Inspiring People

Be on guard about what you let into your mind. I have become aware of the conversations today about how people in 2023 are feeling bad about things. There's just a air of negativity that seems to infect nearly all conversations at some point. I've heard all kinds of talking heads explain why that is. From the breakdown of the nuclear family, the absence of god, the lack of strong role models, wokness, far right nationalism, lack of gender identity, too many guns, blah blah, etc. etc. It is attention getting and has the appearance of being right. Well I've got some good news and bad news. The good news is that people feel bad because they're being told to feel bad. Then we're given extensive reasons and logic why that's true. And we naturally believe things that appear to be true. That's what we spent 12 years in school learning to do. But they are only opinions. Those talking heads telling us to feel bad are heavily invested in being right, so they come up w...

The other day I got gas for $3.05 a gallon. I was so excited I texted my wife and told her. I think I'm getting old. I went to a dentist appointment and noticed all his accomplishments, framed, hanging on the wall. There was probably 10. Two of them were crooked. I couldn't stop looking at them. I decided I would bring a ruler with me on the next visit and fix them. Jesus I think I'm getting old. I can't seem to stop my underpants waistband from rolling down.  I think I'm getting fat. And old. Something else happened today but I can't think of it. Brains shot, getting fat, getting old. It's time to start thinking.

A friend of mine just reminded me of a great book that was popular back when I was in high school. It was called Jonathan Livingston Seagull. It was a simple fable. The message was in two short words, "You can". It was published at a time when society was pretty lost. It was an instant success because it brought everyone back to a simple idea. We need a simple idea to come back to today. We need the opportunity to refocus on the right questions, to assume responsibility for ourselves, and to spread something positive for a purpose. This is no small thing. But you can.

This Corona business came upon us fast. Lightning fast to be truthful, and under these conditions you're allowed to be a little disoriented. The problem is we have no background or history or experience with such rapid-fire, head snapping change. There are no rules, because all the rules are now obsolete. We're living in a brand new world, and the old one is not coming back. I know. It kinda sucks. So go ahead, cry it out. Let it go. Just get it out of your system now because no matter how much we all wish it, the good 'ole days are over. I don't want to be some smiley faced fool that tells you everything is going to be alright. I just don't believe that. What is more sensible is to gird yourself with a mindset of change. Rather than blaming or cussing or caving in to despair, ready yourself for the new world confronting us. How do you do that?   1. Expect that inside this disaster is something you can leverage or use in a new way . Maybe it's a new pers...

Sometimes the newest wisdom is the oldest.  I love this story.           There was once and old farmer standing on his property near a road that ran between two small towns.  As he was working he looked up and saw a stranger dragging his way down the road.             “Hey stranger, how are ya’ today?”             The stranger looked at him with tired eyes and from what was clearly a bitter soul said, “Not so good today, Mister.  I was just in that town back there and nobody was very nice to me.  Everywhere I went people just looked at me.  Nobody offered me any water or to stay for dinner, and to be honest I didn’t want to stay.  I shook the dust off my feet as I left.”             “That’s too ba...

Walt Disney didn't copyright any of his first works. He said, famously, "I can create this stuff faster than anyone can steal it." Must be nice. A lot of people want to start a blog but they have no idea what to say. I think I have a solution. Writing is actually pretty simple. There's two parts: 1. going from nothing to something , and 2. editing. The first part, staring at a blank piece of paper and coming up with something to say is kind of a gift. To generate an idea out of thin air is something most people just can't do. I've got the gift. Editing? Well, editing is just a lot of hard, hard work. That's why I think you should steal my blogs. I'm serious.  Copy them, rewrite them (edit to fit your needs), and start a blog. You can even claim credit.  I literally have thousands of these and don't mind sharing them. You can steal anything I have.  Contact me if you want more. You can start a blog right here, right now in about 5 m...

The fighter Mike Tyson once famously said, "Everyone has a game plan till they get punched in the face." We all know what he means. Who you are and what you're doing in your life has nothing to do with game plans and mindsets. Game plans and mindset are what you do before  you start living. Success, on the other hand is about one thing: what are you going to do in the moments after you've gotten clobbered? The coronavirus has been a punch in the mouth; a real snot-knocker. We can all taste a little blood, and it's disorienting. And no matter how much momentum or success you've had up to this point, none of it matters. The only thing that matters from here on out is what comes after the punch. Take this "after the punch" advice:            1. Remember your brain is not you, and it's waiting for orders. It will fold unless you act.            2. Spend time focusing on what you want, and don't fear thinking bigger. ...