“In order to understand the world, one has to turn away from it on occasion." [The Minotaur]” ― Albert Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays

Introspection is another one of those tricky double edged swords in life.

I think of it like looking in a mirror.

If you don’t take a few moments to look in the mirror before leaving for work in the morning, you might just show up disheveled.

But if you spend an hour in the morning staring into the mirror getting every piece of clothing on just right, you just missed an hour of your day.

We all need to take time to look honestly at the mirrors in our lives (our relationships, our bank accounts, the mirror, the scale) and make the necessary course corrections to get where we want to go. We need to deeply understand ourselves in order to make the most of our strengths in service to others.

But we need to spend more of our time focused outwardly. Looking for others in need of service, in need of the love and warmth that only we can bring.

We weren’t created for ourselves. We were created for service to others. We need to look inward to find out what kind of service, but we need to look out to serve.

Make it a great day.

Jake

You won’t be happy if you don’t produce. – Jim Rohn

Leisure and rest are not the point. Producing and leaving things better than you found them is.

Jim Rohn talks about the seed, the soil, the rain and the sunshine. References to his growing up on a small farm.

The farm is a great metaphor for being productive and being a good steward.

Being productive is an important element in our quest for happiness and success.

Are you letting the seed, soil, rain and sunshine in your life go to waste or are using it to produce?

Make it a great day.

Jake

http://youtu.be/StTqXEQ2l-Y

Everything IS awesome.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Talk to yourself but don’t listen to yourself.

I heard this little bit of confusion the other day in a podcast.

The idea is that we shouldn’t listen to those automatic thoughts that just pop into our head.

All the reasons we shouldn’t do something.

All the reasons so and so doesn’t like us.

All the reasons today is not going to be great.

Instead we should control the conversation, pumping in positive thoughts.

All the reasons we should do something.

All the reasons we like so and so.

All the reasons and ways today could be a great day.

By controlling the conversation we begin to plant the seeds of positivity. If we are able to do this consistently, positivity will grow.

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 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

JW – Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point. – C. S. Lewis

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

BAD – A friend may well be reckoned a masterpiece of nature. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

EB* – Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art… It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival. – C. S. Lewis

JD – It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad. – C. S. Lewis

JW’s quote reminded me of something I was listening to in the car this morning.

In the “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” Steven Covey talks about having “integrity in the moment of decision” when it comes to managing our time.

What he means is that when it comes time to make choices about how we spend our time we must choose with integrity to our values and vision for our lives.

The quote about courage explains this well. Courage is making the hard decision right now to spend our time with integrity to our goals and vision.

If you wrote down or decided on some important goals for 2015, I am guessing this integrity has already been tested.

You have been tempted to watch TV instead of exercising.

You have been tempted to spend some money that wasn’t in the budget.

You have been tempted to check your FaceBox at dinner.

Whatever your resolution, your integrity and courage will be tested.

Stick with it. You can do it. You can make the courageous choice. Because you were built for greatness. You weren’t built to give in easy and to let your life pass you by.

Make it a great day.

Jake

What good shall I do this day?

I was reading recently about Ben Franklin’s daily habits and one of them was journaling. In his journal, in the morning he would write out the answer to the question “What good shall I do this day?” and in the evening he would write out the answer to “What good have I done this day?”.

I don’t know about you, but I tend to overcomplicate things.

I think of journaling as this difficult task that requires a lot of time and some actual writing skill.

Mr. Franklin’s approach seems wiser.

Keep it simple. Focus on what really matters.

Find someone to do some good for today.

Take time to appreciate the good done for another today.

That’s it.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Today will be my first day back in the office for 2015.

My goal for the day will be to keep that feeling of Christmas and New Years for at least this one more day.

To not worry about the mounting pile of to-do’s waiting to be to-done. Or all the emails that still haven’t been responded to.

To focus on service to others instead of what’s in it for me.

To hope that it could always be like this. Everyone filled with love and gratitude for each other and the season.

I am going to try it for today, and if it works out, maybe even try it again tomorrow….who knows. You in?

Make it a great day.

Jake

Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending. -Maria Robinson

2015. A fresh start. A new beginning.

One of the best things about the new year is that it represents the opportunity to begin again.

Look back, take a deep breath and then go.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Last daily attitude email of the year, I will keep it short.

Tonight and tomorrow are the time to set or think about our resolutions or goals for the year.

I wanted to offer some simple advice as you think about what to set as your priorities for 2015.

Dream big. Think small.

Dream of the biggest goals you can.

Think of the smallest step you can take today to move towards it and then do it.

Make it a great last day of the year.

Jake