Yesterday’s email reminded me of David Goggins and this email from a few years ago…

Sometimes the solution is just being willing to come back day after day after day. As the saying goes, success is right around the corner. Well, that corner you are talking about may have a very long ass hallway that requires a lot of navigation.

Very few people want to talk about their truth. A lot of us are looking for that four-lane highway. That highway makes the journey of life so much easier. A lot of us dream big but once we see the work involved, we often choose a different route.

Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the lightbulb. When asked how did it feel to fail 1,000 times, he replied “I didn’t fail 1,000 times, the lightbulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.”

You must have that same mindset to succeed in life. You must be willing to return to the scene of the crime. A lot of us need proof that something is going to work before we are willing to commit. Resilience, grit, courage, perseverance, guts, etc.- these words are often used to motivate the unmotivated. A lot of us wonder how to develop these traits. You develop them by being willing to fail 1,000 times until you figure it out! Make it a habit to get up quickly!

In spite of the invention of the lightbulb, many of us are still in the dark about how facing the things that make us the most uncomfortable create the most growth.

Challenge uncertainty!

David Goggins

This was a recent post from David Goggins on the FaceBox.

I’ve been following him the last couple of months and his perspective is interesting.

Growth comes through being uncomfortable and suffering.

So if you want the most growth, you have to be the most uncomfortable.

David has done this in the physical realm (achieving some unbelievable things), but I also believe that it works in the rest of our lives as well.

Growth comes through challenging ourselves.

Make it a point to get a little uncomfortable in your life.

Make some changes.

Spur some growth.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Yesterday was spring snowstorm day here in Central IL. Luckily Maggie’s track coach still had them practice outside.

I feel grateful to her coach for pushing the team into doing something hard.

It would have been much easier for the coach to call off practice or do an easy practice inside.

Instead, he chose the more difficult option for his team, for their benefit.

If we wish to grow and become someone better, we have to be comfortable being uncomfortable.

We live in a day and age where we have to choose this. Our ancestors didn’t get many comfortable choices, life was full of difficulties. In general, those difficulties produced people of true character.

Today we have the option to be comfortable most of the time. We have to go out of our way to create difficulties if we wish to become people with substance and character.

That’s just what I think you should do.

Find something difficult to do today and do it.

Throw out the junk food.

Cut up that credit card with the balance.

Run a mile (or 10).

Walk around the block.

Cancel your cable subscription.

Sell your TV.

Sign up for a half marathon.

Do something that makes you uncomfortable – before the sun sets today.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Virtue — even attempted virtue — brings light; indulgence brings fog. – CS Lewis

This quote reminded me of the second half of Ben Franklin’s journaling system.

He wrote down 13 virtues and focused on one each week. Writing how he performed on the specific virtue each day.

“Even attempted virtue” brings light. Imagine how much light might happen if we followed Mr. Franklin’s plan?

Imagine the fog if we don’t choose to improve on our virtues, day by day.

Next time you get that feeling that your life is in a fog, maybe that means it would be a great time to at least attempt a virtue.

Make it a great day.

Jake

A penny saved is a penny earned. – Benjamin Franklin

Today’s DAE = free, unsolicited life advice (this means feel free to delete and move on).

Don’t buy that thing.

Cancel that service you can live without.

Save your money.

Develop a plan to save more money.

Stuff won’t make you happy.

Make do with what you have.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/bEeaS6fuUoA

A lovely day.

Doesn’t that sound nice?

What would it take to make today a lovely day?

Make it happen.

Make it a great day.

Jake

We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone. – Ronald Reagan

This quote is such a great reminder.

Sometimes it is overwhelming to look at the world and all those that are in need of help. We just can’t help everyone.

But we can help someone.

And I would suggest we start with those closest to us: friends, family, coworkers, etc.

The key is to just get started. To begin the process of training ourselves to become more service centric instead of self-centered.

If we go out into the world each day looking for opportunities to serve we will meet a world full of opportunity.

Find a way to serve someone today.

Make it a great day.

Jake

The glow of one warm thought is to me worth more than money. – Thomas Jefferson

I like the descriptor of “warm” about our thoughts.

Doesn’t that sound nice?

To be filled each day with warmth and goodness.

Be mindful today of your thoughts. Replace the cold ones with the warm ones.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Every charitable act is a stepping stone toward heaven. – Henry Ward Beecher

I think of this in CS Lewis’s terms as he describes charity as one of the four loves. Charity in his description is love of our fellow mankind.

Every loving act is a stepping stone toward heaven.

We build our way to a better future through loving actions toward those around us.

One smile, kind gesture or kind word at a time leads towards something better for all of us.

What could you do today to act out this in your own life?

What words might you choose?

What actions might you take?

What might you do differently to create an environment where love could rule in your life?

Make it a great day.

Jake

Watching the Masters yesterday reminded me of this email I sent out a couple of years ago…..

Yesterday I watched most of the final round of The Masters (golf tournament) on the line.

In the end, Tiger Woods completed one of sports all time greatest comeback stories by winning after his fall from grace and many injuries that have kept him off his game for a long time.

What struck me most was the crowd’s reaction.

They celebrated.

They cheered.

They forgave.

Tiger is an imperfect champion who has done things most people would have a hard time forgiving.

But the crowd was with him. They forgave his transgressions and welcomed his show of excellence.

It seemed fitting to me that this would happen the Sunday before Easter.

God has done the same thing for all of us.

He knows all the little faults and transgressions. Each of them feels to Him as egregious as anything Tiger has done.

And yet….

Anytime we show up for Him with excellence he stands and cheers. Chants our name. Tears of joy cover His face.

At least that’s how I imagine it.

He’s a fan of the best of version of you. As if you were the only one playing the game.

Watching the crowd treat Tiger like that reminded me just how lucky I am to know a God that feels the same for me.

If you think I’ve taken too much a leap here in connecting all this to God (that seems like me), think instead about your closest loved ones.

Think about cheering like that for them.

Think about performing for them in a way that deserves cheering.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/vGZhMIXH62M

Last up on the list of “what if” questions (I’m sure you’re ready for a break from all the badgering) – What if it all works out in the end?

What if all that stuff you are worried about doesn’t end up happening?

What if it turns out better than you could imagine?

What if God has a better plan for you?

What if we should spend our efforts towards helping it all work out than on worrying about it going all wrong?

What if our time on earth is short?

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS – I believe that it will all work out in the end. I can’t wait to find out how.