I find that there are many ways to learn. I hope to provide some insight on the ways that I learn, share knowledge, and be a great community citizen to the web.
DOORS OF OPPORTUNITY AWAIT
Today is a beautiful day for my daughter. The world is opening a door of opportunity by officially recognizing her as an adult. As a parent, I couldn’t be more proud to see the growth and maturity just blossom. I do believe there are few things in life that have such an impact as the recognition of adulthood. Along with the recognition comes a new sense of adventure, a new definition of responsibility, and an acute awareness of independence.
TO COOPERATE OR COMPETE
We are taught from a young age how to cooperate with others to create a more harmonious environment. We are also taught how to compete with the premise that it will make us better human beings. Cooperation is a behavior that benefits others through working together to achieve something greater. Competition builds the character of an individual for self-growth and gain.Each one used in the proper balance, these behaviors are core to achieving most goals or outcomes in life. However, if I had one skill I could master it would be cooperation. Here is why:
PURSUIT IS THE TRUE REWARD
When you dream big, everything that pertains to the dream is big. You will have to make big decisions. You will have to take big risks. You will have big disappointments. You will potentially get the big reward you envisions. The first 3 bullets describe what will happen if you pursue your dream. Reward will happen. More importantly the reward might not be what you expect or anticipate. Without exception, the process of pursuing my dreams has been more rewarding the goal of achieving the dream itself.
CHANGE HAPPENS CONSTANTLY
You don’t like your work situation? Is your marriage unsatisfying? Is your life not where you want it to be? What is common about these three questions? You are. Each one of these questions can also have one answer which is “Change yourself.” By reflecting on all the things that are negative, you may be able to see patterns that are inside you or an element of your life that you would like to change.
WHO WILL YOU INVEST IN TODAY?
I didn’t realize it for many years, but Robert chose to invest in me. It is now 20+ years later and I still think about how he was feeding me wisdom, knowledge, and instruction about how to live a life with integrity and thankfulness. In the time I spent working for Robert, I believe each encounter was a lesson in life that he wanted to impart. We have lost touch over the years, because I didn’t understand the value of his mentorship and friendship. However, when he invested in me, it has made a lasting impact.
STOP CALENDAR ABUSE
Let’s start by saying I dislike calendars. They are reminders of all the work that I “think” I have to do. Until recently. In the past I have been fighting the battle of appointment Monday, where I start the week with a clean slate and by the end of the day on Monday, I have a calendar 80% full of meetings that I don’t want to attend. Oh and when I say a clean slate, I am not including the “recurring” meetings. What makes matters worse is that I didn’t set up time on my calendar to prioritize time I need to the most important items. So that usually slips till evening or early mornings to see where I can wedge time into my schedule.
YOUR LIFE IS AN ARTISTIC MASTERPIECE
God has given you all the tools to create your masterpiece. By the choices you have made so far and by the decisions of the future a masterpiece will be produced. It may be a precision sculpture, or an abstract painting, or even an epic that chronicles your life. The cool things about masterpieces is that they are one of a kind and cannot be duplicated. They capture emotion, display truth, and create impressions on those who view your masterpiece.
FINDING PURPOSE WITH 3 QUESTIONS
John Maxwell’s 30 day journey has really been a great inspiration for me. This post is actually my reflection on 3 questions he asks us to internalize. The combination of these questions were powerful for me to getting a definition around significance and how to be intentional. I am realizing that I can take charge of being the author of my life only when I become clear in what it is that I am supposed to be doing.
THINK BEFORE ACTING
One of the most exciting parts of my job tackling tough problems to come up with great solutions. While the journey can be difficult at times, I know that the reward of a job well done outweighs any challenges, risks, or disappointments that will occur along the way. The most valuable lesson I have learned is to think before acting on any decision. Thinking deeply about your upcoming actions prepares you for the twists and turns on the journey to a solution.
SUCCESS FOR OTHERS IS IN YOUR CONTROL
We are standing on the shoulders of giants for every success. Each day this reality becomes more clear for me. What is so funny though is the giants we recognize today are just ordinary people doing extraordinary things for others. I know that my success is directly related to those people who give me a boost in the process. My wife is one of the strongest contributors to my success. She put a successful career on hold to take care of the kids at home. Who she really ended up taking care of was me. She encouraged me during hard times at work, which gave me the will power to continue to persevere. She invested extra time in family so that I could concentrate on the next win at work. She lovingly councils me when I am going through tough situations. She has made me successful.