Today’s Thought comes from the wonderful work and writings of AA or Alcoholics Anonymous

AA Thought for the Day
Forgiveness

I must forgive injuries, not just in words, or as a matter of form, but in my heart.
I do this not for the other persons’ sake, but for my own sake.
Resentment, anger, or a desire to see someone punished, are things that rot my soul.  Such things fasten my troubles to me with chains.  They tie me to other problems that have nothing to do with my original problem. 

Thought to Ponder . . .

Friend Bob Dieter forwarded this bit from WalktheTalk.com… thanks Bob!

OUR CHARACTER IS SHOWN BY…

The jokes we CHOOSE to share…and not to share.
The derogatory terms we CHOOSE to use…and refuse to use.
The promises we CHOOSE to break…and the ones we keep.
The rumors we CHOOSE to spread…and those we ignore.
The resources we CHOOSE to waste…and those we use wisely.
The lies we CHOOSE to tell…and not to tell.
The responsibilities we CHOOSE to accept…and those we shirk.
The courtesies we CHOOSE to extend…and fail to extend.
The efforts we CHOOSE to put forth…and not put forth.
The quality we CHOOSE to provide…and the corners we cut.
The information we CHOOSE to share…and that which we hoard.
The listening we CHOOSE to do and not do.
The respect we CHOOSE to give…and fail to give.
The helpful hands we CHOOSE to extend…and those we keep in our pockets.

 A great reminder that it’s better to have character…than to just be one.

Kirk

“Nurture your mind with great thoughts, for you will never go any higher than you think.”  Benjamin Disraeli
1804-1881, British Statesman and Prime Minister

Last night my wife Rebecca shared a short lesson with our family on the principle of truth.  What it is, why it’s important - but her real emphasis was found in this question.  “What truths do we know and live?”  Said another way…  “What are things in our life that we do specifically because of things we believe or know to be true.”

The quote above by Benjamin Disraeli got me thinking about this again this morning because I was taught a truth years ago that has significantly changed my life.  The truth was, “You will never move past the limits of your own thinking.”  If you think you don’t deserve something or that you aren’t capable of something…then you most likely won’t make any genuine effort to obtain it.  But if you constantly seek to strengthen your thoughts through a pattern of study and learning…then as you grow so do the possibilities of your life.  As our thoughts become more…so do our lives.

The principle or truth applied in my life has led me to do so much more learning than I would have otherwise.

 Rebecca concluded her lesson by challenging our family to memorize this quote -

“A knowledge of truth is of little value unless we apply it by making right choices” ~Rebecca Weisler

Kirk out

Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.”   ` Anonymous

About once a week a friend, Dan Lafever, sends me a youtube link that makes me smile.  Today I’d like to share Dan’s link with each of you as well as another shared with me by Jim Brownson about a lion returned to the wild….It’s a wonderful way to end the week.

Dog days of summer…  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygoYriwQ45Y

Kirk,

Below is the link for a video you might like.  I checked the story out on Snopes and it is true.  Below is the rest of the story

http://www.snopes.com/photos/animals/christian.asp

Then watch the video.   I know I am showing my age, but I remember as a kid in the 70’s seeing this

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adYbFQFXG0U

Jim Brownson

I’ve been sending out the T4D or “Thought 4 the Day” for nearly 10 years now.  Some days it’s tedious, most days it’s pretty fun and most days it’s also pretty rewarding.  Many of you have sent me personal notes of thanks because a particular T4D was “just what was needed” for you personally or for a member of your team at work. 

I try hard to respond personally to each note you send…I hope you forgive the ones I miss or just can’t get too.  I want you to know that I read and appreciate all that you send.  Today I want to share with you a recent e-mail I recieved from a subscriber we will call “Rachelle” which describes how she feels about the T4D, and a little bit how she and so many of you use it to bless the lives of others as well.  It also illustrates why I find so much joy in sending them out.  ~ Kirk

My name is “Rachelle” and I must tell you that I have been receiving your inspiring thoughts for months at work.  I can’t begin to thank you enough for the thoughts that have been sent.  I have been going through many very difficult personal situations and your thoughts have often brought the perfect thought at the perfect time. 

Some of my favorites that I have posted on my board in neon sticky notes have been:                      

“A gathering is a Strengthening”                    

“Disgust and Resolve are 2 great emotions that lead to change”                     

“All of our dreams can come true if we have the courage to persue them”                     

“Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which, in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant.”    

“There are some that live in a dream world, and there are some who face reality; and then there are some who turn one into the other”  

THANK YOU!!  THANK YOU!!  THANK YOU!!  I wanted to share another thought with you that you may want to share,   Life is either a daring adventure or nothing” Helen Keller

Thank you Rachelle…

and Thank you again to each of you who subscribe, share and support the T4D / Thought 4 the Day!

“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” Alvin Toffler

Today’s T4D reminded me of Yoda’s instruction to young Luke Skywalker….”You must unlearn what you have learned.” 

Tom Peter’s is fond of saying “The problem isn’t getting the new ideas in, it’s getting the old ones out.”

Leaders must be learners and teachers also.  Our personal example and love of learning will most likely be the strongest invitation to those around us to discover for themselves the joy and power of learning.  To awaken the spirit of the student within another and to help them grow their ability and desire to learn is one of the most challenging and most rewarding aspects of leadersip. 

Lead on, Learn on, Teach on….and Keep on, Keepin On

Kirk Out

“Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target no one else can see.”
  - Arthur Schopenhauer

Ideally then… I guess I want to surround myself with a good bit of both.  Let’s choose to make it a great week!

Kirk Out 

I read this one and thought to myself, “Well isn’t that the truth?!”

“It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it.” 

The size and dynamics of the loads we carry will change throughout our lives.  A load that seems to crush one person seems relatively light to another.  It is primarily a person’s perception of the load that matters most.  I have an absolute favorite book on the principle and power of perception that I intend to share in more detail in a future T4D.  It’s called “Beyond Illusions“  The Magical of Positive Perception….authored by Brad Barton.  In it Brad offers wonderful stories and insights designed to help people “lighten their load” by strengthening or changing their perception.

I pulled the following text from 3 related slides of a presentation given by Tom Peters. It was not new to hear him yelling about these ideas…in fact I heard him yelling about them 7 years ago and took notes, bought his “Brand You 50″ book and made some changes in my professional life that have turned out to be very beneficial. In contrast some in my social circle did next to nothing…and a majority have suffered lay offs, salary cuts or lifestyle crunching workloads. What’s surprising to me is that they can act so surprised about it…as if they truly didn’t see it coming. The bounce back has been a hard one for those who chose that path…others seem to be becoming more and more expert at the art of victimism.

Re-imagine the Individual:
Welcome to a Brand You World … Distinct or Extinct

1. Can someone overseas do it cheaper?
2. Can a computer do it faster?
3. Is what you’re selling in demand in an age of abundance?
Source: Dan Pink

“If there is nothing very special about your work, no matter how hard you apply yourself, you won’t get noticed, and that increasingly means you won’t get paid much either.” -Michael Goldhaber, Wired

Make it a great day, it’s your choice!

Kirk Out