SUCCESS: S- Steering

"Man was designed for accomplishment, engineered for success, and endowed with the seeds of greatness." Zig Ziglar

Success is a God- given gift. You have within you everything you need to succeed. But like seeds, it requires action and direction on your part to bring success to fruition.

"Success to me is having ten honeydew melons, and eating only the top half of each one." Unknown

Your ideas of success must be YOUR idea of success. It is you that must drive towards the goal, no one else cares- so aim high and be sincere.

"It is better to be a nobody who accomplishes something than a somebody who accomplishes nothing." Unknown

Status with others means nothing. It is the status you have within yourself that matters.

I'd rather be a failure at something I love than a success at something I hate." George Burns

Don't let others decide what is important to you. If you succeed at others' goals- you will not feel accomplished- instead you will feel lacking.

Do you have a success plan? Do you know where you are going? Do you need to know? Only you can say.

A good rule of thumb is if you've made it to thirty-five and your job still requires you to wear a name tag, you've made a serious vocational error." Unknown

Happy New Year!!!
Good Bye 2005, Hello 2006!

George Eliot Said...

It's never too late to be who you might have been.

Anatole France Said...

Man is so made that he can only find relaxation from one kind of labor by taking up another.

Rita Mae Brown Said...

The reward for conformity was that everyone liked you except yourself.

On The Flip Side

It may not seem like it, but the days ARE getting longer. Just a little bit each day.

We have spent the last 6 months dealing with shorter and shorter days and then on December 21st, it all turned around. By the time Daylight Savings time rolls around- the difference will be noticeable as well as incredible.

It's just another example of how just a little bit each day- in a consistent manner- makes big differences over time.

As we approach the season of "New Year's Resolutions", keep that thought in mind- Slow and steady is better then spurts.

Henry Ford Said...

"You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do."

Christmas Sunday Scripture Choice

Luke 2:4-16

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
And she brought forth her son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

Double Shot of Christmas Quotes II

Christmas! The very word brings joy to our hearts. No matter how we may dread the rush, the long Christmas lists for gifts and cards to be bought and given--when Christmas Day comes there is still the same warm feeling we had as children, the same warmth that enfolds our hearts and our homes.
-Joan Winmill Brown

Until one feels the spirit of Christmas, there is no Christmas.
All else is outward display--so much tinsel and decorations. For it isn't the holly, it isn't the snow. It isn't the tree not the firelight's glow.
It's the warmth that comes to the hearts of men
when the Christmas spirit returns again.
-Unknown

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus

From the Editorial Page of The New York Sun, written by Francis P. Church, September 21, 1897

We take pleasure in answering thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of The Sun:

"Dear Editor--I am 8 years old.
"Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
"Papa says, 'If you see it in The Sun, it's so.'
"Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?

Virginia O'Hanlon
115 West Ninety-fifth Street

Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the scepticism of a sceptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no child-like faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

Double Shot of Christmas Quotes

"Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree. In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall."
-Larry Wilde, The Merry Book of Christmas

"Instead of being a time of unusual behavior, Christmas is perhaps the only time in the year when people can obey their natural impulses and express their true sentiments without feeling self-conscious and, perhaps, foolish. Christmas, in short, is about the only chance a man has to be himself."
-Francis C. Farley

Christmas Eating Perspective

"People are so worried about what they eat between Christmas and the New Year, but they really should be worried about what they eat between the New Year and Christmas."
-Anonymous

Dr. Seuss Said...

And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow,
stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so?

It came without ribbons. It came without tags.
It came without packages, boxes or bags.

And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before.

What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store.
What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.

Noel Coward Said...

"I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me".

Yearnings of a Young Boy's Heart

Every Christmas everyone watches "A Christmas Story". The story about the little boy who wants his Red Ryder 200 Shot Range Model Air Rifle. It's a cute story, but it is also one that I know well.

I, at one time many Cristmas' ago, wanted a Crossman 760 Pump bolt action air rifle. It's all I wanted. I asked for it, dreamed about it, and just couldn't live without one. It was on Christmas morning that the dream was realized. Much like the story on the movie, I also got my air rifle as the last gift- just at the point of despair.

It was everything I dreamed of. I had looked at the one at K-Mart so many times that there was no surprise in the detail. It was beautiful. My mother was worried, my father wad proud, and I was about to embark on an adventure.

It probably only took a few days to clear every bird in a ten mile radius from our house. I routinely shot the icicles off of the houses as a service project... that was until I cracked a window. After that I was forbidden to shoot the gun within city limits. A rule I occasionally obeyed.

We lived in Reno, Nevada at the time. I had many occasions to load up the gun and head out into the desert. I eventually grew more respectful for life and stopped shooting the birds and such, and just went to shooting targets. The gun was everything I ever wanted. It went with me everywhere and introduced me to the world of firearms that would play a bigger part of my life later- in the wilds of Alaska.

But the bottom line, knowing what I know now, if one of my kids starts bugging me for a B-B gun- no matter what make or model- my answer is NO! Young boys cannot be trusted and You can shoot your eye out.

Sunday Scripture Choice

Luke 1:30-33

And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS

He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Saturday Success Series

"There are fine things which you mean to do some day, under what you think will be more favorable circumstances. But the only time that is surely yours is the present, hence this is the time to speak the word of appreciation and sympathy, to do the generous deed, to forgive the fault of a thoughtless friend, to sacrifice self a little more for others. Today is the day in which to express your noblest qualities of mind and heart, to do at least one worthy thing which you have long postponed, and to use your God-given abilities for the enrichment of someone less fortunate. Today you can make your life - significant and worthwhile. The present is yours to do with as you will."

Grenville Kleiser

And with that thought, I will postpone the Success Series until Dec 31st.

Dan Rather Said...

"An intellectual snob is someone who can listen to the William Tell Overture and not think of The Lone Ranger".

The Best Noodler In Stone County Missoura

Last night was one of those moments that re-affirmed my calling in life.

I was on stage performing in front of a crowd, telling my "Billie Harold Jones- the best noodler in Stone County, Missoura" story. I was having fun, the group was laughing, having fun and smiling ear to ear.

Now I know the purpose of a public speaker is not to speak- but to serve the audience. Give them what they need, enrich their lives. This, I believe, I achieved.

But in the process, I got what keeps me going. There, on the stage, with all eyes upon me, I am in my element. I am doing what I feel is my purpose in life, the reason I was put on this earth: to move an audience, to entertain, to be the object of others enjoyment, growth, or inspiration- and at the same time-having a ball!

We all have our thing in life. It's just nice when we realize it while we're doing it.

Memory Gold Rush

Out of no where, the past can come rushing in and flood your mind with memories, stories, and a feeling of longing to go somewhere you haven't been for a long time.

Just the other day, I stumbled onto a website that had an article on fishing in Alaska. Deering, Alaska to be more precise. The author and his party traveled up the Inmachuk River fishing and sight seeing eventually passing Utica, an old gold mining community.

I was part of that community back in the early eighties specifically 1980 and 1981! I was 14 and 15 years old.

The article focused on the fishing and only mentioned Utica in about four sentences, but just the mention of the name Utica invoked memories so strong that it was hard to keep the smile from my face. The thought that the buildings, in which I once lived, are still there was enough to make me feel like it was just yesterday.

The author, Tyler Eddy of Eddystone Inn, and I exchanged emails and from his short note I was again transported to the Inmachuk River and the old dredges that sit like monuments to the past on it's banks. One of which I climbed to the top of the mast to peer into an eagle's nest and look upon two juvenile Golden Eagles.

An additional google search produced a picture of the camp and the buildings in which I learned skills I still use today, the buildings in which I ate and played cards into the late evenings, and the buildings I fueled and maintained.

The fish I caught, the moose I saw and the bears I eluded all came back to life and took center stage in my mind. Performing the scenes that had been locked away for some time now.

I would love to re-visit the Inmachuk River valley and to look upon Utica camp once more with my own eyes. It is commonly said that you can't relive the past, it can never live up to our memories. But how excited I am to know that the memories are all still so close with just a few words and a google image!

The New Plague

Today's plague is not one of bacteria, rats, or even tobacco.

Today's plague is one that we allowed ourselves to contract.

Today's plague is one that once it hits, your life will never be the same.

Today's plague is...the "Check Engine" light.

With the beginning of the cold weather, that little light will be more willing to manifest itself upon the darkness of the console. A beacon indicating that the fate of your vehicle is no longer yours alone to navigate.

Your car may seem the same, start the same, it might even still have that new car smell- but with that amber glow comes failed emission tests, embarrassing questions from your children, and a feeling of attenuation. The "Check Engine" light IS a public blemish glowing amber before all mankind.

Good luck ridding yourself of this illuminated plague- it cannot be stopped, explained, or even contained. It is the sickness that plagues modern man and the vehicles we have created to harness our world.

It's In The Game

Watching football yesterday, I heard another doozie of a quote.
After a commercial for a TV reality show, the football commenter Dan Dierdorf popped off with: "Sports is the ultimate reality". Well, not really.

Reality is reality. Football, or any sport, is not reality. They are artificial competitions that we allow to be played out for our amusement.

Sports are, however, great real-life parodies. We can draw stories, inspiration, and strength from the struggles, victories, and defeats. We can cheer for our heroes and teams when they win. We can be sad and throw things when they lose. I've been known to get emotionally charged before, during, and following a game, but when it's all said and done- Sports does nothing directly to change our lives. Sports is entertainment.

To the Athletes- it's reality. However, if no one came and paid to see the games there would be no reason to play and, in turn, there would be no sports.

This all reminded me of another quote I've heard before. This time from another football analysis Joe Theisman. He said, "Nobody in the game of football should be called a genius. A genius is somebody like Norman Einstein".

Now that's reality!

Sunday Scripture Choice

Isaiah 7:14

Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

SUCCESS: S*U*C*C*E*S*S- Spirituality

Accepting that there are things outside the things you can see and touch, surrendering to the thought that there is a spiritual side to things, or acknowledging that there is a greater good than just yourself gives you an incredible source of power. It is now the ability of taking what was God- given and making it greater.

When you start to feel accountable for your actions beyond an IRS audit, beyond the approval of your friends and family, and beyond the acceptance of your own whimsical moral acceptance- you start to truly feel successful. Money value no longer matters. Mountain heights no longer matter. Accolades, awards, and titles no longer matter.

There are no lies to tell, no deceptions, and no explanations. Your actions will stand bare naked to the one who matters most. The one from which you accept the spiritual laws. Are you able to proudly stand in front of your success? Your methods, intentions, and motivations will not be a private matter. On the spiritual side- there are no secrets.

Did you stretch? Did you grow? Did you become better than you were? Does God agree? These are the intangibles. These are the things that make one happy. These are the things that make success feel like success.

The feelings of successfulness, of happiness, and of accomplishment are feelings. They can not be awarded, granted, or even seen. They are feelings from within and from within they must be earned.

Post Number 100!!

Although, I planned on having a celebration type thing on my 100th post, an unfortunate situation sways me another way.

I usually try to avoid specific news and events. There are many chronicles of those events made- this blog was never meant to be my personal journal. But December 7th, came and went two days ago and for whatever reason it passed almost in obscurity.

There was nothing posted on CNN until late in the evening. I heard nothing on the radio in my driving, and I missed any reference to it on the evening news, which doesn't mean it was not covered, but it had to be short and not at the top of the news. Mention of it in the newspaper was more like a filler story- not anything important to mention.

So I have decided to mention it in my blog because I believe in the saying: "those who do not know the past, are destined to relive it in the future".

So this post is dedicated to the memory of the Attack on Pearl Harbor and to all it represents. It is my desire to keep the memory alive and hope that we never forget its lessons.

"America stood up and changed the course of history for mankind. It was a day when weaker souls would have surrendered. Out of the ashes and oil, out of the waters came a resilience, lessons of determination, an unwavering spirit of the American people," Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, D-Hawaii.
(Inouye was 17 and an eye witness of the attack . He later lost his arm fighting in Italy with the mostly Japanese-American 442nd Regimental Combat Team of the Army).

P.S.- Watch the movie "Tora, Tora, Tora" not "Pearl Harbor".

Just because sheep and cows do it...

When I was 14 and 15, I spent two summers in Alaska working at a gold mine. We had several different vehicles and equipment and at 14 I was more than delighted to be able to learn how to drive and operate the different trucks, tractors and front end loaders. All my friends back home were still confined to bikes and buses.

We had two Chevy pick-ups in the camp. One was a newer blue four wheel drive. It was the "Cadillac' of the camp. The other pick up was "The Green one". It was older, faded green- not a good green either, two wheel drive and no frills. The suspension was tired and for 1980- it was a pioneer to the low rider craze that was just around the corner.

The Green One is the truck I got to drive more than any other vehicle. The back window was missing so it was always cold when you drove it. You had to be careful where you drove, because the two wheel drive and dirt roads were not always compatible. And for some reason it was always available.

The steering was probably it's most notable feature. It barely had any. It wasn't power assisted to begin with and the years of Alaska wilderness life had made for a lot of "slop" in the steering. You could practically turn the wheel 3/4 turn before it did anything! This made us all joke that no one could "steer" that truck- you just kind of "herded" it down the road.

I have since found this trait popping up in different parts of my life every now and then. I don't always steer toward my goals, sometimes I just kind of herd things along. The thought is always: "As long as you don't veer too far off the course and are going in the right direction- everything is fine".

Everything is not fine. Although I survived the truck experience- I was lucky. I was somewhere where I didn't have to dart in and out of traffic. There were no other cars to worry about, but what if some moose had jumped out in front of me? Are my goals something just to leave to chance and hope that no obstacles will happen?

Herding was "OK" in the sticks of Alaska. Herding might even be good for sheep and cattle or even the reindeer herds of the north, but I don't think it's good enough for my personal life direction and goals. Give me power steering in my life or give me...

Just give me power steering.

A Winner In 66th Place

Lance Armstrong is a wild man when it comes to bike racing. The accomplishments he has racked up are just too much for me to comprehend. I've seen the Tour de France in person- it's insane just to compete, but to win it 6 times in a row!!!??!! And then when you add on the trials brought on by fighting cancer and surviving...ooh la la!- as they would say in France.

I like to believe I share qualities with those I admire such as Lance Armstrong- but it's hard to find equivalent accomplishments of my own. Lance (Mr. Armstrong to others) might be out of my league.

Luvsanlkhundeg Otgonbayar, a Mongolian runner, the sixty-sixth place finisher in the women's marathon at the Athens Summer Olympics- over 1:20 behind the winner, over 30 minutes behind number 65, seemed more like a possibility. "Now here", I thought, "is someone more my speed".

I mean 66th place! If you can't match up to that- what can you match up to? To finish dead last- you have to be some kind of loser, right?

I guess she did finish. She did run all 26 miles. She did compete in the Olympics.

I've never been to the Olympics. I have never ran a marathon. I can't even imagine running a marathon. I get tired just saying the words "Twenty-six miles". It may have taken her 3 hours and 58 Minutes, but I can't do that! I would die before I could keep my feet moving for that long.

I would love to hear a stadium of people cheer me on as I finish my last lap and cross the finish line. I would love to have competed in an Olympic event. I would love to have people rush to congratulate me. She experienced it. She lived my dream. The bottom line is that I have not put in the effort to put myself into that position.

The chance to run in a marathon is not just given away. The completion of the race is not automatic. These all have to be earned. Both Lance Armstrong in first place and Ms. Otgonbayer in last have something to admire. They put in the work and both have lived their dream.

I might not be an athlete, the Tour de France and Olympic Women's Marathon are not in my future- but I can emulate their drive. I can emulate their willingness to compete. And I can emulate their will to finish.

I just hope I'm closer to Lance than Luvsanlkhundeg in results.

Security to Aisle Four

My favorite aisle in the grocery store has to be the coffee aisle. I love the smell of coffee! I don't know the different brews, but I love strolling down the aisle and taking in the deep breathes and absorbing that sweet coffee aroma.

I also love the smell of brewing coffee. It just screams "Good Morning! Have a Fan-Damn-Tastic Day!!!" I love it. I would love to have a coffee pot in the house just for the smell.

The taste of coffee however is another issue. The few times that I have actually tasted coffee are times I would rather forget. If I want to taste burnt water, I'll save the cost of the coffee beans and just burn the water.

Some have suggested that I should add cream or sugar. If I want a glass of milk, I'll have a glass of milk. If I want sugar- I'll have a Coke.

So if you see me on the coffee aisle, looking like I'm having an asthma attack, don't worry. I'm just getting my coffee fix. It's not as dignified as sipping from a mug, but coffee's coffee, right??!?

And The Topic Is...

This morning, I was asked to give a short speech on a topic I would not know until the Emcee introduced me and announced the topic. I had input into five different topics that I would cover, but it was still tough to just jump into the subject with only a few seconds warning.

"Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards". Vernon Sanders Law

The exercise was to test my confidence in my background and knowledge. It was hard, yet now afterwards, I feel more confident to go into circumstances where I might be asked to speak off the cuff.

Tests are great ways to prove to ourselves how much we have progressed and gets us excited for the future.

Spiritually Rich

Being from Utah, the question always ready to be asked of me is: "Are you a Mormon" or "How many moms do you have?"

I do confess that I am Mormon (with one mom). It's an odd question, nonetheless. I'm not exactly sure why one's religion is anybody's business, but I guess if it's interesting.

There are three huge advantages to being Mormon:

1) No one really wants to talk religion with you. Once you answer the question, that is usually all that is said.
2) All the Polygamy jokes!!
3) All the money I save by not buying Starbucks Coffee!!

Sunday Scripture Choice

Isaiah 9:6

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

SUCCESS: S*U*C*C*E*S- Segmenting

"Young man, the secret of my success is that at an early age I discovered that I was not God." Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

Have you ever started an exercise program and found that your goals were more ambitious than your body? Your spirit is willing, but it's your body that pays the price. Many exercise programs die in the second or third day of its life, mostly because the body refused to abuse itself another day and convinced the brain to join the rebellion. This is why any good exercise coach will start someone out slow and point out the accomplishments along the way.

"Yes you hurt today, but it's less than yesterday". "Three workouts down this week. Only four more to finish the week!"

A good coach will always segment the task so that the small victories can be enjoyed and used for motivation. Without recognizing the small victories, it's too easy to be overwhelmed with the task.

"When you come to a fork in the road, take it." Yogi Berra

Segmenting the task also allows us to constantly evaluate our direction. Sometimes options become available along the way that were not available or known at the start. Recognizing that it was the fact that you were on the path to your goal- accomplishing tasks- that lead you to your new goal. It's all part of the success path- not a failure and abandonment.

It's the small accomplishments that make the bigger goals possible or...

"He's got the whole world at his feet but he can't find his shoes." John Williamson

When Life's A Dream

Where does this stuff come from?

Ever have one of those dreams where you wake up and think, "How did I ever come up with that?!! And WHY!!!???!!" I had one of those dreams last night.

Occasionally, as I have wrote about one instance before (story), cats not belonging to me get into our basement, and I have to shoo them out. My dream consisted of one of those instances. This time however, one of the cats was an aardvark!

An aardvark!??!!! I'm not sure if I have ever seen an aardvark but on TV. I'm not even sure where aardvarks come from. Africa I guess. Of course in the dream, it's just a normal thing and I proceed to chase the aardvark and the two other cats out of the basement. (I was being very aware not to grab one- see "story".)

Where does this stuff come from? Does it frighten you as much as it frightens me?!

Don't Look In The Classifieds

What is a futurist?

Yesterday I quoted John Shaar. When I quote someone, I like to study who they are (or were) and get to know a little bit about the person. John Shaar was listed as a "futurist". I'm puzzled.

What is a futurist and how does one become one. Can you study other futurists? Wouldn't that be living in the past. Can you emulate a futurist? Isn't that living in the present? If you try to be what a futurist might be- could you be greatly wrong?

Were there more futurist in the past and the only ones we quote are the ones that guessed right about the future? Of course that's the beauty of being a futurist- no one will know you're making it up until long after you're wrong.

In a way, it's a step better than a meterologist. They are only right 50% of the time, but they have to face their subjects the next day. A futurist may never have to be accountable for what they say, and have a 50% chance of being famous. Of course they are only famous in the future.

I think I'll keep my day job.