The most effective way to do it, is to do it. – Amelia Earhart

Short and sweet today.

Take action.

Stop thinking about it.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Faith is allowing ourselves to be seized by the things we do not see. – Martin Luther

In “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill he talked a lot about faith. He told the stories of Edison, Ford and others like them to illustrate that these success stories were born through extreme faith. They all latched on to a vision of the future and never lost faith that it would come to be reality.

The quote above reminded me of this because of his use of the word seized.

Many of the great success stories could be written using that description.

Henry Ford was seized by the idea of creating an affordable car.

Thomas Edison was seized by the idea of creating a light bulb.

The question for each of us is: What has seized me?

Are we seized by worry, jealousy, and fear?

Or are we seized by prosperity, contentment and joy?

We do not have to invent the next light bulb to be able to have faith in a big idea that will seize us and lead us to success and happiness.

Make it a great day.

Jake

JW: Fall seven times. Stand up eight. – Japanese Proverb

MS*: I thank you God for this most amazing day, for the leaping greenly spirits of trees, and for the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes. – e. e. cummings

JD: Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again. – L. Frank Baum

EB: Blue eyes say, love me or I die: black eyes say, love me or I kill thee. – Spanish Proverb

JR: There is no blue without yellow and without orange. – Vincent Van Gogh

We went with a “blue” theme today.

One of my favorite things about summer is the blue skies (I know they are there other times too).

Something so amazing about the seemingly endless space.

Don’t forget to get out and enjoy the blue skies this summer.

Make it a great day.

Jake

If serving is below you, leadership is beyond you. – Anon

Mikie sent me this quote the other day and it has popped into my head a few times since.

Great leadership starts with service.

Greatness in general starts with service.

I think there is a book entitled “Servant’s Heart”, and I think that little phrase says it well.

If we can work on our heart and attitude to the point where our heart is aimed at service, we will find success.

Find someone to serve today. Make it a point to do it with joy in your heart.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Our flag honors those who have fought to protect it, and is a reminder of the sacrifice of our nation’s founders and heroes. As the ultimate icon of America’s storied history, the Stars and Stripes represents the very best of this nation. – Joe Barton

Not only was yesterday our anniversary, but we also had the good sense to get married on Flag Day.

Flag Day is one of those holidays that I’m sure I didn’t know existed until we got married on the same day, but I’ve come to appreciate the idea now that I know it is there.

The American flag is an important symbol of what is right in the world.

Freedom, liberty, democracy and sacrifice.

Each time I am reminded of all of the good things that come with being an American, I am also reminded of what Viktor Frankl said. He suggested that since we have a Statue of Liberty in the East, we should have a Statue of Responsibility in the West.

The American Flag is also a responsibility for each of us.

To do our best to protect what it stands for and to build upon and not tear down all that has been built since our country was founded.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/3GwjfUFyY6M

Sunday will be our 13th anniversary so I couldn’t resist sending out this classic that has probably been played at more weddings than you can count.

Weddings and anniversaries are a great reminder of how lucky some of us are having found our wife or husband.

If you are lucky enough to have a spouse, give them an extra squeeze and “I love you” today.

If you haven’t found that person yet, keep looking. It’ll be worth the wait.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Our deepest habits were formed in the fire of emotion.

Think of you habits like a groove in the road. Think of the wagon trains on the old dirt and mud roads in the West.

Habits become more deeply ingrained over time, when the habit is repeated over time.

But the real depth comes when some weight is applied, and that weight comes in the form of deeply felt emotions.

If this is true, knowing this might be helpful in a couple of different ways.

First, it might allow us to diagnose why a certain habit or habits are so hard to change. They might be tied to a very emotional time or moment in our life and only by beginning to separate the habit from the emotion of the past.

Second, it allows us to apply emotion to begin a new habit. Whether it be an emotional response to quitting a bad habit (Never Again!) or an emotional response to starting a new habit (bedtime stories for a loved new child), emotion will drive that new habit deeper.

What habit(s) would you like to start or stop?

What emotions are at play?

Make it a great day.

Jake

WIN – What’s Important Now

I was recently listening to an audiobook (“Essentialism” by Greg McKeown) where the author told the story of an exceptional high school rugby program.

The team credits some of their success to the simple concept above. They are always thinking WIN – what’s important now.

Whether they are winning or losing.

Whether it is the offseason or the playoffs.

They work to consistently focus on the most important priority for right now.

As I thought about this, I think it comes with an added benefit besides the intense focus it creates.

By focusing on what’s important now, it allows you to build momentum. By racking up a series of small wins, it allows the team to build up positive momentum and ride that into the next win.

So, What’s Important Now?

Make it a great day.

Jake

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. – Psalms 139:13-14

Something I am more and more amazed by as I get older is just how unique each of us.

Somehow we were all made differently.

These verses really get to that point. Imagine each of us being knit together in our own unique way.

This realization can create confidence for each of us. Realizing that we were made for a specific and special purpose should allow us to have an unshakable confidence in ourselves. After all, the entire universe came together to create us, individually and on purpose.

This realization also creates an extreme amount of responsibility for each of us. If we are uniquely made, so is everyone else. This creates responsibility in us because once we realize this, we are now responsible for treating them that way. We should treat everyone as if they were fearfully and wonderfully made.

The world is full of wonderful creations. We can choose to embrace this and be inspired.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Saturday was the anniversary of D-Day.

Ronald Reagan gave a moving speech about this historic day on the 40th anniversary.

Please watch and think of those who have fought for our freedoms.

https://youtu.be/eEIqdcHbc8I

Make it a great day.

Jake