Work Never Begun

You may have seen signs that say something like "Future Home of" and there is an organization or business name associated with it. Have you ever seen any of those types of signs on properties that never seem to change?

These types of properties make the surrounding property look kind of sad because there is no promise of that building or property getting finished. So, it all just sits there - waiting to be developed.

However, as sad as the property looks, at least someone took the time to start. That brings us to this week's quote...

Can anything be sadder than work unfinished? Yes, work never begun. ~ Christina Rossetti

I think there are lots of "works", within people, that are never begun. There is likely a lot of people who have potential for success simply hidden within them. You pass by them on a regular basis without even knowing it.

There could be properties booming all around us, everywhere we go, if they were simply started - if the dream would commit one foot in stepping out to take the first step.

If you could do ANYTHING

in life, would your present life look any different? Even if you are in your "dream" job, would you have something about the present situation that would cause it to look different?

What causes it to not look like that? What could you do to make it start to look like your "dream" position? Think about it and work to develop ways to achieve it!

Laying a Foundation, Firmly

There are certain professions in this world where people are just "asking for trouble." Leadership or executive, in general, is not going to make everyone happy and going to have criticism thrown their way. Officiating in events, whether it is sports or otherwise, is not going to make people happy all the time. Politicians are going to hear a ton of criticism. Just about any profession that will encounter some type of evaluation from others is simply setting you up for a challenge.

However, there are those in those professions that feed off of criticisms. There is some type of a rush that they get from having the responsibility in their hands and wanting to move forward with decisions. This is not a psychopathic type of a rush, but a sense of enjoyment that comes to them. I was one of those that felt a rush when it came to umpiring. I started to enjoy the "boos" that came from the crowd. Part of that is just a "part of the game." Generally, when it came from the crowd, it was simply a selfish "we didn't get the right call" kind of boo. Especially, when it came to balls and strikes. Most of the time the crowd was wrong. Their vantage point is way off from being right there.

Being able to be successful is to use those situations and still be able to perform the job well. That brings us to this week's quote...

A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at him. ~ David Brinkley

When you have bricks coming your way, it can have a tendency to hit you in the head a few times. Once you get hit in the proverbial head a few times, then you start to duck. Once you start to duck, you realize those are necessary bricks, so you start to catch them. When you catch them, you then start to lay them down for success.

Bricks can help create a foundation. Use the bricks that come your way to help create a good foundation for your week, your career, your mission, your passions, and your life. The bricks are sure to come...deal with them in the right manner!

Now it's your turn...what bricks have taught you lessons? What were you doing when you were receiving those bricks? How have you been able to achieve a sense of success with bricks being thrown your way?

Progressive Minded

When I was a young child to teen and I would go visit my extended family (most lived in the same town at the time) I didn't want to spend much time with my mom's side of the family. This was basically because there were no cousins near my age and the only thing that seemed to happen at my maternal grandmother's house (or later on, my maternal aunt's house) would be visiting. It was boring to me. Nothing to do (except get into trouble with my brother). I would ask and ask and ask if I could go over to my cousin's house, on my dad's side. I loved it there. So much to do! He always seemed to have the coolest toys - including a pinball machine and a go cart!

I could not simply sit around. I wanted to be moving and going in the direction of my cousin. That was where happiness was for me.

In life, things should be the same way. To sit around means we are not going anywhere. To be moving toward a goal means we are heading into something usually better. That brings us to this week's quote...

Happiness and success are to be found in forward motion. ~ Unknown

As I minister in a church, I aim to get people going. I think that having a "happy" faith-life, you need to be moving also. If we are not going anywhere, we are simply stagnate. To be progressive sometimes will have a bad rapport with people. Thinking one is "liberal" in their theological mindset. On the contrary, one can be the most conservative, but yet still be moving forward - it may simply be a bit slower than others.

Whether you are a business person or a patron, moving forward has its definite successes. May you find them in your daily tasks, as well as, your epic tasks! 

Now it's you're turn!

What do you think? Can there be happiness and success found when you're moving forward? Feel free to leave a comment...  

Where Success Lies

The other day my mom sent me a "forward" that had a PowerPoint presentation about hot chocolate.  You may have received it in your e-mail inbox sometime in the past.  The gist of the presentation is that we do not need to worry about what type of cup holds the hot chocolate.  The hot chocolate is the same in any container.  We often get so wrapped up in appearances instead of content.

When you think about what you're going to do in life, you think about the job that you are going to do.  The job is what you think is going to define how well you do and how well you're looked at by others.  This week's quote made me think about where the success comes from...

That real opportunity for success lies within the person and not in the  job. ~ Zig Ziglar

Each job possesses success.  Not just each career.  A retired person can find great success in a job.  A volunteer can do the same. 

There was a time when I wanted to be "big" in my field.  However, I have learned to rethink that.  "Big" does not mean successful.  "Big" does not mean much of anything in the whole scheme of things.  Many "little" people have done great things in their field/job/career.  "Little" people have changed lives, invented inventions, and scaled giant heights.  

If you're a "little" person in your field, enjoy the ride to the top.  Look for any and every opportunity to see what impact you can make.  These opportunities are all around us if we keep looking.  

We're all different containers carrying hot chocolate.  Our differences make it interesting, but the content is the same.  Remember that success lies in you, not the job.

Social Bookmarking Links

Being So Good That People Want to Know

News spreads because it is interesting. A great sale going on at the grocery store - tell someone. Peter and Pam are having a baby - tell someone. You just won the lottery - tell someone. "Did you hear about..." - tell someone. A famous person dies - tell someone. You get the point?

Just the other day the President's comment about Kanye West's stunt on the VMA's leaked out. It didn't just "drip out" it spewed out. Didn't take long for people to know what the President said. So, news spreads because it is interesting.

If you want to be successful in a business venture, your church, or life, you must make it interesting, and the news will travel. Word of mouth is trusted. A friend tells a friend who tells a friend and by the end there is success. This brings us to this week's quote...

If you want to be successful, begin by being so good that those with whom you
are in the closest contact cannot wait to recommend you to their friends and
grow your circle. ~Scott McKain

Speaking as a church leader, I have a continual goal of numerical growth. Don't misunderstand to think I don't have a goal of qualitative growth, too. However, the numerical growth isn't going to take place by me being the sole 'worker'. All those involved must be a part of the 'net' that is cast every day; hoping for a catch. Partly, the way that we are going to grow isn't simply by invitation. Those that come to the church must be excited. Their excitement will be seen in their friends, whom are in their close circle. They will be continually sharing about the good things happening at their church. Then, those people may want to be a part of what their friends are a part of.

We must be "so good" that we are the "talk of the town", in a good way. We must be excited, otherwise people aren't going to want to come to something our church isn't excited about. If you suggested a restaurant where the food was horrible, I'd be a fool to try it. But if you tell me of a restaurant where it was "so good", I'd be a fool not to try it.

If you want have something successful, you must make it so good that those involved can't help but to tell one person after another about the great thing you are a part of.

Let's make it "so good"!

Wanting others to know...

Exploring New Paths

Templates are created to make it easier for people to create things. I am not a user of many templates. I only used a template for my blog because I don't know how to design my own, yet. (I don't even use a Blogger template, to try to be more unique) Whenever I design a website, I don't download a template. I want it to be something that I created. When I write a sermon, I don't look for other peoples' sermons to use. When I teach, I like to use my own material, not taking a published lesson straight from a book.

As we go about life, it is much more energizing and rewarding to go to places others have never been. Places other's have been do not bode well for new explorations. Where have you tread in life that others had not gone before? That brings us to this week's quote...

If you want to succeed you should strike out on new paths rather than travel the worn paths of accepted success. ~ John D. Rockefeller

When you go down a road never taken, you get to be the first to experience the experiences. You may be breaking ground on something that has never been done before. You get to be the first to plant the flagpole in the ground to say that you're the first one here, ever!

As you finish out the rest of the week, look for paths you can head down, which someone else hasn't yet taken...find the success in each day by being that day's trailblazer!

Walk down the path of "success"!

Kick in Teeth...Good?

Walt Disney, the man, was so poor, at one point, he was forced to eat dog food. He also realized that releasing Bambi (1942) during wartime was not the best thing to do (imagine seeing Bambi's mom being shot and it reminding you of loved ones at war). (website reference at bottom)

Walt suffered through lots of difficulties, but if you look at what Disney has become, the end result is definitely worth the persistence and perseverance. Look at this week's quote about Walt Disney...

"All the adversity I've had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me ... You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you." - Walt Disney

I did some searching and found that Walt Disney Incorporated did a total of over 37 billion dollars in revenue in 2007. That looks like 37,000,000,000 with the zeros involved. That is over six times more than the population of the planet! Success doesn't come in a short time. Success doesn't come without troubles.

What are you passionate about in life? What are one of your goals for your life? If you could do anything for a hobby or job, what would it be? What keeps you from pursuing that goal? Walt had a talent and dreams. He pursued them and found success. May we look for ways we can pursue our goals - who knows what the future holds!

Anticipating the future...

http://www.disneydreamer.com/Pin.htm

E-mail Encouragement: Making a Courageous Decision

Christmas is over and that means 2008 is just around the corner. Are you one who makes a resolution? Have you ever been able to keep any? Are you making any for next year? What was your favorite thing you received?

I enjoy "feel good" movies. In each "feel good" movie, there is a point at which the "hero" or "heroes" do something which turns the tide for the rest of the film. The result is the success that makes the movie identified as "feel good". Each of us live a "movie"...what will you do to turn the tide? This brings us to this week's quote...

In every success story, you find someone who has made a courageous decision. ~ Peter F. Drucker

I am greatly affected by teachers/coaches/leaders that do things to impact others. The quote holds true to most movies that fall into this category. There is a point in the movie which a character will do something that seems crazy, but in fact, is very courageous. No one has done anything like "that" before (whatever the task in the particular movie) and it makes a world of difference.

We have opportunities given to us each day, maybe each moment, to make an impact in someone else's life. Whether it is your spouse, family member, co-worker, peer, friend, or anyone else you're around.

As 2008 approaches, what will you do with the opportunities God gives you to make a "courageous decision" and create your "success" story? May you use the opportunities given to share Jesus in practical ways!

Blessings ~

E-mail Encouragement: Success

Very few things come to us. Most things that we receive we must make the attempt to go after. You may get served at a restaurant and have your food brought to you, but you had to decide and order the particular dish in the first place. You may receive a package in the mail instead of going to the store, but you had to find it online or in the catalog in the first place. Success is similar. Which brings us to this quote...

Success doesn't come to you, you go to it. ~ Marva Collins

Fame is something people might think about when it comes to being successful. Athletics, actors, musicians, etc., all seem to be successful based on their life. However, even if they were born with "natural talent" they still had to make the effort to go to practice, learn their lines, try out for positions, and play an instrument. Do you want to be considered successsful in your endeavors? You have to go to it! Want to save souls - go find them. They will not be likely to come to you. However, even if you are that blessed, you still must walk through the door of opportunity - still going to the success.

May God bless your endeavors of gowing toward success - in whatever area you choose.

Have a great Friday and Saturday!

Going forward ~