https://youtu.be/1yYV9-KoSUM?si=xh8o-8VKl5e0b4yj

Graduation weekend for Maggie. Big day for our special Maggie.

A time to reminisce and look at all her old pictures and to look forward and talk about college and making her own way in the world.

Commencement speeches tend to be filled with advice for graduates.

They’ll never ask me to give one but I’ve always thought my main message would be to go forward in service with love.

All the learning and growth isn’t so that we can go on and focus on ourselves.

It’s so that we can be of the most service. So that we can offer our special gifts to others – sacrificially.

It’s a lesson for all of us to remember. It’s not about us – it’s about how much love and service we can offer to others.

Make it a great day.

Jake

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Have patience. All things are difficult before they become easy. – Saadi

I listened to a podcast where an author was explaining that statistically the 40s were a down period in most people’s lives. He pictured happiness as a smile. Going from high to lower to higher again.

His reasoning was that most people are doing the hard stuff during their 40s.

Raising kids.

Taking on more responsibility at work and in their career.

Managing real and meaningful relationships.

Dealing with the additional financial responsibility that comes along with all of the above.

But his real point was – it’s worth it. Only by working diligently and thoughtfully through all of the challenges does happiness appear on the other side of it.

Even if you’re not in your 40s, have patience. Work through the difficulty to get to the good stuff.

Make it a great day.

Jake

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He who angers you conquers you. – Elizabeth Kenny

It’s all too easy to let other’s opinions and actions conquer us.

To let our minutes, hours and days slip by while we wonder why they thought, did or said a certain thing.

We are at our best when we are thinking of others so this trap is “fool’s gold” as it looks and sometimes feels like the thing that is best.

The Bible talks about the idea of “renewing our minds” – our Father in heaven wants us to think like He thinks.

And when He thinks of others – He loves them. He loves them as if they were the only one.

In this way the opposite of this quote is also true – He who loves you conquers you. We should want to be conquered by love.

In this change of perspective we get what we want. To be loved and accepted.

Make it a great day.

Jake

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Been thinking about teamwork more and more lately….here’s a daily attitude email from a few years ago with some good thoughts on teamwork.

A player who makes a team great is more valuable than a great player. Losing yourself in the group, for the good of the group — that’s teamwork.

The star of the team is the team. ‘We’ supersedes ‘me.

Consider the rights of others before your own feelings, and the feelings of others before your own rights.

We don’t have to be superstars or win championships…. All we have to do is learn to rise to every occasion, give our best effort, and make those around us better as we do it.

The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team.

John Wooden – quotes on teamwork.

Maggie and I have been watching Hoosiers as we’ve started another high school basketball season at our house.

It’s a classic story of the small town under dog team that puts it all together for a magical season.

A group of individuals learn to put the team first and to believe in each other.

For some reason – we were made to work together towards goals. We are at our best when we are giving our best to others in pursuit of something important.

What would it look like at Mavidea/Maxlider if we all leaned into this a little bit more?

What have been some of the moments when we’ve done this best?

What should we be doing to cultivate this more?

Make it a great day.

Jake

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Mother’s Day yesterday had me thinking about this idea from a previous daily attitude email from a few years ago.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. – Psalms 139:13-14

Something I am more and more amazed by as I get older is just how unique each of us.

Somehow we were all made differently.

These verses really get to that point. Imagine each of us being knit together in our own unique way.

This realization can create confidence for each of us. Realizing that we were made for a specific and special purpose should allow us to have an unshakable confidence in ourselves. After all, the entire universe came together to create us, individually and on purpose.

This realization also creates an extreme amount of responsibility for each of us. If we are uniquely made, so is everyone else. This creates responsibility in us because once we realize this, we are now responsible for treating them that way. We should treat everyone as if they were fearfully and wonderfully made.

The world is full of wonderful creations. We can choose to embrace this and be inspired.

Make it a great day.

Jake

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https://youtu.be/CevxZvSJLk8?si=jsCPZiv3Bqbj_0SK

Maggie got me sucked into watching American Idol with her the other day.

Katy Perry and the other judges actually struck me as mostly positive. Using their position and their experience to help someone else “make it” in the music business.

Part of life is using our position to help others on their journey.

We all have an opportunity to help someone else work towards their dream.

Make it a great day.

Jake

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"Pretend that every single person you meet has a sign around his or her neck that says, ‘Make me feel important.’ Not only will you succeed in sales, you will succeed in life." -Mary Kay Ash

We are all in need of encouragement and desire to feel important.

Not in a false or flattering kind of way, but in an authentic and genuine kind of way.

This simple truth can propel all of us towards better and longer lasting relationships.

I know that I’m at my best when I’m genuinely and thoughtfully doing my best to think of and serve the needs of others.

What could you do to make someone feel important today?

What email could you send?

What call could you make?

Who deserves an honest “look you in the eye” thank you?

Make it a point today to make someone else feel important.

Make it a great day.

Jake

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https://www.facebook.com/reel/1118525835989724

This video from Jordan Petersen is aimed at young men.

While his advice is particularly targeted at this group (and probably rightfully so) – it applies to all of us.

It is not the noble thing to do to find a way to do the bare minimum, to coast through life and have others take responsibility for us (if we are capable of doing more).

He talks a lot about the idea that facing the troubles of life is not easy. It’s hard. Like really, really hard. He describes facing dragons and monsters.

He also describes it as being worth it. To make something of ourselves that is capable of taking on responsibilities, being of greater service and standing up to tyranny and evil.

We don’t push and grow and change to make things easier, but to make ourselves better. More capable and competent. Not for our own ego, but to be of greater service with humility (in love).

Make it a great day.

Jake

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Love can change a person the way a parent can change a baby — awkwardly, and often with a great deal of mess.

Not sure where I found this quote.

Two important ideas here.

First – people can and do change. Maybe awkwardly and with a great deal of mess, but they do. We get to choose how awkwardly and how big of a mess.

Second – love is messy. It requires vulnerability and sets us up for heartbreak.

Make it a great day.

Jake

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6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. – 1 Timothy 6:6-10

Monday morning reminder – less stuff, more contentment.

Make it a great day.

Jake

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