If your ship doesn’t come in, swim out to it! – Jonathan Winters

Short reminder today.

Don’t wait for things to happen, go find them and get started.

Make it a great day.

Jake

You can’t outwit fate by standing on the sidelines placing little sidebets about the outcome of life. Either you wade in and risk everything you have to play the game or you don’t play at all. And if you don’t play you can’t win. – Judith McNaught

Thought this would be a good reminder for everyone to start off the week.

If you don’t play, you can’t win.

If you it wasn’t hard, it wouldn’t be worth it.

Take a chance this week and stretch yourself. Risk going a little farther than you are used to.

Play the game.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/gPHnadJ-0hE

9/11 is one of the times that I don’t think I’ll ever forget what I was doing or where I was when I saw it on the news.

Hard to believe that 14 years have passed already.

Last night I read “The Lorax” to Maggie and Annie and the last few lines (pasted below) reminded me of what 9/11 most reminds me of.

In particular, this line stands out: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing’s going to get better. It’s not.”

9/11 was a wakeup call.

Sure, it was a wakeup call about security and terrorists and tactics to fight back and all of the particulars of the war on terror.

But it was more than that.

It was a reminder that America was something worth protecting.

That we do care about our country and our fellow Americans.

That we need to love each other and hold each other tight.

That we aren’t guaranteed tomorrow, so we shouldn’t waste today.

Make it a great day.

Jake

The last lines of “The Lorax” by Dr. Seuss:

"Now that you’re here,

the word of the Lorax seems perfectly clear.

UNLESS someone like you

cares a whole awful lot,

nothing is going to get better.

It’s not.

"SO…

Catch!" calls the Once-ler.

He lets something fall.

"It’s a Truffula Seed.

It’s the last one of all!

You’re in charge of the last of the Truffula Seeds.

And Truffula Trees are what everyone needs.

Plant a new Truffula. Treat it with care.

Give it clean water. And feed it fresh air.

Grow a forest. Protect it from axes that hack.

Then the Lorax

and all of his friends

may come back."

https://youtu.be/SQIVslZIMXI

I think I sent this video out a long time when I first saw it but I came across it and had to send it again.

Imagine doing that once a day for a month. Hard to imagine it wouldn’t make a difference.

But that seems a bit much.

Plus, most of us probably shouldn’t be climbing on our bathroom vanities like that (that’s a good way for an old man like me to break a hip).

A simple challenge for today: write down 5 things that you are thankful for.

Put it somewhere where you can pull it out again and look at it.

Then just look at it every once in a while.

Maybe add 5 more from time to time.

Maybe share it with a loved one.

Maybe post it up somewhere.

Or not, just keep it simple.

Just write down 5 things you are thankful for.

Ready…..get set…..go!

Make it a great day.

Jake

JD – If you find it in your heart to care for somebody else, you will have succeeded. – Maya Angelou

MS – Two of the gravest general dangers to survival are the desire for comfort and a passive outlook. – US Army Survival Manual

JW Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Psalm 37:7

EB – You would see the biggest gift would be from me. And a card attached would say, thank you for being a friend.

JR – Do the right thing. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest. – Mark Twain

Mike’s quote from the US Army Survival Manual almost seems like it could be an ancient Chinese proverb or something.

Just switch it up to say something about dangers to achieving success and it could be a quote from Tony Robbins or someone like that.

In order to do anything noteworthy in our lives we must get out of our comfort zone.

In order to anything of significance we must take an active outlook.

We must be active and out of our comfort zone.

Are you active and out of your comfort zone?

Make it a great day.

Jake

The only easy day was yesterday.

Supposedly this is written on a sign at the Navy SEAL training center.

Imagine the mindset that creates for the recruits as they go through grueling day after grueling day of physical and mental training to become the best.

The interesting thing that seems to be a part of their culture is that this attitude continues on well past their initial training period.

Constant improvement through challenge and adversity is the expectation.

We may not face the same adversity and challenge as they do, but we have the same opportunity for growth.

We can choose to make the only easy day yesterday by choosing the harder path today.

We can choose to challenge ourselves today.

We can choose to ignore the allure of easy.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Each year, Labor Day is a great reminder of the dignity of labor.

As we go about our jobs each day there is dignity in being productive and doing our best.

We aren’t just working to make money or even to get the results our job description says we should.

We are building character.

We are being productive.

We are giving more than we get.

We are making an impact.

As we go back to work after Labor day, let us remember the opportunity that presents itself. To do our best to serve others in a way that makes the world a better place.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/Gs069dndIYk

It’s officially September.

Hard to believe we are this close to the end of the year already.

Time to break out those 2015 goals and make sure you are set up to accomplish them.

Or maybe time to set some goals for the rest of the year.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born. – Anais Nin

My first thought when I read this was to be thankful.

Thankful for those in my life that have opened up and new and wonderful worlds. Worlds full of laughter, love and possibility.

My second thought was “what an opportunity”.

We can each open up a new world for those we are in relationship with.

Make it a great day.

Jake

JD – If you’re offered a seat on a rocket ship, don’t ask what seat! Just get on. – Sheryl Sandberg

JW – Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. – Psalm 55:22

MS – Be not wise in thine own eyes: Fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, And marrow to thy bones. Proverbs 3:7-8

EB – It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles, then the victory is yours. – Buddha

The quote from Sheryl Sandberg stuck out to me.

If you’re like me you have experienced this. Spending too much time thinking about which seat, what the flight is going to be like, do I have the right stuff, what will everyone else think, etc. Instead of just getting on and enjoying the ride.

I’d guess that even the least risk averse amongst us have missed a rocket ship ride because of over-analyzing.

A little secret that most of us miss is that most rocket ships don’t look like rocket ships.

The big difference makers in our lives tend to start with a small first step. Taking that first small step.

Starting a new diet.

Starting to invest.

Reading a book instead of watching TV.

Committing to a new exercise program.

You’ll run into the obvious rocket ships along the way too.

Either way the key is to get on. To take action. Don’t overthink it. Just get started.

Make it a great day.

Jake