It’s always too early to quit. – Norman Vincent Peale
So much of the good stuff in life depends on our ability to see things through. To stick with it even when things aren’t easy.
This is a great reminder this time of year.
Don’t give up on your goals yet.
Even if you are behind, stick with it.
Even if you’ve fallen flat on your face, stick with it.
It’s always too early to quit.
Make it a great day.
Jake
PS – If you haven’t read any of Norman Vincent Peale’s books – you should!
Avoid popularity; it has many snares, and no real benefit. – William Penn
What a great word to describe some of the downfalls of chasing popularity – snares.
It’s a trap!
It’s so easy to go with the flow and fall right into a trap.
To spin our wheels, chase the wind and get nowhere.
To worry more about what other people think, what other people wear, and what other people drive (etc.) instead of what has real value and meaning.
We were born with a desire for acceptance and love. We seek it out naturally. That’s how so many of us end up snared.
Step and think carefully. Examine your thoughts and actions. Are you headed for a trap?
Make it a great day.
Jake
"You should never be proud of doing what’s right. You should just do what’s right." – Dean Smith, former University of North Carolina basketball coach
A long time ago I read a biography of Dean Smith. What has stuck with me from that book was that he had a few simple rules and stuck with them.
It seems to me that part of his success was built by having unwavering discipline on certain things but flexibility in others.
Think about your own life and what is most important.
Maybe you make a rule limiting the amount of work hours each week so you can spend more time with your family.
Maybe you make a rule around physical activity or diet.
Maybe you make a rule to never let a month go by without doing a budget.
Whatever your rules, stick with them. Pick just a few, but don’t let them slide.
If you are having a really hard time with discipline, pick just one. Make just one simple rule and stick to it. Just for a day to start. Then for two, then for a week. Just get started.
Make it a great day.
Jake
On Sunday, Pastor Ted said “Everybody needs God, everybody needs somebody, somebody needs you.”
Not sure about you, but the first two were pretty easy reminders.
The third one caused me to pause for a second.
Somebody needs me.
Somebody probably even needs the best of me.
And the same goes for you.
Make it a great day.
Jake
“Welcome every morning with a smile. Look on the new day as another special gift from your Creator, another golden opportunity to complete what you were unable to finish yesterday. Be a self-starter. Let your first hour set the theme of success and positive action that is certain to echo through your entire day. Today will never happen again. Don’t waste it with a false start or no start at all. You were not born to fail.” ~ Og Mandino
Start your day off right.
Let your first hour set the theme for the day.
How do your days usually start?
Try it today to make your first hour a great one.
Read something inspirational.
Exercise.
Hug and kiss your loved ones.
Say a prayer of thanks for all your blessings.
Knock something off your to do list.
Whatever would be a great start to the day for you, do it.
Merry Christmas.
Jake
I believe that what we become depends on what our fathers teach us at odd moments, when they aren’t trying to teach us. We are formed by little scraps of wisdom. ~ Umberto Eco
Today is my dad’s birthday.
The truth of this quote resonates more and more each year.
As I copy and do things instinctively from having watched him for years.
As my kids copy and do things instinctively from having watched me for years.
It’s such a terrible and wonderful responsibility to have that kind of impact on someone.
And I’m lucky to have such a great dad who formed me with all of his little scraps of wisdom.
Make it a great day.
Jake
Who has a harder fight than he who is striving to overcome himself. – Thomas a Kempis
So much of life is overcoming ourselves.
Overcoming our short term desires to meet our long term goals.
Overcoming our selfish desires to serve and love others.
Overcoming our self centered nature to focus on the good we can do for the world around us.
Make it a great day.
Jake
Most people have the will to win, few have the will to prepare to win. – Bobby Knight
Most of the meaningful work happens behind the scenes, ahead of time.
Jim Rohn talks a lot about the kind of person you want to become.
That’s all decided ahead of time, then built through consistent effort over a long period of time.
But it’s also a matter of degrees.
You can change your direction just a little today and get back to a path towards better.
You can change your direction just a little today and move towards ruin and failure.
You can keep heading down the path you are on now, but expect the same results or worse.
You can turn it up a notch and take what you are doing well and do even better.
You get to pick. Not picking is a mistake.
Make it a great day.
Jake
Resending the toe tapper from last year….
This is an Irish tune that gets played a lot at our house.
Each time I hear it I am reminded of just how lucky I am (and believe all of us to be).
For some reason that I can’t completely fathom, God is working this wonderful plan for the world that He wants us to be a part of.
He has a special place in that plan for each and every one of us.
He wants us all to be a part of this wonderful dance. To lean into it and live it to our fullest.
St. Patrick’s Day not only celebrates Ireland and Irish culture, it also celebrates St. Patrick himself and the work he did to share God’s love.
Make it a great day.
Jake
Oddly enough, St. Patrick’s Day is a reminder of why America is pretty cool.
In America on St. Patrick’s Day, everyone can be Irish.
We can celebrate the culture of another country in a (mostly) positive way without fear.
We can all be Irish for the day and smile and laugh as one.
Despite our politics and differences we can get along.
I’m not naïve enough to think that all of us get into this spirit on St. Patrick’s Day (or any other holiday for that matter).
But I am almost always surprised by how much of a difference it makes.
Embrace your inner Irishman (or lass) today.
Make it a great day.
Jake
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