“Each problem has hidden in it an opportunity so powerful that it literally dwarfs the problem. The greatest success stories were created by people who recognized a problem and turned it into an opportunity.” ~ Joseph Sugarman

I liked the mental picture here of the opportunity being so much bigger than the problem.

Imagine something small in front of you, but it is so close it takes up your whole field of view. Like putting a finger right in front of your eye.

That is what our problems can be like. They are so close and so personal sometimes that they block out our entire field of view despite the fact that in the grand scheme of things they are relatively small.

They block our view of a huge opportunity that lies on the other side.

Is there a problem in your life that you need to move past to see a great opportunity waiting?

Is there something you are so focused on it blocks your vision?

Take a small step today to start moving past it.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Nothing can stop an idea whose time has come.

Ever had that moment when the switch gets flipped? When something just clicked? When a good idea all of a sudden became real?

Meaghan and I have been watching Biggest Loser again this season and for most of the contestants, this is exactly what happens to them. Their lives will never be the same.

But how do we increase our odds of this happening in our lives in a positive way?

Here are some ideas:

Be in the action business. All good ideas require action. If you are the kind of person that habitually takes action on ideas, it seems likely that when the good ones come along you will take action on them.

Be in the idea business. You have to be searching for and studying good ideas. They don’t just fall out of the sky and bounce right up into your lap.

Be in the relationship business. Most good ideas require other people. If you get a good idea but don’t have relationships with those who could help, it is too late. Relationships come first.

Be in the prayer business. Prayer and positive visualization plant the seeds in your mind that grow into good ideas.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Yesterday was the better end of the daylight savings time swaperoo.

While I don’t remember going through any Back To The Future style hijinks, it appeared as if I had one extra hour on my hands.

As I thought about what to write today, I thought of a question.

If you got an extra hour today, what would you do?

For some of you, the answer will be more of the same. You have a good handle on your priorities and your time and would let the extra hour fall into the plan.

For some of you, the answer might be silly or funny.

For some of you, the answer might be a bit sobering. Maybe the answer would show some priorities out of whack and time that needs to be prioritized.

Regardless of your answer, now is a great time to think about how you are spending your time.

Make it a great day.

Jake

http://youtu.be/Fe93CLbHjxQ

Happy Halloween!

Make it a great day.

Jake

When you squeeze an orange you get orange juice because that’s what’s inside. The very same principle is true about you. When someone (or some circumstance) squeezes you – puts pressure on you – what comes out is what’s inside. And if you don’t like what’s inside you can change it by changing your thoughts. – Dr. Wayne Dyer

Have you ever looked back on a situation with wonder trying to figure out why you said or did something?

Maybe what he is explaining above is why.

Somewhere, somehow we let negative thoughts creep in and take over in a certain area and then they come out later in an unexpected way.

It’s like a garden.

Plant positive thoughts and ideas and you reap positive results when it’s time to squeeze the oranges.

Plant negative thoughts and ideas and you reap negative results when it’s time to squeeze the oranges.

Let’s get planting.

Make it a great day.

Jake

“Being miserable is a habit; being happy is a habit; and the choice is yours.” ~ Tom Hopkins

What a challenging quote.

Take an honest stock.

Which habit have you chosen?

What percent of your time do you think of as happy time?

What percent of your time do you think of as miserable?

For most of the people I know, it isn’t a matter of being all miserable or all happy. It is about upping the percentages.

And those percentages are determined by our daily habits. And small tweaks to those habits can make a difference in our percentages.

Think about a small change to make to up the percent of your day that is happy. Then do it. Get started. Like, right now.

Make it a great day.

Jake

JD- Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time." – Thomas A. Edison

JW – It’s a ruckus. It always is.

EB – Tell the truth about what you see and what you do. There is an army depending on us for correct information. You can lie all you please when you tell other folks about the rangers, but don’t never lie to a ranger or office

MS – Don’t forget nothing.

BAD – Nine-tenths of education is encouragement. – Anatole France

EB and MS’s quotes come the rules of ranging from the Army Rangers.

Mike shared some of them with us.

http://www.goarmy.com/ranger/heritage/rodgers-orders.html

Enjoy.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Courage, dear heart. – CS Lewis, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

I have recently been re-reading the Chronicles of Narnia series by CS Lewis.

The line above really struck me.

To set the scene a little, this line comes in when they are on the island of nightmares and everyone is facing their worst fears. One of the main characters hears this as a whisper in her ear.

It made me think just how powerful three words could be.

Imagine this the next time you are troubled, worried or things just aren’t going your way: a whisper in your ear that simply says "courage, dear heart."

Make it a great day.

Jake

“You’re extraordinary, Ramona”

The Ramona and Beezus movie is a favorite at our house. At the end, one of the adult characters look’s Ramona in the face and tells her she is extraordinary.

What a powerful concept to impress on a child. You are extraordinary.

It’s as true for you as was for Ramona in the movie. You are extraordinary.

No matter what happens today, don’t forget it.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips. – Psalm 141:3

I really liked the mental picture on this one.

The picture of the words we say (and think) going in and out of a door. And then a guard standing there.

Now, picture the guard…

Is he asleep?

Fat, drunk and stupid?

Or

Always vigilant?

Standing firm?

This verse is a great reminder that we must be careful with the words we use and the way we say them.

Words have power. They have so much power the writer of this Psalm was asking God to watch over the doorway.

Make it a point to choose great words today.

Make it a great day.

Jake