When I volunteered to fill in for Jake, I expected that it would be easy to have an inspiring message on the day after Christmas.

Of course, I can comment about being lucky to have a healthy family, or lucky to be surrounded by people who love and care about me.
I could tell a story about the laughing that ensued while playing xbox with my three sons until my fingers were sore.
I could touch on my appreciation for our military. It would be easy to reflect on how safe and cozy my Christmas was; knowing that the wish of nearly every deployed person was just to be home.

As soon as those ideas entered my head, they were scrapped…. Too cliché, I need something good.

So I thought about the three people who are my heroes.
I’d tell a story about how Mickey Mantle had me in tears as I watched a man dying from alcohol-induced liver damage say “This is a role model. Don’t be like me”.
Or maybe share a story about Robin Yount and consistently playing at a high level. I’d use my favorite Robin Yount statistic… When timed by an Oakland scout for over a dozen years, Yount’s fastest time from home plate to first base was 4.1 seconds. His slowest was 4.2.
It would be easy to write a couple paragraphs about why Jackie Robinson was my single greatest hero. His courage still makes me shake my head.

But before I started writing, I remembered… Why would Jake’s followers be interested in my heroes?

Instead, I’ve decided to take the lazy route.
As I’ve come across a noteworthy quote in the past year, I’ve started saving them in one place. Here is my list, maybe one of these items will inspire you like they do me. Have a great day.
Brian

“There are two kinds of pains in life. The pain of discipline and the pain of regret. Take your pick.”

– Coach Don Meyer

“Character is doing the right thing when nobody’s looking. There are too many people who think that the only thing that’s right is to get by, and the only thing that’s wrong is to get caught.”

– J.C. Watts

“Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.”

– Diana Spencer

“Complacency is the last hurdle standing between any team and its potential greatness.”

– Pat Riley

“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”

– Albert Schweitzer

“Character isn’t inherited. One builds it daily by the way one thinks and acts, thought by thought, action by action.”

– Helen Gahagan Douglas

“Don’t tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results.”

– George S. Patton,

US Army General

“I learned that if you want to make it bad enough, no matter how bad it is, you can make it.”

– Gale Sayers

“Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.”

– Lou Holtz

Brian O’Shaughnessy
CEO
ITConnexx, Inc.
205 Doty St.
Suite 102
Green Bay, WI 54301
(800) 797-0345 ext. 11

Website – http://www.itconnexx.com
LinkedIn – http://www.linkedin.com/in/oshaughnessyb Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/boshaughnessy Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/itconnexx

JD – I would rather be ashes than dust. I would rather that my spark would burn out in a brilliant blaze than be stifled by dry-rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in a magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. – Jack London

KJ – Merry Christmas.

JS – Ditto.

JW – Clear your mind of can’t. Samuel Johnson

JM – Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not, or that you feel this is a good morning, or that is a morning to be good on? – Gandalf the Grey

EB – Khaaan!

I have still been reading “Enthusiasm Makes the Difference” at home and came across the above quote from Jack London.

What a great way to paint the picture of the difference enthusiasm can make.

Merry Christmas.

Jake

PS. – I still need a volunteer to send out the Friday Morning Toe Tapper and/or The Phrase That Pays next Friday.

http://youtu.be/zmcSfVeDKww

Last’s nights snow inspired me to start today off with this one.

Merry Christmas.

Jake

Behind every small business, there’s a story worth knowing. All the corner shops in our towns and cities, the restaurants, cleaners, gyms, hair salons, hardware stores – these didn’t come out of nowhere. – Paul Ryan

For those of you who don’t know, last night Mavidea hosted the McLean County Chamber of Commerce after hours.

Thank you to everyone who made this event a great success. We have an unbelievable team.

Part of the plan for the night was to send everyone around to different stations so that elves (Mavideans) could tell the story of how we helped a particular customer grow.

Having such a great event reminded me that we have a pretty special story too.

As another year comes to a close I have tried to make a few quick moments the last couple days to remind myself of just how blessed we are and how much we have accomplished this year.

We grew the team and our client base significantly.

We made significant progress on understanding the process for becoming the organization we want to be in the future.

It has been a great privilege to come alongside all of you on this journey.

And the best is yet to come.

Next year will bring more of the same.

More clients to serve, more Mavideans to add to the team, and a better company to work for and with.

I can’t wait to see how this story unfolds, thank you for being a part of it.

Merry Christmas.

Jake

PS – Still need volunteers to send out Daily Attitude Emails next week while I am out.

Behind every small business, there’s a story worth knowing. All the corner shops in our towns and cities, the restaurants, cleaners, gyms, hair salons, hardware stores – these didn’t come out of nowhere. – Paul Ryan

For those of you who don’t know, last night Mavidea hosted the McLean County Chamber of Commerce after hours.

Thank you to everyone who made this event a great success. We have an unbelievable team.

Part of the plan for the night was to send everyone around to different stations so that elves (Mavideans) could tell the story of how we helped a particular customer grow.

Having such a great event reminded me that we have a pretty special story too.

As another year comes to a close I have tried to make a few quick moments the last couple days to remind myself of just how blessed we are and how much we have accomplished this year.

We grew the team and our client base significantly.

We made significant progress on understanding the process for becoming the organization we want to be in the future.

It has been a great privilege to come alongside all of you on this journey.

And the best is yet to come.

Next year will bring more of the same.

More clients to serve, more Mavideans to add to the team, and a better company to work for and with.

I can’t wait to see how this story unfolds, thank you for being a part of it.

Merry Christmas.

Jake

PS – Still need volunteers to send out Daily Attitude Emails next week while I am out.

“Plans are nothing; planning is everything.” – Dwight Eisenhower

Here at Mavidea (and a lot of other places) the end of the year is planning time.

The planning process isn’t an easy one and it takes quite a bit of time.

And then, by the end of the first quarter, some important part of the plan has been altered in a major way.

In the end, it is all about the process. It is about stepping back, deciding what is important and clarifying what you plan to do.

The end of the year is a great time to do this personally as well.

Sit down over the holidays and sketch out a plan for 2013.

Decide what is important.

Decide what you are going to do.

Decide what you are not going to do.

And then write it down somewhere and revisit it over the course of the year.

(Don’t forget to get your spouse involved if you are married.)

Merry Christmas.

Jake

PS – Looking for volunteers to send out the daily attitude email next week on the 26th, 27th, 28th, and again on the 31st. Just send me a note with what day you would like to send. Thanks in advance.

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. – Norman Vincent Peale

Officially one week to Christmas and counting.

Things really are more beautiful and softer this time of year. Everyone has their decorations up and people are beginning to wear warmer clothing to fend off the cold.

My sincere wish for everyone this Christmas is a few moments of peace and quiet to enjoy it.

Schedules are usually hectic this time of year and it is easy to miss out on the beauty and softness of it all.

Steal away for a moment (if only in your mind) and step back to take in the sights and sounds of Christmas. Capture that in your memory.

Merry Christmas.

Jake

I am struck by something that seems to be ever-present and never-ending wherever and whenever the human race is faced with tragedy. I think it can be summed up in a single, simple phrase… ‘Hope springs eternal.’ — Jim Rohn

As I thought about what to write in the wake of the tragedy in CT, I kept coming back to an email I sent earlier explaining my 51% rule.

I have included the email below.

Even in the wake of such a horrible tragedy, good is still winning. We must never forget that.

Make it a great day.

Jake

This week I am going to write about some “Jakeisms” that I try to use to keep a positive attitude.

The first one is one that I think about a lot but probably haven’t said to all of you.

I call it the 51% Rule. It is one my core beliefs that at any given point in time the world is more good than bad (51%).

For every person that cuts you off in traffic and flips you the bird, there are 10 jamming out to their favorite song, signing loud and smiling from ear to ear.

For every malnourished and under appreciated child, there are thousands whose parents love them more than anything in the world.

For every company that is ripping off customers or treating employees badly, there are thousands of Mavidea’s making a positive impact in their community every day.

For every abused or belittled child, there are thousands of dads and moms squeezing their little one a little tighter today, tucking them in at night and signing one extra song before bed.

For every rape or murder, there are thousands of policemen, firefighters and soldiers giving their lives to protect others.

For every Adolf Hitler, there are millions of Allied troops who left their loved ones at home and bravely fought against evil to ensure the freedom of all.

When I think of anything bad that has or will happen, I think of the 51% rule and how AT THE VERY LEAST the world is more good than bad and that I need to focus on the good.

The best part of the 51% rule….good has already won. All we have to do is determine the margin of victory. No pressure, no need to be perfect, just try and run up the score.

So, as you are going about your day today, think of something good to do for someone else and chalk up another win for the good guys.

Jake

EB Politics is when people choose their words and actions based on how they want others to react rather than based on what they really think. Patrick Lencioni

JW – Push harder, you won’t die. And if you do? Who cares, you’ll be dead.

JM – In a hole in the ground, there lived a Hobbit. JRR Tolkien

JS Twas the twelve days of Christmas.now it is only eleven.

KJ* – ‎Walk away from the 97% crowd. Don’t use their excuses. Take charge of your own life. — Jim Rohn

JD Show your contempt for the problem and your concern for the problem. Jim Rohn

http://youtu.be/9Fjik78LapA

All I have to say is wow.

Merry Christmas.

Jake