J.R.R. Tolkien, in his book “The Fellowship of the Ring” writes, All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes, a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring; Renewed shall be the blade that was broken, The crownless again shall be king. We are all familiar with the opening lines of this poem: All that is gold does not glitter/Not all those who wander are lost…, and while I like those lines, […]
Leadership
Learn to handle things on your own
People aren’t always going to be there for you. That’s why you learn to handle things on your own. You know what I think one of the hardest things in life is? It’s when you have to do things on your own. I tend to work alone—it’s just the nature of my business—but sometimes I like to work with others; I just like to hear what they think, or I like to see the process of working together to accomplish a goal come to realization. I also like the comradely that happens when you put good people together to make […]
Don’t Be a Clapper
Recently, in an interview session, I asked my client what was the best advice she’d ever received, and she replied, “Don’t be a clapper.” What, I said, “What does that mean”? She said that all her life, her parents had told her never to stand on the sideline of life but to jump into whatever opportunity came her way so she wouldn’t be one of the crowd, the audience, or those in the stands, enjoying the action but never participating in the thrilling excitement of the game, the sweat and tears of the action. She said that those sideline people […]
The only person you are destined to become
The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be. Ralph Waldo Emerson Decisions, decisions, decisions. They are such a big part of our everyday life, and no matter how many times you and I decide to go with the flow and let life “work out,” in the end, we all make decisions that will have a lasting impact. I like today’s thought because, once again, it is a reminder that we all choose our outcome. I know that many will argue with me on that thought because they have bought into the belief that […]
It never hurts to keep looking for sunshine
“It never hurts to keep looking for sunshine.”—Eeyore. It has been a week. I can’t remember when, in the course of a holiday weekend, I have seen so much sadness and pain and frustration and disappointment. I’m not sure if it’s the moon in its phases or if life is just hard with all that is expected of us. Kids back in school, football teams winning and losing or, financial issues that seem to plague even the most stable of families, or kids gone bad and parents are at their wit’s end. Life is hard—I know you know that—and, although […]
Keep Going
Last week, I spoke about the idea of Swinging for the Fences—stepping up to the plate and taking a powerful swing with all your might and watching that ball sail over the fence so you can round the bases and be proud that you really gave something your all and were successful. I want to add to that thought this week with this directive. Friend, in this life, you need to keep going because there is a great chance that everything you need will come to you at the perfect time…if you continue on. And that is the key: continue […]
If you want something new, you have to stop doing something old
“If you want something new, you have to stop doing something old.” ― Peter F. Drucker. I received a lot of comments from last week’s show about the limiting beliefs that so many people have that hold them down–mentally, emotionally, or physically–or they still have silly, old beliefs that keep them away from what they consider their true calling. And while money was part of the equation for many, the other part, which, frankly, surprised me, was the idea that so many people think that they are too old or are too set in their ways or too far down […]
You’ve Got the Power
When I was younger, I often heard the phrase, You’ve Got the Power. In actuality, I think it was a commercial I heard on the radio, but I remember that it was also told to me to encourage me to move forward in whatever I was doing because, in the end, you and I have the power to do amazing things in our lives and for others. Power – Bing Dictionary defines power as: Capacity to do something: the ability, strength Strength: physical force Control and influence over other people and their actions Power: we often think of others having […]
Swing for the Fences
Have you ever wanted to step up to the plate in baseball and swing for the fence—really give it your best shot and watch as that proverbial ball sails over the back side of the stadium? In life and work, sometimes I think to myself, “What would it take for me to swing hard and connect with the ball to put it over the fence so I can win the contract, take the audience to a new understanding of their freedom to thrive in life, or simply to know that I did something good for someone else?” Dear reader, today, […]
