Rule 2: Take care of yourself, the way you would take care of someone else. – Jordan Peterson from “The 12 Rules for Life”.

Imagine if there was some crazy new system where you were actually in charge of someone else’s life.

You got to choose how they spent their time, what they ate, whether they exercised, their inner monologue, all of it.

How would treat that person?

What would do to make sure that person was happy?

Now imagine you loved that person. That you would do anything to make them happy. Not happy like the commercials say we should be. But full of joy.

That person is you.

You are supposed to take care of yourself. Jim Rohn calls it “enlightened self interest”. You take care of yourself so that you can make the greatest impact.

You are worth it.

Make it a great day.

Jake

The return we reap from generous actions is not always evident. – Francesco Guicciardini

The Bible says it is better to give than receive.

Generosity is good for us. Even better than receiving.

But it’s not always immediately evident or obvious.

But it’s the way it works.

Find a way to be generous today.

Reminder – it’s not about money or stuff – it’s a heart thing.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1CDVvVQSuG/

The more you think about yourself, the more miserable you are.

Some good points from Jordan Peterson in this short video.

The quote above is such a good one to remember – it’s not about you! (or me, or them or whoever)

And the second point I liked was the idea that we want to know the answer to the question – Does somebody like me?

So many of us fall victim to negative self talk. Some to the point of believing that nobody likes/cares for us. It’s just not true. You are liked, cared for and loved. I guarantee it.

There are probably a lot people who like, care for and love you. Most importantly though – your Father in Heaven liked, cared for and loved you so much He sent His son to die on the cross for you – just so that you’d have the chance to spend eternity in Heaven with Him.

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS – Just because God loves you and a few others do – it doesn’t give you license to go around being a selfish jerk. In fact – knowing this should be the reason you immediately stop being a selfish jerk and start loving those around you (us). Because they should know it and feel it too.

There are two ways of exerting one’s strength: one is pushing down, the other is pulling up. Booker T. Washington

All of us possess strength in one way or another.

We must find ways to use this strength to pull others up.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Order and simplification are the first steps toward the mastery of a subject. – Thomas Mann

It seems to me that a lot of the brilliant minds of the past have mastered their respective field to such a level that they were able to organize it into ordered and simplified parts.

The chances of me mastering physics to the same degree as Einstein are pretty much zero.

But my (and your) possibilities for doing this in the major areas of life seems possible.

Not in a “figured it out for good” kind of way, but in a “I’m pretty sure I know what I should do today” kind of way.

Simplified and ordering our priorities in life can provide a much needed path towards better.

Make it a great day.

Jake

We aim above the mark to hit the mark. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Last day of the first half of the year. Time to check in on those goals.

Where are you at?

Ahead of pace or behind the pace.

Time to adjust or to pour it on?

The key is spending the few minutes to honestly review where you are.

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS – How can I help?

https://youtu.be/5YgevxRGXIU?si=zpW2AzKp1ca-eeSB

Summer time. The days have been long and hot this week.

The weather is a great reminder of (at least) two things.

First – we are not in control. We don’t get to pick warm or cold, rainy or sunny.

Second – we get to choose our attitude. Is it too hot to do anything. Too rainy to go outside. Or is it a great day to go the pool or stay inside and read a book.

Make it a great day.

Jake

In Earl Nightingale’s “Direct Line” he explains how to increase our income.

He explains that other people are in possession of all the income we want, we must simply find a way to earn it.

After listening to this for the 10th+ time, a light bulb went off for me (I’m a little slow). The same rule applies to a lot of the other areas of life where we are looking for something that others have.

Whether it be love, friendship, knowledge, companionship, respect….we must earn it.

And like money, when we don’t first earn it, it doesn’t stay around long.

We have all heard the stories of the lottery winner or professional athlete that has lost their millions and now is filing bankruptcy.

The same is true elsewhere. If we want something of value, we must earn it. Otherwise it probably won’t be around for long.

Is there something in your life you have been looking for that you haven’t earned yet?

What step can you take today to start earning that which you desire?

Make it a great day.

Jake

Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. – Thomas A. Edison

This sentiment runs throughout history. Stories of people who gave up when success was just around the corner. Times when everything seemed the darkest but the light was right around the corner.

It’s always darkest right before the dawn.

I’m guessing most of us having something like this in our lives right now.

We are starting an exercise regimen, but it just seems like too much time to keep going.

We have been saving and sticking to a budget but then a big expense comes up.

We have been working hard and making progress but then our biggest client leaves.

There are these points in life when we have to decide to bear down and make it through it. Success lies on the other side of these moments.

Take courage in this thought this morning. Success lies on the other side of whatever difficulty you are now facing.

Make it a great day.

Jake

People only see what they are prepared to see. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Our perspective matters.

Most of us have a heightened awareness when it comes to the negative.

We’re quick to notice when things don’t go our way.

To notice the areas of life where we fall short.

Thank God that we are capable of reprogramming that kind of thinking.

Try it out today.

If you’re already good at it, take it up a notch.

Notice all the good around you.

Take note of the wonder all around you.

Make it a great day.

Jake