Eisenhower said that “The history of free men is never written by chance but by choice, their choice.” When your today becomes your yesterday, you will look back and realize that that day was a result of your choices and your choices only. “But wait Chris, what if my boss controlled my day? That isn’t my choice!” But it is your choice to work for someone else! You choice to let someone else tell you what to do. You chose the feelings of helplessness that overwhelm you when you feel bad that you do not control your own destiny.
The moment we realize that we have a gift from God that the animals do not have, mainly the gift of free will and choice, and when we realize the inherent power within that gift, and ultimately when we finally begin to exercise that gift, then and only then, will we begin to create for ourselves a GREAT day each and every day! Take ownership of the direction in your life. Make your choices then carry them out!
Your attitude is up to you.
Yes, bad things may happen in your day. The pitcher for Team Circumstances may have a tremendous curveball waiting for you and you cannot control that. You cannot control what others may do or say. But you do control your attitude. Your attitude about whatever happens to you is up to you.
When something happens to you, you have the choice: Will you let it get you down and depressed, keeping you from forging ahead and making the day the best one ever? Or will you say to yourself that no matter what happens you are on the path to success and no obstacle will keep you from it? Will you say, “Sometime you win and sometimes you lose – I guess this time I lost”? Will you say, “Sometime you win and sometimes you learn – I can really learn something from this!”?
It is all in what attitude we choose. Your attitude is up to you and when you choose to have a great attitude, you are choosing to guarantee to have a GREAT day, every day!
Live out and act on your priorities.
So far we have dealt with internal perspectives, and that is indeed the place to start. But the practical place is in our priorities. If we want to make our days great, then we have to live out those things that will by definition make our days great. And those things are what are important to us. They are our priorities.
So each morning you start out by saying, “What things are important to me today? What are the things I need to accomplish in order for me to lay down tonight and know that I lived a GREAT day?” Then you put those in order of most important to least important.
Don’t do what is fun. Don’t do what is easy. Do what is IMPORTANT! Live out your priorities! When you do, you will guarantee that you will make your day GREAT, every day!
Tomorrow, when you wake up, go through the four following points and see if you don’t make tomorrow a GREAT day:
Focus on today only.
Understand that I get to choose how today will go.
Remain in a positive attitude no matter what happens.
Live out and act on my priorities.
Do this and you will guarantee a GREAT day, every day!
I have a standing interview every Monday morning on a radio station in the southeast that I enjoy very much. You can imagine though that it can become routine. So to make it a little more fun, the host nowadays doesn’t even tell me the topic before we go live on the air – that puts some excitement into it!
This past week he asked me the following question cold at the beginning of the show: How can a person guarantee that they will have a great day, every day? Now some may find that a hard question but for me it was actually a very easy question to answer (a little harder to actually live, but not that hard). You see, I believe in principles that govern our lives so that we can control our destinies and create for ourselves the kind of lives that we desire. People who live based on principles achieve what they desire while people who live reacting to circumstances do not.
So, what were the principles that I gave to guarantee that a person could have a GREAT day every day? Here they are:
Focus on today only.
Yes, we need to have long-range goals. But our focus must be on today. My old equation is that your short-term tasks multiplied by time equal your long-term accomplishments. With that in mind, it is imperative that we focus in on our short-term, to control it and make it what will eventually, when multiplied by time, equal our long-term goals. Don’t think about tomorrow. Today is enough trouble in and of itself. You can work on tomorrow when it gets here. Instead, make today the best day you have ever had. Realize that when you lay down to sleep tonight you will have just given up the only shot you will ever have at today. Today is now gone and it is only a memory. You only get one shot at your today so focus intently on making it all that it possibly can be. Focus, focus, focus! When you focus on making today great, you are on the road to guaranteeing that you will make your day GREAT, every day!
Embrace your power to choose.
Dwight D. Eisenhower said that “The history of free men is never written by chance but by choice, their choice.” When your today becomes your yesterday, you will look back and realize that that day was a result of your choices and your choices only. “But wait Chris, what if my boss controlled my day? That isn’t my choice!” But it is your choice to work for someone else! You choice to let someone else tell you what to do. You chose the feelings of helplessness that overwhelm you when you feel bad that you do not control your own destiny.
The moment we realize that we have a gift from God that the animals do not have, mainly the gift of free will and choice, and when we realize the inherent power within that gift, and ultimately when we finally begin to exercise that gift, then and only then, will we begin to create for ourselves a GREAT day each and every day! Take ownership of the direction in your life. Make your choices then carry them out!
Your attitude is up to you.
Yes, bad things may happen in your day. The pitcher for Team Circumstances may have a tremendous curveball waiting for you and you cannot control that. You cannot control what others may do or say. But you do control your attitude. Your attitude about whatever happens to you is up to you.
When something happens to you, you have the choice: Will you let it get you down and depressed, keeping you from forging ahead and making the day the best one ever? Or will you say to yourself that no matter what happens you are on the path to success and no obstacle will keep you from it? Will you say, “Sometime you win and sometimes you lose – I guess this time I lost”? Will you say, “Sometime you win and sometimes you learn – I can really learn something from this!”?
It is all in what attitude we choose. Your attitude is up to you and when you choose to have a great attitude, you are choosing to guarantee to have a GREAT day, every day!
Live out and act on your priorities.
So far we have dealt with internal perspectives, and that is indeed the place to start. But the practical place is in our priorities. If we want to make our days great, then we have to live out those things that will by definition make our days great. And those things are what are important to us. They are our priorities.
So each morning you start out by saying, “What things are important to me today? What are the things I need to accomplish in order for me to lay down tonight and know that I lived a GREAT day?” Then you put those in order of most important to least important.
Don’t do what is fun. Don’t do what is easy. Do what is IMPORTANT! Live out your priorities! When you do, you will guarantee that you will make your day GREAT, every day!
Tomorrow, when you wake up, go through the four following points and see if you don’t make tomorrow a GREAT day:
Focus on today only.
Understand that I get to choose how today will go.
Remain in a positive attitude no matter what happens.
Live out and act on my priorities.
Do this and you will guarantee a GREAT day, every day!
A Carrot, an egg and a cup of coffee ......
Again not sure where this came from or who wrote it, but I like it!! Great piece. I LOVE coffee!
You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up; She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.
In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, ' Tell me what you see.'
'Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied.
Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg.
Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, 'What does it mean, mother?'
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.
'Which are you?' she asked her daughter. 'When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?
Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?
Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy.
The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.
When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.
May we all be COFFEE!
You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up; She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.
In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, ' Tell me what you see.'
'Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied.
Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg.
Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, 'What does it mean, mother?'
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.
'Which are you?' she asked her daughter. 'When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?
Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?
Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy.
The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.
When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.
May we all be COFFEE!
Why do I love South Africa
Great poem by Ian Macdonald! Enjoy!
I love her for the perfection of her days
The crisp Karoo morning
The Joburg winter noon
The late summer Cape Town sunset
The star-filled Free State night
I love her for her people
For our warm smiles
For our resilience
For our I-am-because-we-are
I love her because she delights my senses
Highveld thunderbolts
Jacarandas in bloom
Sunday braais
African sun
Icy sea
I love her raw power, her intensity, her strength
I love her because of how she makes me feel
Sometimes angry, sometimes joyous
Sometimes fearful, sometimes love-filled
Sometimes frustrated, sometimes hopeful
Always alive
I love her because she intrigues me
And challenges me
The Chinese have a curse: "May you live in interesting times"
I see it as a blessing
I love her because she helps me keep things in perspective
By reminding me how privileged I am
Every day
I love her for being a microcosm of the world
A world in one country
For what we can teach the world
About compromise
And sharing
And forgiveness
And tolerance
And hope
I love her because she's imperfect
And full of opportunity
And potential unfulfilled
I love her because she has come so far
And has so much further to go
And whether we ever get there
Will all depend on us
I love her because she's been so good to me
And she inspires me to return the favour
I love her because she's my country
No matter what
I love her because she's my home
And where my soul is at rest
I love her for the perfection of her days
The crisp Karoo morning
The Joburg winter noon
The late summer Cape Town sunset
The star-filled Free State night
I love her for her people
For our warm smiles
For our resilience
For our I-am-because-we-are
I love her because she delights my senses
Highveld thunderbolts
Jacarandas in bloom
Sunday braais
African sun
Icy sea
I love her raw power, her intensity, her strength
I love her because of how she makes me feel
Sometimes angry, sometimes joyous
Sometimes fearful, sometimes love-filled
Sometimes frustrated, sometimes hopeful
Always alive
I love her because she intrigues me
And challenges me
The Chinese have a curse: "May you live in interesting times"
I see it as a blessing
I love her because she helps me keep things in perspective
By reminding me how privileged I am
Every day
I love her for being a microcosm of the world
A world in one country
For what we can teach the world
About compromise
And sharing
And forgiveness
And tolerance
And hope
I love her because she's imperfect
And full of opportunity
And potential unfulfilled
I love her because she has come so far
And has so much further to go
And whether we ever get there
Will all depend on us
I love her because she's been so good to me
And she inspires me to return the favour
I love her because she's my country
No matter what
I love her because she's my home
And where my soul is at rest
Winston Churchill Quote
"Here's to the corkscrew - a useful key to unlock the storehouse of wit, the treasure of laughter, the front door of fellowship and the gate to a pleasant wine journey".
Stress Free Life!
Taken from "69 Secrets to a stress free life" by Wendy Hearn. Enjoy and I hope it helps!!
1. Take 5 minute breaks regularly throughout your day. Sit or walk on your own and relax, breathe deeply and feel peaceful. You will feel more relaxed and not so overwhelmed, increasing your level of concentration and ability to achieve more, in less time.
2. Arrive 10 minutes early for every work and personal appointment. You will have time to feel relaxed, prepare yourself and to show respect for the other person's time.
3. Take responsibility for your actions. Actions that you take are a result of choices that you've made. When you take responsibility for your actions you realise that you are able to make different choices.
4. Clean up your work space. Such as, find a way to eliminate the piles of paperwork. Working in an environment that is clean and organised will free up your mind and reduce distractions for you. When our space feels cluttered it leads to our mind feeling cluttered.
5. Manage yourself rather than your time. You cannot change time yet you can make changes to yourself by organizing yourself, setting priorities, taking responsibility.... When you manage yourself you will have more time to create the life you really want.
6. Learn to say no. A straight forward "No" is best although if this feels difficult at first try, "No, my time is committed elsewhere." Saying no is a skill to learn, takes practice and you can do it pleasantly. You will never please everyone and accepting this will reduce the pressure you put on yourself.
7. Reward your achievements. Choose the reward before you start both for small and large achievements and use it to move you forward, particularly when overcoming an obstacle. Rewarding yourself will encourage you to keep persevering and focusing on winning.
1. Take 5 minute breaks regularly throughout your day. Sit or walk on your own and relax, breathe deeply and feel peaceful. You will feel more relaxed and not so overwhelmed, increasing your level of concentration and ability to achieve more, in less time.
2. Arrive 10 minutes early for every work and personal appointment. You will have time to feel relaxed, prepare yourself and to show respect for the other person's time.
3. Take responsibility for your actions. Actions that you take are a result of choices that you've made. When you take responsibility for your actions you realise that you are able to make different choices.
4. Clean up your work space. Such as, find a way to eliminate the piles of paperwork. Working in an environment that is clean and organised will free up your mind and reduce distractions for you. When our space feels cluttered it leads to our mind feeling cluttered.
5. Manage yourself rather than your time. You cannot change time yet you can make changes to yourself by organizing yourself, setting priorities, taking responsibility.... When you manage yourself you will have more time to create the life you really want.
6. Learn to say no. A straight forward "No" is best although if this feels difficult at first try, "No, my time is committed elsewhere." Saying no is a skill to learn, takes practice and you can do it pleasantly. You will never please everyone and accepting this will reduce the pressure you put on yourself.
7. Reward your achievements. Choose the reward before you start both for small and large achievements and use it to move you forward, particularly when overcoming an obstacle. Rewarding yourself will encourage you to keep persevering and focusing on winning.
The Right Speech to Make This Year
Not sure where this came from but it's spot on!!
In 2008, Marc, the CEO of a 100-person software development company, decided not to have a company holiday party. What was there to celebrate? Companies around them had crashed and burned. Clients were skittish. Sales in the last two quarters had slipped. Better to put the money to more productive uses.
This year however, the Chairman of the board told Marc he shouldn't skip the party. It was, he insisted, a productive use of a few thousand dollars. For morale.
And Marc agreed. But then he was stumped. See, every year at the holiday party he would give an exciting, morale boosting visionary speech about the next year. How great he expected it to be. What he knew they would make happen together as a team.
The problem was that this year that speech would be dishonest. Because Marc really has no idea what next year will bring. None of us do. This year was tough. Marc's company did fine; better than their competition. But it wasn't easy. People are tired, having worked harder than ever without commensurate results. Next year looks like it will be better but by how much? How could Marc tell them next year will be great? That wouldn't boost morale. It would simply erode trust.
So maybe it would be more appropriate not to give a speech at the party. Wouldn't it be better for Marc to say nothing than to say a bunch of things he doesn't even believe himself? Sure he could talk about what he wants next year to look like. But that has its downsides too. Employees would hear Marc talk about how great the future might be and they'd all think he's out of touch. Or worse, they'd be terrified he'll hold them accountable for achieving his pipe dreams. So maybe silence would be better after all.
Except that it's not.
Because we know that people hesitate to communicate bad messages. So if they don't communicate at all? Well, that just confirms our worst fears. Silence isn't the absence of communication. It's the nightmare of communication, fueling our negative fantasies. Sometimes not saying anything is worse than saying the wrong thing.
Marc knew this so he spent a long time thinking about what to say and then, in a flash of insight, he realized why he was having such a hard time. He was preparing for the wrong speech.
He was trying to inspire people with a vision. But sometimes we don't need a vision. Sometimes all we need is empathy. To know that someone else, someone we trust, knows how we feel and can reflect that back to us with compassion.
Painting a picture of the present we know can be far more valuable and comforting than painting a picture of the future we don't. We don't always need the answers. Sometimes we just need to know that we're not alone and we're understood.
Here's a synopsis of what he ended up saying:
It's good to be together again. A year ago the world around us seemed to be falling apart. The economy seemed to be heading to a depression. Many companies failed or disappeared.
Everyone in this room worked tremendously hard. We're all tired. But we held it together and had a decent year. Revenue was up which, in a year when even flat would have been good, is remarkable. Still, you worked harder than ever without seeing proportional results. That's discouraging.
But that extra effort made a big difference. We did less work with some clients but replaced that with successes elsewhere. We won a number of awards. With a steady hand and big support from our investors we held it together and actually succeeded.
This year my very humble holiday message is of gratitude to all those people who made it happen. Thank you for working so hard without always seeing the fruits of your efforts. I see it though. And I appreciate it.
And thank you to all the wives, husbands, partners, girlfriends and boyfriends for your patience and support.
I raise my glass in a toast to all of you and those who can't join us. To a wonderful and safe holiday. Thank you for listening.
After the speech, more people came up to thank, appreciate, and congratulate him than after any speech he had given before.
Sometimes the smartest vision you can have is a clear one of the people in front of you.
In 2008, Marc, the CEO of a 100-person software development company, decided not to have a company holiday party. What was there to celebrate? Companies around them had crashed and burned. Clients were skittish. Sales in the last two quarters had slipped. Better to put the money to more productive uses.
This year however, the Chairman of the board told Marc he shouldn't skip the party. It was, he insisted, a productive use of a few thousand dollars. For morale.
And Marc agreed. But then he was stumped. See, every year at the holiday party he would give an exciting, morale boosting visionary speech about the next year. How great he expected it to be. What he knew they would make happen together as a team.
The problem was that this year that speech would be dishonest. Because Marc really has no idea what next year will bring. None of us do. This year was tough. Marc's company did fine; better than their competition. But it wasn't easy. People are tired, having worked harder than ever without commensurate results. Next year looks like it will be better but by how much? How could Marc tell them next year will be great? That wouldn't boost morale. It would simply erode trust.
So maybe it would be more appropriate not to give a speech at the party. Wouldn't it be better for Marc to say nothing than to say a bunch of things he doesn't even believe himself? Sure he could talk about what he wants next year to look like. But that has its downsides too. Employees would hear Marc talk about how great the future might be and they'd all think he's out of touch. Or worse, they'd be terrified he'll hold them accountable for achieving his pipe dreams. So maybe silence would be better after all.
Except that it's not.
Because we know that people hesitate to communicate bad messages. So if they don't communicate at all? Well, that just confirms our worst fears. Silence isn't the absence of communication. It's the nightmare of communication, fueling our negative fantasies. Sometimes not saying anything is worse than saying the wrong thing.
Marc knew this so he spent a long time thinking about what to say and then, in a flash of insight, he realized why he was having such a hard time. He was preparing for the wrong speech.
He was trying to inspire people with a vision. But sometimes we don't need a vision. Sometimes all we need is empathy. To know that someone else, someone we trust, knows how we feel and can reflect that back to us with compassion.
Painting a picture of the present we know can be far more valuable and comforting than painting a picture of the future we don't. We don't always need the answers. Sometimes we just need to know that we're not alone and we're understood.
Here's a synopsis of what he ended up saying:
It's good to be together again. A year ago the world around us seemed to be falling apart. The economy seemed to be heading to a depression. Many companies failed or disappeared.
Everyone in this room worked tremendously hard. We're all tired. But we held it together and had a decent year. Revenue was up which, in a year when even flat would have been good, is remarkable. Still, you worked harder than ever without seeing proportional results. That's discouraging.
But that extra effort made a big difference. We did less work with some clients but replaced that with successes elsewhere. We won a number of awards. With a steady hand and big support from our investors we held it together and actually succeeded.
This year my very humble holiday message is of gratitude to all those people who made it happen. Thank you for working so hard without always seeing the fruits of your efforts. I see it though. And I appreciate it.
And thank you to all the wives, husbands, partners, girlfriends and boyfriends for your patience and support.
I raise my glass in a toast to all of you and those who can't join us. To a wonderful and safe holiday. Thank you for listening.
After the speech, more people came up to thank, appreciate, and congratulate him than after any speech he had given before.
Sometimes the smartest vision you can have is a clear one of the people in front of you.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Always room for a couple of root beers!
Not sure who the author is of this one, but it's really good!!
A wise professor stood before his class and had some items in front of him.
When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a very large and empty apple sauce jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.
He then asked the students if the jar was full? They agreed that it was.
So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar.
He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.
He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.
He then asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous - yes.
The professor then produced two cans of root beer from under the table and proceeded to pour their entire contents into the jar - effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.
"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things - your family, your boyfriend or girlfriend, your health, and your children - Things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.
The pebbles are the other things that matter, like your job, your house, and your car.
The sand is everything else or “the small stuff."
"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Call your parents often. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your boyfriend or girlfriend out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, give a dinner party and fix the disposal.
"Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the root beer represented.
The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of root beers."
A wise professor stood before his class and had some items in front of him.
When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a very large and empty apple sauce jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.
He then asked the students if the jar was full? They agreed that it was.
So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar.
He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.
He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.
He then asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous - yes.
The professor then produced two cans of root beer from under the table and proceeded to pour their entire contents into the jar - effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.
"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things - your family, your boyfriend or girlfriend, your health, and your children - Things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.
The pebbles are the other things that matter, like your job, your house, and your car.
The sand is everything else or “the small stuff."
"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Call your parents often. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your boyfriend or girlfriend out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, give a dinner party and fix the disposal.
"Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the root beer represented.
The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of root beers."
Thursday, November 5, 2009
The Perfume
Great story! Not sure of the author. Enjoy!
As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children an untruth . Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. However, that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.
Mrs Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did not play well with the otherchildren, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath . In addition, Teddy could be unpleasant.
It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad redpen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at thetop of his papers.
At the school, where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.
Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a brightchild with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly andhas good manners... he is a joy to be around."
His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."
His third grade teacher wrote, " His mother's death has been hard on him He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."
Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class."
By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's ..
His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing , and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume .. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist . Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to." After the children left, she cried for at least an hour.
On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him , the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her "teacher's pets."
A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy , telling her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors . He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he had ever had in his whole life.
Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further . The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had but now his name was a little longer....the letter was signed, Theodore F.Stoddard , MD.
The story does not end there.
You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at the wedding in the place that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom.
Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.
They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, "Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make adifference."
Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."
As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children an untruth . Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. However, that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.
Mrs Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did not play well with the otherchildren, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath . In addition, Teddy could be unpleasant.
It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad redpen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at thetop of his papers.
At the school, where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.
Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a brightchild with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly andhas good manners... he is a joy to be around."
His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."
His third grade teacher wrote, " His mother's death has been hard on him He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."
Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class."
By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's ..
His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing , and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume .. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist . Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to." After the children left, she cried for at least an hour.
On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him , the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her "teacher's pets."
A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy , telling her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors . He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he had ever had in his whole life.
Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further . The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had but now his name was a little longer....the letter was signed, Theodore F.Stoddard , MD.
The story does not end there.
You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at the wedding in the place that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom.
Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.
They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, "Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make adifference."
Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."
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