Monday's Motivational Morsel - Bubbles

“Ideas are like soap bubbles floating in the air close to jagged rocks on a windy day.”

- John Maxwell

That statement is so true in many ways. Just think how many times you have ever had a great idea but were so caught up in the moment that within a matter of hours or even minutes that idea was lost...a bubble that never even had a chance to completely form.

Of those few ideas that we do manage to capture and start pursuing they are often like those bubbles being blown towards the jagged rocks. Other people are constantly putting down our ideas. These ideas, especially when they are in the early stages, are so fragile that a few unsupportive words from the wrong person can cause them to pop, never to be seen again.

Our job as true leaders is to be that gentle breeze that takes those ideas away from the jagged rocks and out into the grassy fields where they can have a chance to soar to the sky.

We need to encourage those around us to pursue and further develop their ideas. We need to help them strengthen their idea so that they will be able to handle a harsh wind or obstacle that they will face sooner or later.

Now ask yourself, whose ideas are you helping protect? What are you doing to Develop Others?

Monday's Motivational Morsel

"Strong motivation is the most important factor in getting you to the top."
- Edmund Hillary

What is it that gets you out of bed in the morning? What makes you so excited that you can't sleep at night? Asking yourself simple questions like those will help you discover where your motivation comes from.

Find it and go after it.

Dare to Dream

I was sitting in church this morning and the choir was singing. I was not paying too much attention to what they were singing when I heard the phrase, "To satisfy a hungry heart." That immediatly got me thinking. What is it that satisfies a persons heart? What is it that gives us a sense of purpose?

The answer is simple, we get that feeling of purpose when we are pursuing our dreams. Having and pursuing your dreams is the nurishment to our days. They fill them and make them worthwhile. They become the driving force that gets us out of bed in the morning.

Of course the key word is pursuing, it is the process of actually going after those dreams that bring you that sense of fulfillment. This can only happen when you turn that dream into a goal. When we make that transformation is when we truly hit the ground with our feet running.

Over the next few weeks we will discuss some strategies for helping turn our dreams into reality. We will take an in depth look that the goal setting process and more importantly how we can be sure to follow through on our goals.

Now, I just have one question....What is your dream?

MMM - Risky Business

"If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try."

Recently, I had the opportunity to be a small group leader at the OK FFA Alumni Camp. This was a phenomenal experience and I plan to go into more detail on what I learned during this week in future posts.

This year the camp was all about change. During one of the small group sessions we talked about going after your goals with enthusiasm and how when you get closer to a goal the excitement builds, then there is nothing like that feeling you get after you accomplished a hard earned goal. But what if we didn't have goals....then there would be no reason to celebrate.

It is our goals that give us a reason to celebrate because when we attempt to reach a goal there is a certain amount of risk that goes along with it. There is that chance of failure. It is that chance, that risk that scars the average person away. Embrace the risk, embrace the fear and use it to push you through those hard times.

~Harness the Fire, to Soar Higher~

A Disciplined Life

Last night I watched the movie "The Last Samurai." Now, I remember watching this movie when it first came out in 2003 and thought it was really good but I have not seen it sense. I had planned on working while watching it but shortly into the movie I found that I could not take my eyes off the screen. No it was not the incredible fighting senses that had me mesmerized, it was the lessons embedded into the story that kept me watching in amazement and admiration. This movie is all about the Samurai way of life which is centered around upholding certain principles.

The word Samurai literally means service. These men dedicate their lives to the service of their Emperor. But it is so much more then that. In their village Captain Algren notices that everyone (men, women and children, young and old alike) from the moment they wake up are devote themselves to the perfection of whatever they pursue. They follow a life of discipline, service and compassion. Honor, it is the principle that they believe is of the upmost importance. Honoring yourself, your family, your friends, your enemies and your values.

Everyone in that Samurai village knows the principles the value, do you know yours? What are those principles that you feel are nonegotiable? When you wake up in the morning, what area do you devote yourself to perfecting?

This movie is an excellent reminder of how we should all live our lives. Go rent it, buy it (Walmart $5), borrow it from a buddy...however you do it just watch it. Sit down and take some notes if you seen it before or if it is your first time just experience it but be ready when it is over to take a look at how you are living your life...Are you a Samurai?

"It's not an opportunity, it's an obligation." We have an obligation to strive for our full potential, to seek out and initiate change. Are you meeting your's?

MMM - Integrity

"Wisdom is knowing what path to take next...integrity is taking it."

Just simply knowing the right thing to do means little...we need to stand up for what is right even in the face of adversity.