Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand. – Thomas Carlyle

In "How to Stop Worrying" Dale Carnegie used this quote to illustrate one of the many ideas in the book.

He calls this living in "Day-Tight" compartments.

By not letting tomorrow’s problems become todays, we are able to live our lives much happier and also much more productively.

He also talks about the Lord’s Prayer and how the prayer asks "Give us this day our daily bread". Carnegie goes on to say "Today’s bread is the only kind we can possibly eat."

Today’s customers are the only ones we can help.

Today’s hugs and kisses for the kids are the only ones we can give.

Today’s phone call to a loved one is the only one we can make.

We can only do today’s work. Tomorrow’s is for tomorrow.

Make it a great day.

Jake ​

JD – Some people take better care of their pets than they do themselves. Their animals can run like the wind and they can barely make it up a flight of stairs. – Jim Rohn

EB – It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. – Charles Darwin

MS – So much of life is choosing between things that are good and things that are the best. – Arnold Lovin

JW – The greatest oak was once a little nut who held its ground. – Author Unknown

BAD – Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. – Philippians 2:1-4 MSG

Verses like the ones from Philippians above really strike me.

They show me two things.

First, mankind has had to be reminded of the basics of being nice, agreeable and generally unselfish for a very, very long time. For me to expect it to be any different for me or the others I interact with borders on foolishness.

Second, simple truths never grow old. Selflessness as a virtue will never grow old. Love for one another will never grow old.

They may take on different forms and come through social media instead of sitting around a campfire in the desert, but they are still there.

Both of these points combine to make maybe the most important point.

What are you going to do about it?

Are you going to choose selfishness or selflessness? Hate or love? Yourself first or others first?

Make it a great day.

Jake

http://youtu.be/d-seebMbckw

The best of times or the worst of times?

You pick.

I am pretty sure that throughout history there have been people declaring the present age to be both the best and the worst of times.

But who is right?

Maybe this is a bit naïve, but I can’t see how you could lose thinking these are the best of times.

If they are, you win.

If they aren’t, maybe at the very least you lived a little happier along the way. You win.

Make it a great day.

Jake ​

"All you can do is all you can do, but all you can do is enough! " A.L. Williams

What a great attitude to have.

We all have the same 24 hours in a day, the question is "What are you going to do with it?"

If we consistently do all that we can, we will find out that it is enough.

There is a tendency to underestimate what you can do over the long haul. Small, consistent steps forward really do add up.

Think about a long term goal of yours. Then think of "all you can do" for today….then do it.

Make it a great day.

Jake ​

Anyone who does anything to help a child in his life is a hero to me. – Fred Rogers

Last night I was walking out of Wal-Mart and saw a guy walking in holding a little girl in his arms and they both had smiles so wide they could eat a banana sidewise (stole that one from good ol’ Zig Ziglar).

It struck me just how special the smiles, laughter and happiness of children really is.

My happiness thought for all of us today….spend a little time with someone under 10.

Ask them questions.

Let them ask you questions.

Do whatever they want to do.

Embrace the silliness.

And never forget that no matter how mean or nasty someone is to you, they were a silly little kid at one point. They just lost that part of themselves.

Let’s help each other find this part. Let’s laugh and be silly.

Make it a great day.

Jake

​

I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day,

I’d rather one should walk with me than merely show the way.

The eye’s a better pupil and more willing than the ear;

Fine counsel is confusing, but example’s always clear;

And the best of all the preachers are the men who live their creeds,

For to see the good in action is what everybody needs.

I can soon learn how to do it if you’ll let me see it done,

I can watch your hands in actions, but your tongue too fast may run.

And the lectures you deliver may be very wise and true;

But I’d rather get my lesson by observing what you do,

For I may misunderstand you and the high advice you give,

But there’s no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.

~ Edgar Guest

A lot of truth in one short poem. Most of us learn better from the examples in our lives than we do from a book or a lecture.

I think it goes even deeper than this.

Each day we have choices to make.

Whose "sermon" are we watching?

What kind of "sermon" are we "preaching"?

We are picking things up from those around us and the shows we watch on TV.

Others are picking things up from us.

We get to choose the content. Choose wisely.

Make it a great day.

Jake

​

Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Psalms 37: 1-2

Sometimes in life we get tempted by the shortcuts.

We see someone else get their way by telling a white lie.

We see someone else get one over on the insurance company.

We see someone who got rich and famous by putting themselves in places we all know better than to be.

It’s easy to see these people and be a little envious that they seemingly got ahead without having to put in the hard work that seems to be in front of us.

I think that is why these verses were written. As a reminder that the high road is always the road to take and the low road always leads to death.

For today’s language, let’s replace "do not fret" with "do not worry".

Let’s not worry about the wrong or evil doers who seem to be able to take shortcuts, let us focus on finding our own high road. And taking it every time.

Make it a great day.

Jake

​

JD – Your Journey has molded you for your greater good, and it was exactly what it needed to be. Don’t think that you’ve lost time. It took each and every situation you have encountered to bring you to the now. And now is right on time.- Asha Tyson

EB – Wisdom comes in understanding what you are assuming.

MS – God wants you to love other people. You do so through service. And he rewards you for it. – Rabbi Daniel Lapin

JW – You just can’t beat the person who never gives up. – Babe Ruth

The quote from Rabbi Lapin is such an important truth.

We love others by being of service to them.

It is active thing. Love is not sitting around and taking it easy.

It requires effort. Selfless effort.

Want to make a difference in the world? Love is your best bet. And service is the manifestation of that love.

Serving others from a place of love is the place where the world begins to see the difference you are making.

Make it a great weekend.

Jake

http://youtu.be/yL3lJfpenAc

Another thought about adversity.

At some point during the process you must make the decision to be a survivor.

You have to decide not to give up or give in.

As we face a different future at Mavidea, this is our starting point.

We won’t give up.

We won’t give in.

Make it a great day.

Jake​

The act of facing overwhelming odds produces greatness. – Malcolm Gladwell

In his book "David and Goliath", Malcolm Gladwell tells the story over and over again of how a difficult circumstance was part of what led to greatness.

Difficulties in life come with them an opportunity for greatness.

By facing the challenge and doing our best we change.

We grow in strength and resolve.

We see that we are capable of greatness.

Embrace the challenges in life.

Make it a great day.

Jake ​