Daily Inspiration 1-31-11

"Let me ask you something. If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient? If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does he give him opportunities to be courageous? If someone prayed for the family to be closer, do you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does he give them opportunities to love each other?"

-- God as played by Morgan Freeman in the movie, Evan Almighty

Do we just give our kids money, or do we show them ways to earn it and thereby have some respect for it and understand value more clearly? Do we allow our children, our sales staff, our employees to learn by allowing them to make mistakes so they can learn better ways? Or, do we step in and do it for them, so that we know it is done according to our own plan regardless of how little they learn that way?

Or, how about ourselves? Are we longing for the easy way, when we know full well that the other way will create a foundation to step up on? Are we looking for a savior?

If you were starting up a company from scratch and using your own capital, or bootstrapping it, would you constantly long for enough money to pay people and be done with the struggle? Or might the struggle have some of the most valuable lessons of the whole journey?

I used to long for all those savior moments, wanting it to be over and someone else to do the work, or make things happen. Then recently, something changed. All of a sudden, it became clear to me that these things weren't struggles at all. It was just a challenge to be able to view it differently; more creatively. Then, it became even more clear that it was not even so much of a challenge as an advantage. Now, just look at that transition! It went from a struggle to a challenge to an advantage? Maybe I'm losing it!

Truly, I'm beginning to see some of the things that I go through in my business and my personal life as advantages instead of the struggles that once were. It is this change in thinking that I am so very excited about because it is showing me the value of the travel that I would have never seen otherwise.

I now know for certain that it is all perfect.

I Now Have An Advantage: My New Perspective.

Spread Some Joy Today--Everything is really how you perceive it. We indeed create our own individual realities.

Daily Inspiration 1-30-11

"The only way to discover the limits of the possible

is to go beyond them into the impossible."

-- Arthur Clarke

Let's look in the rearview mirror not very far back in history and look at just a few of the things that were impossible for hundreds and even thousands of years, and then they somehow not only became possible, but became actual realities.

1. Bridging the Mississippi river.

2. To travel faster than a horse will run.

3. Hauling hundreds of tons of material smoothly and efficiently.

4. Breathing underwater.

5. Flying through the air in a machine.

6. Radio.

7. Television.

8. Computers.

9. The Internet.

10. Worldwide instant communication.

11. Cellular phones.

12. Automobiles.

13. Refrigeration.

14. Air Conditioning.

15. Washing machine.

16. Clothes dryer.

17. Space travel.

18. Landing a man on the moon.

19. Microwave cooking

20. Electric light and appliances.

21. Recorded music.

22. Electric Guitar

23. Rock and Roll

24. Instant Video Recorders.

25. Robotics.

This is such a short list of the seriously long list of things that were impossible for hundreds and thousands of years and then became possible and then became actual things in just the last 200 years. I did this off the top of my head and I'm sure I could come up with a couple hundred items and that list would be small compared with what really transpired.

Next time something seems impossible, pull out this list, or make your own to remind you that nothing is impossible really. It is just a matter of time and more important than time, is someone beginning to believe in the possibility rather than the impossibility. It is amazing what even one person who believes can do to change the world.

We Owe Our Entertainment, Transportation, Food Delivery Systems, And Creature Comforts To A Few Believers.

Spread Some Joy Today--become more of a possibilitarian. You don't have to know how, just know.

Daily Inspiration 1-29-11: Neil Pasricha: The 3 A's of awesome

I'm changing things up a bit today and having run across this awesome talk, find that it is very inspiring and wanted to share it with you.

http://www.ted.com/ Neil Pasricha's blog 1000 Awesome Things savors life's simple pleasures, from free refills to clean sheets. In this heartfelt talk from TEDxToronto, he reveals the 3 secrets (all starting with A) to leading a life that's truly awesome.

Daily Inspiration 1-28-11

"Flaming enthusiasm, backed up by horse sense and persistence,

is the quality that most frequently makes for success."

-- Dale Carnegie

Flaming enthusiasm. . . I just love that phrase! There is nothing quite like enthusiasm, flaming or otherwise to make whatever is being done a joyful experience. As one of my early mentors, Frank Bettger said so well, "to become enthusiastic, act enthusiastically," so there is the fast way to the joy: pretend. Fake it. Act as if. After a bit of practice, it will become real. I know this for a fact.

Get excited about what you are doing. I am so excited about what I am doing now that I can hardly stand it, and it makes me even more excited by letting that out. Life is joyous if you allow it to be, will it to be, want it to be. So, forget about the "reality" that people are constantly reminding you exists. They may say that you're a dreamer, but you're not the only one. . . I've heard that somewhere. . . Live in your fantasy world instead of facing reality. Reality is boring anyway. No fun.

Horse sense and persistence will help with your success, but nothing will take the place of flaming enthusiasm!

Find Something To Get Excited About Today! It Will Make Your Day A Total Joy.

Spread Some Joy Today--it is amazing what we can do when we decide to do it. It is amazing how enthusiastic we can be when we decide to be so.

Daily Inspiration 1-27-11

"The soil says, "Don't bring me your need,

bring me your seed.""

-- Jim Rohn

"God has the tough end of the deal.

What if instead of planting the seed,

you had to make the tree?

That would keep you up late at night,

trying to figure that one out."

-- Jim Rohn

One thing that has become extremely clear to me about life is that it is not need that drives, it is desire--and even more than desire, it is expectation, which is the foregone conclusion of desire.

I love how Jim Rohn puts it about the soil not caring at all about the need, yet is ready, willing, and able to deal with the seed. Indeed, the second quote about God having the tough end of the deal (as if anything is tough for God. . .) puts our physical abilities in perspective by asking us to make the tree. All we know is the seed that becomes the tree, but we don't have anything to do except plant it. The rest is not our domain.

I've shared this before, but I have a sign I printed out on my wall so that I can see it every day that says: "What is MY job! How is GOD'S job!" I need to remind myself very often that I control desire and what I want to do or have or be, yet I DO NOT need to know how to do that. Exactly like the tree and the seed. I plant the seed, which is my job, but the building of the tree is not my job.

I've recognized many times in my life past where I have tried to help build the tree. I get in there and try to change circumstances and events to speed the process along, or to make it better somehow. It becomes clear in a relatively short time how poorly I am equipped and skilled to get that job done. I somehow think that it is my actions that will reap all the results when it is much more me aligning with my desire and focusing there, especially the end result as if it were already done, not knowing a thing about how, or needing to know. The more I stick to my job, the better things turn out.

To The Power That Builds Galaxies, My Desires Are Mere Child's Play. Better In Those Hands Than Mine.

Spread Some Joy Today--let go of as much of the struggle as you can. It won't help. Relax and concentrate on planting and enjoying the sunset, the breeze, and the wonderful shade of the tree.

Daily Inspiration 1-26-11

"The ability to innovate is at the heart of creativity--

a vital component in success. University of Houston

professor Jack Matson recognized that fact and

developed a course that his students came to call

"Failure 101." In it, Matson assigns students to build

mock-ups of products that no one would ever buy.

His goal is to get students to equate failure

with innovation instead of defeat."

-- John C Maxwell, Failing Forward

Innovation and the concept of being the best we can be is at the heart of my there's-no-such-thing-as-competition philosophy. Who has time to look around at what others are doing when you're so busy doing yourself? And innovation is always looking at things in different ways, backward, forward, inside out, upside down, up close, and off in the distance. Consider this quote by R. Buckminster Fuller about innovation: "Pollution is nothing but the resources we are not harvesting. We allow them to disperse because we've been ignorant of their value." I think that is a fascinating thought.

I love that quote by Mr. Fuller because it is like a Mike Rowe's Dirty Jobs way of looking at innovation: people love doing the strangest, but most necessary things that most of us choose to never think about. Pollution is certainly one of those things, and learning to love pollution is a way to find a solution that creates value from something previously with a minus value. Innovation will never occur by ignoring the problem, but in looking at it completely differently.

The worst thing to hear is some version of, "that's the way we've always done it." There are lots of versions on that theme. Innovation requires two things: one, a letting go of previously held truths, and two, an opening of the mind to perhaps radically different ideas. Of course, the ideas need not necessarily be radically different in order to be innovative, but many certainly will be, such as the case with pollution becoming of value.

There's Always Another Way, And Some Of Them May Change The Game Completely.

Spread Some Joy Today--Laugh often and much.

Daily Inspiration 1-25-11

"Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news.

The good news is that you don't know how great you

can be! How much you can love! What you can

accomplish! And what your potential is!"

-- Anne Frank

"If we did all the things we are capable of doing,

we would literally astound ourselves."

-- Thomas A Edison

The other night I watched an older VHS that I had in my eBay store called Calle 54. It is a documentary from 2000 showing Latin Jazz players and groups from all over the globe. It is nothing short of amazing to watch these players play their instruments. It is especially interesting as a musician myself to watch people who really know how to play do something that seems so far away from what I do that it is as if I don't play at all. I am in awe watching them, and in joy as well.

It made me think a bit about the question of how good can we get at something. The right answer is probably, who knows? Limits are always being expanded--and indeed, it seems that they are meant to be expanded.

This one aspect I think I've figured out about this, and that is that it is not desire that can achieve these levels as much as a love of doing a thing. It is beyond desire, and in the holy realm of passion!

Perfection Is An Elusive Thing, Though Many People Do Flirt With It Regularly.

Spread Some Joy Today--watching someone else sharing their passion is very satisfying and encouraging.

Daily Inspiration 1-24-11

"The most successful men in the end are those whose

success is the result of steady accretion. . . It is the

man who carefully advances step by step, with his mind

becoming wider and wider,--and progressively better able

to grasp any theme or situation,--persevering in what he

knows to be practical, and concentrating his thought upon

it, who is bound to succeed in the greatest degree."

-- Alexander Graham Bell

In late 1988, I subscribed to a series of business biographies published on cassette with each title containing two approximately 90 minute cassettes as an abridgement of each book. These were published by a now defunct company called Newstrack Inc. At the time after subscribing to a series of two or three monthly issues, I called them and bought the entire 60 title inventory so I could devour them at my aggressive pace. This was part of over 120 books that I "read" on tape while commuting 104 miles round trip every day for four years. It was my university on wheels and I absolutely loved every second of it, besides the fact that it kept me alert and awake.

In 2004, I began a book business on the side on eBay and ended up eventually with an inventory of some 25,000 items of books, audiobooks, music CD's, etc. Early on in that venture, after having sold my entire set of Newstrack titles, most to one person at a sizeable sum, I decided to buy every one I could find and all that came on the market over the next few years. I did so and sold many thousands of dollars worth. Even now, I must have the world's largest collection of those Newstrack tapes.

Recently, I engaged someone to transfer them to CD for me to enjoy. The last of the tapes were manufactured in 1989 I think and so they are now very old, yet have been protected and are serviceable. Doing this has allowed me the pleasure of revisiting these wonderful books. I just began listening to them again this weekend and it has been so delightful to hear them and the stories of many of the last century business greats and how they came along.

Yesterday, I listened and thoroughly enjoyed, Grinding It Out, The Making of McDonald's by Ray Kroc. What a fascinating story of how that company became an icon from a thought. Today, I am relistening to one of my favorite characters of business: Andrew Carnegie. It is The Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie. For the next several months, I will be in joy listening to so many more of these books.

Having given you this foundation, here is what I wanted most to share in today's daily inspiration. When I listen to Ray Kroc's story and Andrew Carnegie's too--and the rest are the same--it fascinates me how they started with nothing but a thought and parlayed that into other thoughts, into manifestations of those thoughts. They had problems, some large in magnitude, but the vision or the dream kept them going. And, it was perhaps a long period before they then became the overnight success that we looking back in retrospect see they had. In many cases, it was a 30 or 40 year instant success.

The big lesson is that it is the step by step by step, making adjustments as needed, even stopping, turning around and starting again, but with greater success than before that moves the needle. It is the ignorance of age being a factor. Ray Kroc started McDonald's franchising at age 52, Colonel Sanders at age 65. It is also clear that foundations were built on things that didn't show then what would eventually come to be; e.g., Ray Kroc sold milkshake mixing machines, and Andrew Carnegie was a telegraph operator for a railroad company before and during the Civil War.

It is encouraging to me to listen to these stories and to look at where these most successful people were in their early development, and as they grew and became more. It is encouraging to hear about the mistakes they made, and how some of those mistakes became a wonderful success. It is enlightening to me to get to know these people, less as industrial icons, and more like people doing what they are so interested in and love to do. Their passion is intoxicating and the wisdom they share of their toil and travels is of immense value.

I highly recommend the long list of these Newstrack titles. You may still be able to get them in book form. I know the two I mention are on Amazon. To see some of the titles I have, look at my reduced eBay store at www.delsoutlet.com. There is a tab for Newstrack Audios. Most are listed, and I'm working on doing each in CD version as my friend can do them.

So Much To Learn And So Many Wonderful Choices.

Spread Some Joy Today--Buy a book or audio and relight the learning joy.

Daily Inspiration 1-23-11

"Be willing to make decisions. That's the most important

quality in a good leader. Don't fall victim to what I call the

"ready-aim-aim-aim-aim syndrome." You must be willing to fire."

-- T Boone Pickens

Procrastination Parody

of Tommorow From the musical Annie

by Sweet Indigo

I'll do all my work tomorrow

Bet you I'll have finished it tomorrow

After fun...

Keep putting it off, tomorrow

After I've played Tetris and watched Zorro

Essay's done!

I can't do it today, no way

I'm busy

I could get a grade A, but hey

I'll say... oh...

I'll write it all up tomorrow

So I'm gonna leave it till tomorrow

It's okay

Tomorrow, tomorrow

So much time tomorrow

Tomorrow will last all day!

I'll wash all the plates tomorrow

Do the laundry finally, tomorrow

Don't dismay

I'll tidy my room tomorrow

Take back all those library books I borrowed

Back in May

Though I'm in disarray

I'll stay untidy

Just a minor delay, I say

Just today

I'll do everything tomorrow

Pay the electricity tomorrow

Come what may!

Tomorrow, tomorrow

It's finished, tomorrow

Tomorrow's the perfect day!**

**borrowed from http://www.amiright.com/parody/70s/annie1.shtml

I Like The Idea Of Making Decisions Quickly And Often. I'll Give It Some More Thought. . .

Spread Some Joy Today--procrastinate or not. Lighten up. Sing a song. Change the lyrics. Have some fun.

Daily Inspiration 1-22-11

"I have yet to find a man, however exalted his station,

who did not do better work and put forth greater effort

under a spirit of approval than under a spirit of criticism."

-- Charles M Schwab

"There is more hunger for love and

appreciation in this world than for bread."

-- Mother Teresa

Having studied Andrew Carnegie for some time, it is impossible to miss getting to know his right hand man, Charles M Schwab. In fact, there is a book very much worth reading about Mr Schwab called Steel Titan. In getting to know Charles Schwab, it was clear that he was an artist at dealing with people and he was famous for getting people to do things well through a spirit of approval instead of a spirit of criticism.

Love and appreciation has to be at or nearest the top of what people really want in virtually every situation. That subject is the basis for one of the world's most helpful books, How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. It is also a must read that never will go out of style and is full of value to the reader.

When I saw these two quotes together, I thought about these three leaders, and I also thought about the need and desire for approval that we all have. I thought about it specifically about myself and my own desire for approval that was a driving force in my life. What I realized in looking at this is that most of my life I felt that I was lacking in enough or the proper approval and I used to find that frustrating. At some point in the very recent past, I've let go of the need of it. It's not that I don't appreciate it when it is given to me, it's just that I no longer crave it as I did before.

What's also interesting to realize is that the need for approval has dissipated since I decided to give it to others everywhere I go. It might be an approving glance, a thank you spoken aloud, saying I love you aloud, showing love by doing something courteous or nice or unexpected. I just sent notes to people out of the blue to tell them I was thinking of them and was appreciating them, and those are always very well received. I am always looking at what I can compliment someone on. Maybe they have a new hair style, have lost weight, look especially sharp that day, have a wonderful smile, exude confidence. I seem to always find something to compliment people on and they just love it.

And, guess what? Now that I'm not looking for it for myself and giving it away in droves, I find that I feel more love every day, so in effect, it is coming back to me in greater quantity. Who knew?

Focus On Others For Your Own Benefit.

Spread Some Joy Today--there is such joy in spreading it around you.

Daily Inspiration 1-21-11

Note: This daily inspiration goes out in 2 different emails and is also a daily blog post. I noticed in looking on the blog at the statistics of page views, and found this page to be the most viewed of the almost 480 daily inspirations. So I thought I would share it again. This post received almost twice as many views as the next most viewed page. 

From the archives:

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Daily Inspiration 7-28-10

"It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare;

it is because we do not dare that they are difficult."

-- Marcus Annaeus Seneca

(54 BC - 39 AD)

This quote from Seneca the elder inspires me. It also helps me to understand the obstacles that appear in my pathway and how I have dealt with them in the past as well as how I might better deal with them today and in the future.

The very first thing that came to my mind when I read this quote was learning to build a website and to be more Internet savvy. In September of 2007, I had spent the last few years wondering about websites and wanting someone to magically appear and come do things for me and then I wouldn't have to learn anything about doing them. This is a common trait in my thinking from time to time wherein I create these huge thirty foot high walls that I expect I will have to climb over, but I don't have the energy and so, back to the couch I go to escape into much more pleasing thoughts. Every feel that way? It's not fun.

Once I decide that I really want to learn, it is so interesting how this thirty foot wall all of a sudden becomes more like ten feet, then 6 feet, then 4 feet, then 10 inches, then a 4-lane highway. Don't tell me you don't know what I'm talking about! I'm certain that I'm not alone. But, ain't it grand that this happens? Problem solved. Yesterday I couldn't spell it and today I are one! Success! That's what I'm talking about!

It seems that I should recognize this scenario each time that silly thirty foot wall appears. It's happened enough times, but I still feel that overwhelmed feeling. Yet, there is good news. I feel it less and less now that I am aware of how to deal with those walls. And the better news is that I am finding less and less thirty foot walls too. So, it's all good.

I've heard people say that, God doesn't give you a problem so big that you can't deal with it. I say, I'm glad he kept them under forty feet. . .

I'm Sharing My Daring For Difficulties Sake.

Spread Some Joy Today--Got walls? It's just a mirage! Walk toward it with a tinge of confidence and those walls come a tumblin' down. Rock on!

Daily Inspiration 1-20-11

"You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place

in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality."

-- Walt Disney

Yesterday, I briefly mentioned stringing joyous days together. So, I took my own advice and just decided that I would string as many of them together as I could.

It's early in the day and I was inspired to begin tomorrow's daily inspiration right now because I am feeling so on top of the world! Well, maybe extremely excited would be a better way to say it.

Here's what excited me this morning. I was talking with my partner Ryan and we were laughing and having a good time on the phone and we talked about our latest websites and how great they look compared to only 8 months ago. In just three years, we have grown so much in creating better and better websites, blogs and other Internet items. It is almost mind-boggling the difference from when I first built my first website in October, 2007. And, I was thinking about what made the difference and how it came about. The answer is NOT ME.

Yes, not me. I didn't do it. . . directly, but indirectly. The first site was by the green pea himself, me. Nothing to write home about, except that it was actually completed and online and I did it. Then I built some more and each one got better and better. Then after about 8 months or so in business, we hire a graphic designer and soon, the sites take on a whole new dimension. Then, the company we use improved their product dramatically, then we hired another graphic designer, then . . . well, suffice to say that I am not building websites any more and haven't for some time. But, here's the good news: I own the company! So in effect, I do! Is that cool or what!?

I find and have always believed, like Henry Ford, that you surround yourself with talented people and they make you look pretty darn good. It isn't me, but the people who are a part of our endeavor that make all the difference. I'm in there doing things, but I couldn't do what our company does now without them. They are Upward Trend now. And, we are all so much better for it.

Think about your business and the people in your employ, or if you're an employee, look around at the talented people the surround you. Recognize that talent and express your gratitude for it. Even if it doesn't directly affect you in your position, I am certain they affect you indirectly in some way. Build them up because that automatically will build you up. A company is absolutely worthless without the people--the right people--just like any good football team, or organization. Seek what is going right, not what is going wrong, and applaud every success no matter how small and watch what happens.

It Takes People To Grow. . .

Spread Some Joy Today--Grow some kindness by giving some of yours away as seed. In the same way, grow your laughter, friendship, love, excitement, and joy.

Daily Inspiration 1-19-11

"Those who improve with age embrace the power of

personal growth and personal achievement and begin

to replace youth with wisdom, innocence with understanding,

and lack of purpose with self-actualization."

-- Bo Bennett

I used to talk about learning plateau's. It seemed to me that I would be learning every day, building up experiences over some period of time, then, what would seem all of a sudden, I felt like I just had a big jump and then I was in a whole new level of confidence, wisdom, skills, etc., and then begin building again toward the next plateau. I never knew when, or how much time these plateau's would take to be noticed or realized, and it seemed like it was sometimes months, other times maybe even years.

Something I've noticed recently is that these plateau's are beginning to come more frequently and with less time in between. I'm not sure what that means, but this I do know: it is way cool and fun and exciting at the same time.

Well, you might have already guessed, I had one today. I'll tell you, today I felt dang near invincible it was that much fun. It started early this morning with a truck training class at a dealership. I've given this class at least a couple hundred times to well over a thousand people. I know it by heart very well. It is a two and a half hour class that is full of great information. Today, I changed it up a bit and spent more time in certain areas and didn't even cover other areas. I think it actually worked better, and what I learned from that told me to cut the class at least in half regarding the material, and maybe even break it up in more pieces. But, that's not the main thing to share.

What I want to share is that when you do a thing often enough and you know what you're doing and do it well, the confidence level continues to increase. In addition, you can pay more attention to what is going on in the class and less to what you are doing. This alone yields more insight. But, that's still not the main thing.

So, as I do this class, even with some time in between, I still find it very exciting and fun and I do everything I can to show that in my body language and my voice and actions. After class, we went out on the lot to look over trucks and point out features on each one. Everywhere I walked on this large lot, I walked with enthusiasm and purpose and determination, and confidence. It was absolutely joyous! What a thrill. To top it off, the sun came out today after over a week of overcast. What could be better?

That's the main thing I wanted to talk about: the feeling; the joy; the fun; the enthusiasm; the learning; the thrill; the excitement. I was hot and loving it and I think we all need to do that as often as it is possible to have it happen. Don't you? A day like today can very easily overshadow several off days.

Let's Challenge Ourselves To See How Many Joyous Days We Can String Together! It'll Be FUN!

Spread Some Joy Today--There is nothing quite like loving what you are doing--even if it is just for today. . .

Daily Inspiration 1-18-11

"I owe my success to having listened respectfully to the very best advice,

and then going away and doing the exact opposite.

-- Gilbert K. Chesterton

"Attitude is greatly shaped by influence and association."

-- Jim Rohn

The is a quote from one of my all time favorite books, Failing Forward by John C Maxwell. If you haven't read it, I absolutely recommend it, and if you have read it, I recommend reading it again every few years. It is totally inspirational. Here is a short section that I found enlightening and so interesting:

"Business professors Gary Hamel and C.K. Prahalad have written about an experiment that was conducted with a group of monkeys. It is a vivid story of failure.

Four monkeys were placed in a room that had a tall pole in the center. Suspended from the top of that pole was a bunch of bananas. One of the hungry monkeys started climbing the pole to get something to eat, but just as he reached out to grab a banana, he was doused with a torrent of cold water. Squealing, he scampered down he pole and abandoned his attempt to feed himself. Each monkey made a similar attempt, and each one was drenched with cold water. After making several attempts, they finally gave up.

Then researchers removed one of the monkeys from the room and replaced him with a new monkey. As the newcomer began to climb the pole, the other three grabbed him and pulled him down to the ground.

After trying to climb the pole several times and being dragged down by the others, he finally gave up and never attempted to climb the pole again.

The researchers replaced the original monkeys, one by one, and each time a new monkey was brought in, he would be dragged down by the others before he could reach the bananas. In time, the room was filled with monkeys who had never received a cold shower. None of them would climb the pole, but not one of them knew why."

Now, this whole story is so familiar to me, only it was people, not monkeys. Now, I get it. . .

Association Has Risks And Rewards.

Spread Some Joy Today--Take confidence in your own counsel. More than anything, it is your own belief that matters.