My big brother Greg sent this to me yesterday… it’s good.  Sadly I was a bit slow on a couple of them…but reading through at slower pace really helped the irony sink in.  Enjoy your next flight! (and before any aircraft mechanics or UPS people write me a response…hey, of course we know it takes endless hours of training to do what you do.)

UPS Flight Gripe Sheet
Remember it takes a college degree to fly a plane, but only a high school diploma to fix one. Reassuring for those of you who fly routinely for your jobs.

After every flight, UPS pilots fill out a form, called a ‘gripe sheet,’ which tells mechanics about problems with the aircraft.  The mechanics correct the problems, document their
repairs on the form, and then the pilots review the gripe sheets before the next flight.

Never let it be said that ground crews lack a sense of humor. Here are some actual complaints submitted by the UPS pilots (marked with a P) and the solutions
recorded (marked with an S) by maintenance engineers.

By the way, UPS is the only major airline that has never, ever, had an accident.

P: Left inside main tire almost needs replacement.
S: Almost replaced left inside main tire.

P: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough.
S: Auto-land not installed on this aircraft.

P: Something loose in cockpit
S: Something tightened in cockpit

P: Dead bugs on windshield.
S: Live bugs on back-order.

P: Auto pilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200 feet per minute descent
S: Cannot reproduce problem on ground.

P: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear.
S: Evidence removed.

P: DME volume unbelievably loud.
S: DME volume set to more believable level.

P: Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick.
S: That’s what friction locks are for.

P: IFF inoperative in OFF mode.
S: IFF always inoperative in OFF mode.

P: Suspected crack in windshield.
S: Suspect you’re right.

P: Number 3 engine missing.
S: Engine found on right wing after brief search.

P: Aircraft handles funny. (I love this one!)
S: Aircraft warned to: straighten-up, fly right, and be serious.

P: Target radar hums.
S: Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics.

P: Mouse in cockpit.
S: Cat installed.

And the best one for last……………. .

P: Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer.
S: Took hammer away from midget..

Reaping a Multiple Reward by Jim Rohn

For every disciplined effort, there are multiple rewards. That’s one of life’s great arrangements. In fact, it’s an extension of the Biblical law that says that if you sow well, you will reap well.

Here’s a unique part of the Law of Sowing and Reaping. Not only does it suggest that we’ll all reap what we’ve sown, it also suggests that we’ll reap much more. Life is full of laws that both govern and explain behaviors, but this may well be the major law we need to understand: for every disciplined effort, there are multiple rewards.

What a concept! If you render unique service, your reward will be multiplied. If you’re fair and honest and patient with others, your reward will be multiplied. If you give more than you expect to receive, your reward is more than you expect. But remember: the key word here, as you might well imagine, is discipline.

Everything of value requires care, attention, and discipline. Our thoughts require discipline. We must consistently determine our inner boundaries and our codes of conduct, or our thoughts will be confused. And if our thoughts are confused, we will become hopelessly lost in the maze of life. Confused thoughts produce confused results.

Remember the law: “For every disciplined effort, there are multiple rewards.” Learn the discipline of writing a card or a letter to a friend. Learn the discipline of paying your bills on time, arriving to appointments on time, or using your time more effectively. Learn the discipline of paying attention, or paying your taxes or paying yourself. Learn the discipline of having regular meetings with your associates, or your spouse, or your child, or your parent. Learn the discipline of learning all you can learn, of teaching all you can teach, of reading all you can read.

For each discipline, multiple rewards. For each book, new knowledge. For each success, new ambition. For each challenge, new understanding. For each failure, new determination. Life is like that. Even the bad experiences of life provide their own special contribution. But a word of caution here for those who neglect the need for care and attention to life’s disciplines: everything has its price. Everything affects everything else. Neglect discipline, and there will be a price to pay. All things of value can be taken for granted with the passing of time.

That’s what we call the Law of Familiarity. Without the discipline of paying constant, daily attention, we take things for granted. Be serious. Life’s not a practice session.

If you’re often inclined to toss your clothes onto the chair rather than hanging them in the closet, be careful. It could suggest a lack of discipline. And remember, a lack of discipline in the small areas of life can cost you heavily in the more important areas of life. You cannot clean up your company until you learn the discipline of cleaning your own garage. You cannot be impatient with your children and be patient with your distributors or your employees. You cannot inspire others to sell more when that goal is inconsistent with your own conduct. You cannot admonish others to read good books when you don’t have a library card.

Think about your life at this moment. What areas need attention right now? Perhaps you’ve had a disagreement with someone you love or someone who loves you, and your anger won’t allow you to speak to that person. Wouldn’t this be an ideal time to examine your need for a new discipline? Perhaps you’re on the brink of giving up, or starting over, or starting out. And the only missing ingredient to your incredible success story in the future is a new and self-imposed discipline that will make you try harder and work more intensely than you ever thought you could.

The most valuable form of discipline is the one that you impose upon yourself. Don’t wait for things to deteriorate so drastically that someone else must impose discipline in your life. Wouldn’t that be tragic? How could you possibly explain the fact that someone else thought more of you than you thought of yourself? That they forced you to get up early and get out into the marketplace when you would have been content to let success go to someone else who cared more about themselves.

Your life, my life, the life of each one of us is going to serve as either a warning or an example. A warning of the consequences of neglect, self-pity, lack of direction and ambition … or an example of talent put to use, of discipline self-imposed, and of objectives clearly perceived and intensely pursued.

To Your Success,

Jim Rohn

HELLO and HAPPY MONDAY!!

Last week one of our wonderful subscribers posted a response to T4D/Blog that I thought was wonderful.  I invite you to take special note of the very last sentence.

Peace requires one to let go of the urges to judge others for what they do or do not do. It means taking things one at a time and letting go of worry over things that cannot be controlled or changed. Accepting people for who they are without trying to guess at their motivation puts us on a path to a peaceful existence.

So thank you Karen Staebell

Accepting, without guessing, places us on a more peaceful path.  Kirk out

To think bad thoughts is really the easiest thing in the world. If you leave your mind to itself it will spiral down into ever increasing unhappiness. To think good thoughts, however, requires effort. This is one of the things that discipline - training - is about.  ~James Clavell, in his novel “Shogun

Happiness is often the result of being too busy to be miserable.  (wow, isn’t this the truth?)

Be busy - be happy - be a servant of others over self.

Kirk

“It is not what we read, but what we remember that makes us learned. It is not what we intend but what we do that makes us useful. And, it is not a few faint wishes but a lifelong struggle that makes us valiant.”  ~ Henrey Ward Beecher

In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.  Eric Hoffer

Any person capable of angering you becomes your master; he can anger you only when you permit yourself to be disturbed by him.  — Epictetus (55-135 AD) Greek Philosopher

I love the above quote - and I also was inspired by the story linked below.  It’s about a non-medical person who may have jump started a cancer cure because he didn’t think like a medical doctor or a drug manufacture. The story was on 60 Minutes.  It’s pretty amazing.  The Kanzius Machine: A Cancer Cure? Inventor Tells 60 Minutes He Hopes To Live Long Enough To See Machine Cure Humans http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/10/60minutes/main4006951.shtml

WOW - Cool!  If it pans out that this stuff works… there may very well be allot of pharmaceutical companies not happy about the revenue they lose from selling drugs.

 Kirk Out

One of the T4D readers sent this to me yesterday knowing I am big fan of John Miller’s wonderful book on personaly accountability “QBQ”.  At first glance some might think this is a politically motivated by John - but after reading it carefully I am of the opinion it is not and that the message and principles he espouses are well worth a review. 

So enjoy…..

I spoke this week in Washington, D.C. for one of the largest speakers’ bureaus in the world-a staff of about 80 people dedicated to selling speakers to corporations and associations all day long. While there, I was told, “This is our busy season!” So, as a speaker, I’m thinking, Really? April is a busy season for booking speakers? I’ve never noticed! When I verbalized my thought, I was quickly educated on what was meant by “busy season.” What topics are they frantically booking for events everywhere, you ask?

Anything to do with politics.

Ah, but of course. Everything has its season. And we surely are a fad-driven society and political speakers certainly would be in demand-at least till Tuesday, November 4, 2008. And then, it’ll be over. Thank heavens. Less pain for all of us living in a world where some “leaders” set the worst kind of example:

• I didn’t say what I meant!
• I didn’t mean what I said!
• She said this!
• He said that!
• I’m offended!
• I’m offended that you’re offended!
• Shame on you!
• Hypocrite!
• I’m sorry if my words that I didn’t really say or mean might possibly have hurt someone!

I know some of you will email me sharing your opinion on which party in our monopolistic, slightly dysfunctional two-party system is right or wrong. You’ll think I’m taking sides or lobbying for one candidate or another. Sure, I know who I’d vote for in November, but that’s not the point of this missive. What is the point? It’s this:

I want the American people to lead the leaders, because some of our leaders are lost.

And in reality, the people are already leading our great nation daily by working, managing, serving, selling, worshipping, parenting-making a difference. And politicians, our supposed leaders?

Blaming. Whining. Distorting. Posturing. Exaggerating. Spinning. Covering up. And making excuses.

Sometimes, when I’m not on my guard, I begin to fantasize about a world that could be. One where the “pols” practice QBQ! Yes, I know, QBQ! is for me and not for others, but I can dream, can’t I? Picturing a world where humility, integrity, and responsibility reign supreme is very exciting to me-and probably you, too.

But sadly, even though the demand for political speakers will fade, politicians will never go away. And I suspect, on some level, we need them. If for nothing else than to remind us how not to live. Human beings often learn best when we see what not to do, and I thank some of our leaders everyday for their clear lessons.

So I tune out the media, the experts, the snapshot polls, and TV talking heads-foregoing their amazing insights-and remember it’s still about me practicing an idea that is no fad: Personal accountability.

Personal accountability, an idea that works because it’s contrary to our world. It’s good to be a contrarian. To cut against the grain sharpens me, makes me more effective, gives me a valuable edge, and enables me to better contribute. I choose not to be a lemming following all the blamers and excuse-makers off the cliff. I will stand on a powerful, life-changing idea that is right and true. Essentially, I will be in the world and not of it. That’s when I am at my best. Society may be going one direction, but with QBQ! I empower myself to go another.

So for those of us who run large corporations, small businesses, schools and classrooms, churches, departments, teams, families, or just manage ourselves, let’s take this on as our new mission:

I will not bend to the winds of current culture. I will stand for PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY. I will demonstrate to my customers, my colleagues, my community, my family, and myself that I am a “No Excuses” leader.

What a great way to live life. What a terrific example to set for others. Maybe it’s time for The People to lead and for The Leaders to follow. Any objections?

Written by:

John G. Miller
Author of QBQ! and Flipping the Switch

Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which, in prosperous circumstances, would have lain dormant.  ~ — Horace (65-8 BC) Roman Poet

 I love this one… so true, so true.  Kirk Out