http://youtu.be/xB5ceAruYrI

Hakuna matata – it means no worries.

Was talking about this song with Maggie and thought it would be a great way for us to all to start off a Friday.

Let’s make today a day of no worries.

Make it a great day.

Jake

"Fake it till you make it" (also called "act as if") is a common catchphrase that means to imitate confidence so that as the confidence produces success, it will generate real confidence. The purpose is to avoid getting stuck in a self-fulfilling prophecy related to one’s fear of not being confident…, e.g., by thinking, "I can’t ask that girl out because she would sense my lack of confidence. – Wikipedia

Have you ever tried this?

Just started acting as if you already knew how to do something, like you liked something or that you were a happier person.

If you could pick one thing to “act as if” today, what would it be?

Act as if you were an athlete?

Act as if you were a millinonaire?

Act as if you had the best job in the world?

What one thing could you start faking until you made it would make the biggest difference for you?

Make it a great day.

Jake

I happened to end up on the Mavidea “Meet The Team” page yesterday.

If you haven’t seen it yet, click here: http://www.mavidea.com/meet-the-team/, well worth a few minutes of your time.

I found myself scrolling over each person and looking at the picture of them when they were little.

What a great reminder of that youthful innocence we have when we are children.

I see it every day with our kids at home, but often forget that all of those grownups around me were once young and innocent as well.

Three things popped out at me.

First, I am going to make a concerted effort to capture a little bit of that back for myself.

Second, each and every one of us has a long list of stories that have transpired since we were that little kid. Some positive and some negative. Some helpful and some harmful. In interacting with each other it is important that we empathize with each other and each of our histories.

Third, each and every person still has all of the potential for awesomeness that we see when we see a child’s face. At some point, most of us have listened to others and convinced ourselves that we aren’t quite as awesome as maybe we originally thought. But that’s a load of crap. You ARE awesome. YOU are the only you, no one can be as awesome at being you as you can.

For the Mavideans, please look at the pictures of your co-workers as a little kid. Think about that little kid next time you interact with each other. That person you are talking to still holds all that potential for greatness inside them, we just have to figure out how to get it out.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Do interesting things and interesting things will happen.

Paraphrasing what I heard from someone recently at a conference. They were talking about taking on interesting customer work and the surprising results that can come.

What’s true for work is also true in our personal lives.

If we get involved in interesting things, interesting things will happen.

When was the last time you took a chance and did something interesting?

It isn’t going to work out every time, but if you take a few chances on something interesting I am sure you will have some interesting adventures.

What is that one thing you have had in the back of your mind that you have wanted to do?

Take some kind of action step today to make it happen.

Make it a great day.

Jake

The greatest vision-casting opportunities happen between the hours of 7:30 and 9:30 PM Monday through Sunday. In these closing hours of the day we have a unique opportunity to plant the seeds of what could be and what should be. Take every opportunity you get.”

― Andy Stanley

This is true for our children and for each of us.

What we put into our minds right before bed will do more to shape our lives than most of us realize.

What is the last thought that passes through your mind before sleep?

Thoughts of anxiety or thoughts of peace.

Thoughts of worry or thoughts of calm.

Thoughts of fear or thoughts of determination.

Thoughts of hate or thoughts of love.

You choose those thoughts. Each night you choose to go to bed with a cloud over yourself or sunny skies in your dreams. You choose.

Each night is a new opportunity to plant and grow those seeds of greatness within yourself.

Each night is another chance to change your life for the better.

Each night is an opportunity to become the person you want to become.

And for those of us with kids, each night is an opportunity to cast the vision for them and all the possibilities that exist for them.

Don’t miss another night.

Make it a great day.

Jake

JW – I don’t initiate violence, I retaliate. – Chuck Norris

EB – The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions. – Confucius

MS – I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened. – Mark Twain

JD – Always do what is right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest. – Mark Twain

What do you think it would like in your life to be modest in speech but exceed in actions?

Is that how those who know you best would describe you?

Something maybe to think about.

Make it a great weekend.

Jake

http://youtu.be/DR7KfFfse3k

Found this song at about the same time that I read the following excerpt from Les Brown:

Rise above the pain! You are bigger than your circumstances or your life situation. Your life is not defined by your relationship status, your current job, your bank account, or anything that you have or have not done in the past. Don’t listen to any person or automatic negative thoughts that may have conditioned you to think of yourself or your life as a failure.

Don’t ever choose a permanent solution for a temporary problem. You have people who need you and who are counting on you. There is always another day and another way. Rise above the pain and know that deep inside of you there is another person waiting to break through. You have the ability to rebuild, regroup, recover and revive!! Breathe life into your dream. Know that you can live a meaningful and purposeful life. You are an unrepeatable miracle and your dream can live…despite what you feel or what you’re going through right now. You have something special. You have GREATNESS within you!! – Les Brown

There is always another day and another way as you write the story of your life. Just don’t stop writing.

Make it a great day.

Jake

In honor of Halloween I went in search of an inspirational Halloween story. And I found a good one….

http://blog.littlepicklepress.com/2012/11/halloween-hero-story-of-giving.html?m=1

Instead of writing more for you to read, I will keep this short so you can spend time reading the story.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Somehow, what’s in our hearts, good or bad is eventually translated into words and deeds. – Andy Stanley

And I believe this one works the other way too. What we do can eventually become translated to our hearts.

Some questions that came to mind as I read this.

What words or deeds of mine require a change of heart?

What actions can I take to begin the process of making those changes I would like to see?

Hopefully something for us all to consider as we go about our day.

Make it a great day.

Jake

“If it suddenly became impossible for us to cover up all the junk we normally hide from the rest of humanity, I have a feeling we would all get real motivated to deal with the source of what ails us.” Andy Stanley

Sticking with another Andy Stanley quote to keep that ball rolling.

Sometimes in order to make a change we need to admit our area of weakness to someone.

Instead of covering it up we need to engage an accountability partner to drive a change we have been unable to implement on our own.

Groups like Alcoholics Anonymous have known this for years. They have built whole programs around pairing people up so that they become accountable to someone other than themselves as they seek change.

Is there something you have been wanting to change but haven’t been able to?

Maybe now is the time to admit your weakness and need for change to someone trustworthy and ask them to hold you accountable for your growth.

Make it a great day.

Jake