I have been listening to "Good to Great" again and found another concept that I wanted to share.

In the book, the author calls it the "Stockdale Paradox".

Stockdale was a POW in the Hanoi Hilton during the Vietnam War. He survived for 8 years and had to endure unbelievable hardships during this time.

Stockdale’s story led Jim Collins to coin the concept of the Stockdale Paradox based on how Stockdale survived the ordeal.

Stockdale found the balance between faith that he would ultimately go home and making the best of the situation he was faced with.

In order to make the changes necessary to become great, Jim argues that we must face the brutal facts of our situation with an unwavering faith that we will get through it.

As you look at your life, you must face the brutal facts with faith that you can and will make the changes necessary to be great.

Whether it be the number on the scale, your bank account balance, or your health; you must face the brutal facts of your situation with faith that you can change for the better.

Take an honest look at the facts of your life. Do so with the faith and resolve to make the changes necessary to become the great person you were destined to become.

Make it a great day.

Jake

On purpose, with purpose.

This little phrase pops in and out of my head all the time.

I try to make sure that everything I do is on purpose and with purpose.

It is certainly a standard I fall short on, but it still serves as a great reminder to not let time slip through my fingers being wasted on things that aren’t important.

Try to think about this a couple of times today. Stop and check yourself a couple of times.

Are you doing things on purpose, with purpose?

Or are you doing whatever pops up for someone else’s purpose?

You can apply this to other areas as well.

Are you eating the food you are eating on purpose, with purpose?

Are you spending your money on purpose, with purpose?

Are you listening to your spouse on purpose, with purpose?

Let’s make it a great day on purpose, with purpose.

Jake

Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future.

Apparently this is on a billboard in Dallas.

Funny how sometimes a simple one sentence billboard can have so much to say.

Regardless of what you did yesterday, today can be a better day.

Cheated on your diet? Today it begins again.

Took a shortcut on something at work? Today is your second chance.

A little short with the kids? Today can be a day of peaceful patience.

Blew your budget on that whiz-bang new thingamagig? Today can be a day to rethink and rebuild that budget.

Regardless of your past, you do, in fact, have a future. How bright that future is depends on you.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Father’s Day reminded me of a couple things yesterday.

First, I am thankful for the influence my father has had in my life. I can’t imagine where or what I would be without his positive influence in my life.

Second, I was reminded of how lucky I am that I can still call him up and say just that. For those of us that are lucky to have fathers that are still with us, never miss an opportunity to say thank you, you never know when that time will run out.

Lastly, I was reminded of how much of a blessing being a father has been for me. For those of you that don’t know, I have the two best kids in the whole world. Not a day goes by that where I am not thankful, amazed and humbled to be their father.

This last bit reminded me of the short story "Father Forgets" by Livingston Larned and the power of this short story.

I have included it below for all those dads that get this email.

Make it a great week.

Jake

Listen, son; I am saying this as you lie asleep, one little paw crumpled under your cheek and the blond curls stickily wet on your damp forehead. I have stolen into your room alone. Just a few minutes ago, as I sat reading my paper in the library, a stifling wave of remorse swept over me. Guiltily I came to your bedside.

There are things I was thinking, son: I had been cross to you. I scolded you as you were dressing for school because you gave your face merely a dab with a towel. I took you to task for not cleaning your shoes. I called out angrily when you threw some of your things on the floor.

At breakfast I found fault, too. You spilled things. You gulped down your food. You put your elbows on the table. You

spread butter too thick on your bread. And as you started off to play and I made for my train, you turned and waved a hand and called, "Goodbye, Daddy!" and I frowned, and said in reply, "Hold your shoulders back!"

Then it began all over again in the late afternoon. As I came Up the road, I spied you, down on your knees, playing marbles. There were holes in your stockings. I humiliated you before you boyfriends by marching you ahead of me to the house. Stockings were expensive – and if you had to buy them you would be more careful! Imagine that, son, from a father!

Do you remember, later, when I was reading in the library, how you came in timidly, with a sort of hurt look in your eyes? When I glanced up over my paper, impatient at the interruption, you hesitated at the door. "What is it you want?" I snapped.

You said nothing, but ran across in one tempestuous plunge, and threw your arms around my neck and kissed me, and your small arms tightened with an affection that God had set blooming in your heart and which even neglect could not wither. And then you were gone, pattering up the stairs.

Well, son, it was shortly afterwards that my paper slipped from my hands and a terrible sickening fear came over me.

What has habit been doing to me? The habit of finding fault, of reprimanding – this was my reward to you for being a boy. It was not that I did not love you; it was that I expected too much of youth. I was measuring you by the yardstick of my own years.

And there was so much that was good and fine and true in your character. The little heart of you was as big as the dawn itself over the wide hills. This was shown by your spontaneous impulse to rush in and kiss me good night. Nothing else matters tonight, son. I have come to your bedside in the darkness, and I have knelt there, ashamed!

It is a feeble atonement; I know you would not understand these things if I told them to you during your waking hours.

But tomorrow I will be a real daddy! I will chum with you, and suffer when you suffer, and laugh when you laugh. I will bite my tongue when impatient words come. I will keep saying as if it were a ritual: "He is nothing buy a boy – a little boy!"

I am afraid I have visualized you as a man. Yet as I see you now, son, crumpled and weary in your cot, I see that you are still a baby. Yesterday you were in your mother’s arms, your head on her shoulder. I have asked too much, too much.

Today is Meaghan and I’s tenth anniversary.

Hard to believe that she has put up with me for the last ten years. In thinking about what to write today I figured that someone who can stay married to me for ten years has a few things to teach us about attitude.

So, in honor of our tenth anniversary, here are 10 things about Meaghan that might help us with our own attitudes.

1. Be creative. Meaghan loves to create things and gets joy from it.

2. Have a good sense of humor. She still makes me laugh (and even laughs at some of the things I say).

3. Put family first. As a stay at home mom, she does this every day.

4. Enjoy the small treats of life. Whether it be an ice cream cone with the kids or a special dinner made for someone’s birthday, learn to enjoy “the small stuff”.

5. Embrace God in your life.

6. Enjoy the outdoors. Nature is such a wonderful part of the world, enjoy it.

7. Grow something. She loves to work around the yard growing things.

8. Grow yourself. She is committed to reading, studying and doing other things to become a better mom, wife and person.

9. Be generous. Be generous with your time and your money.

10. Be humble. She will most likely have mixed feelings about this list, but that is just another great thing about Meaghan.

I could go on and on, but these are just a few that I thought I would share this morning.

Thank you for a great 10 years, Meaghan. Here’s to another 10.

I put Meaghan’s email address in the cc line for anyone that would like to send her some consolation of some kind for being stuck with me.

Make it a great day.

Jake

http://youtu.be/WoaktW-Lu38

Pretty sure I have sent this out before, but I thought of it yesterday and thought I should share.

I know…extra corny, but kind of a catchy tune.

Funny how sometimes a simple, goofy song or line from a movie can hit on something important.

Always look on the bright side of life.

My gauge for deciding whether or not there is wisdom in something like this is “how hard is it?”

That is why I think this one has merit.

Simple AND hard to do…..must be something there.

I don’t about you, but I am looking forward to having this one stuck in my head all day.

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS – I am not quite so dense that I don’t realize that their might just be a little bit of “tongue in cheek” involved here, but I choose to “always look on the bright of life.”

http://youtu.be/NScs_qX2Okk

Someone else sent this video a week or so ago and I couldn’t resist sending it out to everyone.

Even though it isn’t Mother’s Day, watch this video and remember to say thank you to your mom and all the moms in your life.

Thank you to my wife and my mom.

Jake