The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it. – Henry David Thoreau

What a powerful and simple way to look at the stuff in our lives.

Not only does this apply to the amount of life we have exchanged to earn the money to purchase something, but also the amount of life required to maintain the thing.

As the abundance of things and material possessions continues to expand we are faced with a different set of choices than our ancestors.

We are not faced with questions like “What do I need to survive?” or “What do we need to make it through the winter?”

Instead we are faced with more philosophical questions like “How much stuff do I need?” or “How comfortable should I be?”

I believe that success and happiness comes to those who can find simplicity and peace with their stuff. To those who can maturely and wisely manage the amount of life they are giving up for the stuff in their life.

Think today about the price you are paying, and choose wisely what to spend your life on.

Make it a great day.

Jake

The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor. – Vince Lombardi

After watching the Super Bowl last night, I wanted to go looking for a Vince Lombardi quote.

This one stuck out to me because the word “excellence” has been stuck in my head lately.

What if you made a constant effort to add excellence into your life?

What would an excellent drive in to the office look like?

What would an excellent meeting look like?

What would excellence look like when you got home tonight?

Pursue excellence today.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/cno20onK9dY

This week was a great week for the Mavidea sales team. We are off to a good start this year.

As I think about the team (and myself) I think of momentum.

How do we keep it going forward?

I think this applies to all of us as we pursue our goals and dreams.

With a little momentum, moving forward is actually easier than slowing down or quitting.

If we can get to the point where we are putting one foot in front of the other consistently (and metaphorically) we can build momentum that won’t be stopped.

Needing some momentum in your life?

Create small victories. Celebrate them. Find a way to put them close together. Don’t quit.

Make it a great day.

Jake

JW* – This is one time where television really fails to capture the true excitement of a large squirrel predicting the weather.

EB* – Phil: It’s the same thing your whole life: "Clean up your room. Stand up straight. Pick up your feet. Take it like a man. Be nice to your sister. Don’t mix beer and wine, ever." Oh yeah: "Don’t drive on the railroad track."

Gus: Well, Phil, that’s one I happen to agree with. –

MS* – Piano Teacher: Not bad… Mr. Connors, you say this is your first lesson? Phil: Yes, but my father was a piano *mover*, so…

JD – Gus: Phil? Like the groundhog Phil? Phil: Yeah, like the groundhog Phil. Gus: Look out for your shadow there, buddy.

Tuesday was Groundhog Day and no one sent me a quote so we are going with nothing but quotes from the movie Groundhog Day.

The movie is funny, but it’s also a favorite because it goes a little deeper than that.

A guy lives the same day over and over again.

He tries all kinds of different things to figure out things (life).

He tries the hedonistic, do what you want all day long life and ends up empty.

He tries manipulating others to get what he wants and ends up empty.

He gives up and spends the day depressed and without hope.

He finally tries love, service, humility and authenticity. And it works.

Maybe we can take a short cut. We don’t have an unlimited number of days like Phil does in the movie, so let’s not waste any on the stuff that doesn’t work. Let’s skip to the good stuff.

Make it a great day.

Jake

“None of us are getting out of here alive, so please stop treating yourself like an afterthought. Eat the delicious food. Walk in the sunshine. Jump in the ocean. Say the truth that you’re carrying in your heart like a hidden treasure. Be silly. Be kind. Be weird. There is no time for anything else.” – Richard Gere

Mikie sent me this quote in response to yesterday’s email about being more adventurous.

The part that stuck with me was “there is no time for anything else”.

What are we really spending our time on?

If life is short and tomorrow isn’t guaranteed, what should we spend more time on?

As with everything, there is a balance to be struck here. A balance between careless and unnecessary risk taking and creating more opportunities for awesome in your life by taking a few more risks.

My recommendation for those of us is to start now and start small. Take a small risk today. Go on a small adventure today.

Do something different, today.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Instead of trying to make your life perfect, give yourself the freedom to make it an adventure, and go ever upward. – Drew Houston

I like this idea.

Quit trying to be perfect.

Give yourself some freedom.

Go on an adventure.

Go ever upward.

Are you struggling with any of those?

Trying to be perfect and allowing the fear of failure to hold you back from enjoying life’s adventures?

Spinning your wheels thinking about how to start and continue perfectly while life passes you by?

Keeping yourself in a box instead of moving forward and breaking out of your comfort zone?

Make it a point to create some little adventures for yourself. Get outside of your normal routine. Be ok with things getting a little messy. Just move ever upward.

Make it a great day.

Jake

You grow up the day you have the first real laugh at yourself. – Ethel Barrymore

Maybe I’m a grown up after all….

Being mature enough to admit our shortcomings and laugh at them is an important step in life.

Instead of trying to cover up for our weakness we can laugh at it and recognize it for what it is.

Our shortcomings can be seen as lessons to learn from in order to grow and become the person we want to become.

So, laugh at yourself today.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Nothing will work unless you do. – Maya Angelou

All of our plans for success and happiness required effort.

None of our dreams and goals will happen without consistent and disciplined work.

Remember that the payoff is worth it and get to work.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/V5EGN3O5Rs8

This one even comes with an awesome video…

To stretch the theme a little, this song reminds me that all great accomplishments require a leap of faith.

We must make the leap between what is known and what is unknown.

Between what is possible and what might be possible.

Between our comfort zone and being uncomfortable.

Is there an area of your life where you need to take the leap?

Make it a great day.

Jake

Go for it now. The future is promised to no one. – Wayne Dyer

Great reminder for today.

Today is the day. The day for you to get started, to take that chance.

There are no promises about the future, don’t let another day pass.

Make it a great day.

Jake