In my opinion the recent super best selling book entitled “the Secret” is a mere shadow of this wonderful classic.

“Throughout all history, the great wise men and teachers, philosophers, and prophets have disagreed with one another on many different things. It is only on this one point that they are in complete and unanimous agreement. - We become what we think about.”

Earl Nightingale
1921-1989, Author of “The Strangest Secret“

My mom sent me this one yesterday… she pulled it from a book she is reading…. thanks MOM

“Every job is a self-portrait of the person who did it. Autograph your work with excellence.” 

signed, “your name goes here”

You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who can do nothing for them or to them.   — Malcolm Forbes (1919-1990) American Publisher

Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has many–not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.
– Charles Dickens (1812-1870) English Novelist

The above quote reminded me of a quote I scribbled down years ago as I was taking notes in a church meeting. The speaker said,(and I’m paraphrasing a bit here)

“Most people will miss the real significance and meaning of what they might contribute and experience in life NOT because they are bad people or because they engaged in doing bad or wrong things. They will miss it simply because they allowed themselves to become distracted from doing the most important ones.”

It’s so easy to get distracted, to get caught up in “the thick of thin things”. I have found that when I take or make the time to reflect…even for a brief moment, on the “blessings” of my life, that my grattitude increases and my attitude improves. A choice to focus up on such things… is an effective way keep from straying and staying in the less fullfilling world of distraction.

Kirk out

Watch your thoughts; they lead to attitudes.
Watch your attitudes; they lead to words.
Watch your words; they lead to actions.
Watch your actions; they lead to habits.
Watch your habits; they form your character.
Watch your character; it determines your destiny.

These words of unknown origin tell us that our silent and often subconscious choices shape our future. Every aspect of our lives, at home and at work, can be improved if we use our power to think, reflect, and make conscious choices about our thoughts, attitudes, words, actions, and habits.

Instead, many of us think of ourselves as victims. We complain about our circumstances and what others did to us. Whatever psychological comfort there is in feeling powerless and blameless when things aren’t going right, in the end, victims lead unsatisfied lives.

We’re most vulnerable to victimitis when we’re under the influence of powerful emotions like fear, insecurity, anger, frustration, grief, or depression. These feelings are so powerful, we believe our state of mind is inevitable. Our only hope is they will go away on their own. Yet it’s during times of emotional tumult that using our power to choose our thoughts and attitudes is most important. We can’t make pain go away, but we can refuse to suffer.

Even when we don’t like any of our choices, we do have some – once we realize we can take control. It isn’t easy, but what we do and how we choose to feel about ourselves has a profound impact on the quality of our lives. Victims may get sympathy for a while, but that isn’t enough.

Taking personal responsibility for our happiness and success can be scary, but the payoff is enormous. Although we can’t make our lives perfect, we can make them better – usually a lot better.

Michael Josephson
http://www.charactercounts.org/

“Whenever encountering a troublesome person, do not identify him as being cruel or stupid or rude or anything else like that. Instead, see him as a frightened person.”   ~ Vernon Howard

We all know people who are habitually rude, obnoxious, or just plain jerks.  Why they behave that way is usually based in some form of fear.  Fear of being found out, fear of the unknown, or fear of being hurt (this one has many forms).

Yoda …may have been a fictional character but he taught a wise truth when he said… “Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate…and hate leads to the Dark Side!”

The opposite of fear if faith… or a belief and a hope that things can get better, things can work out, that we can do it, or that others will and do want to help us succeed.  Nurturing faith and hope through the creation of vision in others is one of the greatest challenges of leadership.  But, hey… I know you can do it!!  ~ Kirk

If you don’t like something change it; if you can’t change it, change the way you think about it.  ~Mary Engelbreit
It is not necessary to change.  Survival is not mandatory.  ~W. Edwards Deming  (Thank you, Michelle.)
When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.  ~Victor Frankl

All change is not growth, as all movement is not forward.  ~Ellen Glasgow

SCHOOL – 1957 vs. 2007
Scenario :
Jack goes quail hunting before school, pulls into school parking lot with shotgun in gun rack. 
1957  -Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack’s shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.
2007 – School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to Jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for Traumatized students and teachers.  

Scenario : 
Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.                                                                                                        1957 -  Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.
2007 - Police called, SWAT team arrives, arrests Johnny and Mark. Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it. 
 
Scenario :
 Jeffrey won’t be still in class, disrupts other students.
1957  - Jeffrey sent to office and given a good paddling by the Principal. Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.
2007 - Jeffrey given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. Tested for ADD. School gets extra money from state because Jeffrey has a disability. 
 
Scenario :
Billy breaks a window in his neighbor’s car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.
1957 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2007 - Billy’s dad is arrested for child abuse.  Billy removed to foster care and joins a gang.  State psychologist tells Billy’s sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison.  Billy’s mom has affair with psychologist. 
 
Scenario :
Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.
1957 - Mark shares aspirin with Principal out on the smoking dock.
2007 - Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug violations. Car searched for drugs and weapons. 
 
Scenario :
Pedro fails high school English.
1957 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, goes to college.
2007 - Pedro’s cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files Class action lawsuit against state school system and Pedro’s English teacher.   English banned from core curriculum.  Pedro given diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.  

Scenario :
Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from 4th of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, blows up a red ant bed.
1957 - Ants die.
2007- BATF, Homeland Security, FBI called. Johnny charged with  domestic terrorism, FBI investigates parents, siblings removed from home, computers confiscated, Johnny’s Dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.

Scenario :
Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary.  Mary hugs him to comfort him.
1957 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.
2007 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison.  Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy .  

Things alter for the worse spontaneously, if they be not altered for the better designedly.  ~Francis Bacon

The hero is the one who kindles a great light in the world, who sets up blazing torches in the dark streets of life for men to see by. The saint is the man who walks through the dark paths of the world, himself a light.  ~ — Felix Adler

“Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.”  Lance Armstrong

A mother should give her children a superabundance of enthusiasm, that after they have lost all they are sure to lose in mixing with the world, enough may still remain to prompt and support them through great actions.  — Julius C. Hare (1795-1855) English Cleric

I love this quote…. and think that the word “mother” might be easily be replaced by the word “leader”.  Let us strive to give the people around us a bit of a re-charge today by letting our own enthuusiasm and excitement for life shine and show!

Enthusiasitically Yours - KIRK

Recieved this note from UK T4D subscriber Lynne Nash who shares some much needed wisdom found on a recent vacation to Hawaii.

Kirk,    In Hawaii they talk about ‘Ohana’.  Anyone who’s ever seen the movie Lilo and Stitch will know that “ohana means family, family means no-one gets left behind or forgotten”  It means belonging to a community, be that family, friends or colleagues and taking care of each other.  

But one cannot belong to ’ohana’ without also accepting ’kuliana’ which means ‘responsibility’.  If we want to truly belong we must accept the responsibility that goes with it.  The responsibility not just for ourselves to work for the good of the whole community but also to care for each other’s wellbeing and the wellbeing of the places in which we find ourselves, to nurture and guide the young or inexperienced, to be good role models, to teach them good lessons and keep them on the right path.    It’s a powerful message for our modern world.   

Aloha cousin, Lynne