Happy Wednesday! Some of you that know me well understand how important it is to me to try to make a difference in our community.

You were put in this world to do something wonderful with your life. There never has, never been, and never will be anyone just like you. You are unique and your special combination of talents, abilities, emotions, ideas, attitudes and philosophy makes you separate and distinct from everyone else. You have extraordinary potentials of talent and ability that you probably do not use. You are truly extraordinary!

Some of the most important questions you can ever ask and answer are these….What kind of a difference do I want to make with my life?

What do you want to be famous for? How do you want people to think about you and talk about you when you are gone? What kind of a mark do you want to leave on the world? What do you want to do that will benefit and improve the lives of other people?

Get out and start by doing it in your own community…join a service club or volunteer at an event. The value you add to someone or something will make a difference!

Let’s Go! Jeff

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Happy 4th of July! Well, this day is incredibly significant in American history. It marks the day the Declaration of Independence was adopted (July 4, 1776) and the United States officially became its own nation. American citizens celebrate America’s birthday with festivals, parades, fireworks, barbecues and other festive activities.

This is one of my favorite holidays of the year for the reasons above…but a close second to why I look forward to it every year is the Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest which takes place on the corner of Surf and Stillwell avenues in Coney Island on the edge of South Brooklyn in New York City! Competitive eater Joey Chestnut is the G.O.A.T. and is looking for championship belt #16 and hopefully beats his world record of 76 hot dogs consumed within a 10 minute period! CRAZY!

Why do you ask I enjoy this? Because this is a guy who found his passion. He knows what his mission, vision and purpose is and doesn’t care what anyone thinks. He is a competitive eater and shares it with the world. He is the best at his craft and the dude is just out there eating hot dogs and loving it! What are you passionate about? Have you found it yet? Or are you too scared to share it and make it happen?

Tune in today at 9:45 am on ESPN and check it out. The first 3 people to text me at 309-287-4623 and shoot me the consumed number of Hot Dogs by Mr. Chestnut will win gift cards from Windy City Wieners….have fun! 😊

Let’s Go! Jeff

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Hey Everyone! With Jake being on vacation this week I am honored to be your “guest host” this week for a few Daily Attitude emails. Have a great 4th of July week!

Enthusiasm Attracts and Energizes People

When you are energized about something, others are energized too! It spreads, from one person to the next. That key ingredient, that bit of “spice in the stew” that makes a good ride become a great one is enthusiasm. It’s the knowledge that you have a dream, you’re taking action on that dream, and you’re making things happen. Enthusiasm is attractive, like the thrill ride at an amusement park. People love to be part of something great.

Be enthusiastic and invite people on that ride!

TURN IT UP!

LET’S GO! Jeff

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https://youtu.be/zlfbhc3NBTA

Heading off to Ireland tomorrow so had to send out an Irish tune to start us off right.

The Irish (in general) seem to get a few things in particular right (and maybe one or two not quite so right).

One of those is music. It seems to be woven into the culture.

Whether it be a catchy, quick-tempo funny song/story like this or a slow sad song like “Danny Boy”, the Irish like to tell a story through song.

Make it a great day.

Jake

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The home is the chief school of human virtues. – William Ellery Channing

Three thoughts sprang to mind when I read this quote.

First – more is caught than taught. Our children and those we spend time with will “catch” more of our values and ideals than we teach them. Most learning is done through observation. We must project things worth catching.

Second – home is more than just our house. It is those we spend time with a lot, our coworkers and our actual house. Our values are shaped by those we spend time with (we catch as well as project).

Third – a marriage podcast I listened to once described marriage as the constant rubbing off of our rough edges. In our homes and close relationships we are consistently “rubbing up against” our selfishness. Those rough edges can cut those close to us or we can allow them to be taken off, smoothing out our selfish desires and replacing them with selfless service and love.

Make it a great day.

Jake

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We aim above the mark to hit the mark. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Some people take this approach to goal setting.

Set a crazy high goal. Even if you miss, you’ll be further ahead of where you are today.

Some people like a bunch of small, bite-sized goals with exact timelines and measurements for success.

I expect meaningful goal setting is a bit of both.

Set your sites high with something difficult to achieve, pick some short-term targets along the way.

I suppose the best advice I could give is to do something – set a goal. Get to work on it.

A bias towards action is the most important part.

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS – Still looking for volunteers for next week if you’re interested in sending out a daily attitude email or two….

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Education is the movement from darkness to light. – Allan Bloom

We are all blind in some way and could be led to the light to see more clearly.

Where might you need a little more insight?

What’s something you’re excited to learn more about?

Where is your biggest risk if you’re blind to something important?

Where is your biggest opportunity if you open your eyes to something important?

Make it a great day.

Jake

Reminder – if you’re looking to share with the group, volunteer and send me a daily attitude (or 2 or 3) to send out while I’m out next week!

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Our church has been working through the 10 commandments in a series on Sundays.

Yesterday’s was about keeping the sabbath holy.

It was a great reminder that taking a day of rest is a good idea.

Too many of us fall in to the “busy” trap. Filling our time and resources with one form of busy after another.

Jim Rohn says “make rest a necessity” – I think this fits the idea well. We are to be productive and of service most of the time – but not all of it. We’re to spend some of that time resting so that we’re ready to be of more and better service.

It’s not earned after working hard, it’s part of doing our best.

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS – I’ll be out of the office all next week – anyone interested in sending me a daily attitude email to send out one or all of the days when I’ll be out? Just let me know if you’d like to volunteer and we’ll make it work.

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https://youtu.be/3GwjfUFyY6M

Last night was the Bourbon and Broncos event at Mavidea and Maxlider.

It was a night to be proud of our little companies all the good people attached to them.

The day was spent frantically decorating, setting up tables, cooking food, etc.

It felt like we had a small army getting everything ready.

And then there was good food, good conversation and genuine connections and conversations being had.

Sometimes running and being a part of small business is hard. Customers cancel. Teammates move on. This month’s numbers don’t turn out how you would like them to.

Nights like last night are a good reminder that the personal connections we create make it all worth it.

I can’t help but feel lucky to be surrounded by such a great group of people.

Make it a great day.

Jake

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Yesterday was the longest day of the year….here’s a daily attitude email from a longest day of the year a few years ago….

"Slow Me Down Lord"

Slow me down Lord. Ease the pounding of my heart by the quieting of my mind.

Steady my hurried pace with a vision of the eternal march of time. Give me amid the confusion of the day, the calmness of the eternal hills.

Break the tension of my nerves and muscles with the soothing music of the singing streams that live in my memory.

Help me to know the magical restoring power of sleep.

Teach me the art of taking MINUTE vacations, Of slowing down to look at a flower, to chat with a friend, to pat a dog, to read a few lines of a good book.

Slow me down Lord and inspire me to send my roots deep into the soil of life’s enduring values that I may grow toward the stars of my greater destiny.

Author: Wilfred A. Peterson

Today is the longest day of the year.

For some reason the prayer above stuck out to me today.

Let this be a reminder to slow down a little.

Make it a great day.

Jake

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