The smallest deed is better than the greatest intention. – John Burroughs

Action!

We must turn our good thoughts into action.

Set ourselves up to crowd out all the bad with so much good.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Below is an email I sent out a few years back…

We in this country, in this generation, are — by destiny rather than choice — the watchmen on the walls of world freedom. We ask, therefore, that we may be worthy of our power and responsibility — that we may exercise our strength with wisdom and restraint — and that we may achieve in our time and for all time the ancient vision of “peace on earth, good will toward men.” That must always be our goal — and the righteousness of our cause must always underlie our strength. For as was written long ago: “except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” – John Fitzgerald Kennedy

While in Dallas this time I wanted to make sure it made it to see the Texas Book Depository and the scene of that fateful event.

Near the museum they had the excerpt above. It was intended to be part of a speech the President was to give later that same day.

His words seem just as powerful today as I am sure they would have been during that time.

We are tasked with a great responsibility.

To protect and build upon the progress of previous generations. To take the sacrifices made by others and turn them into a better and brighter future.

Words like these are a great reminder.

That we have something to work toward. That what we do matters and adds to an already great legacy.

Be inspired as you go about your day today.

Make it a great day.

Jake

I’ve thought of this song and the idea from this email from last year a lot….still needed today.

https://youtu.be/7CUKQxPTjpY

One of my favorite simple ideas for a better life is to smile – a lot. Like all the time.

This song/video is a funny, catchy reminder that even when life is hard we can choose to smile.

Life hasn’t been easy so far this year for many of us.

It hasn’t gone the way we would have wanted.

It’s been hard and upsetting and scary.

We can still smile.

“I know God is working so I smile”…..that’s my favorite line from the song and something I try to remind myself of constantly this year.

Hopefully you can find a smile today.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.  

J. Calvin Coolidge,

30th President of the United States of America

In all the stories of success there is a moment when they decided to keep going.

Despite the odds and obstacles they pressed on.

I think the key to being able to press on is having big goals.

Big goals pull you through the problems you will inevitably face along the way.

Make sure you have big goals for yourself. Make sure it is big enough that you are almost embarrassed to say it out loud to your closest friend.

Make it a great day.

Jake

I have noticed that nothing I never said ever did me any harm. – Calvin Coolidge

Something I’ve been working on lately is to try and talk less.

Man, do I stink at it. I’ve always got something to say and in my head a lot of it is brilliant (until I hear it out loud).

I so often fall into the trap of trying to fill the dead air in conversations. Waiting (im)patiently for my turn to speak and not leaving myself much room for reflection and thoughtfulness.

My sincere hope in talking less is to listen more.

To listen more to those whom I’m wanting to be in relationship with.

To listen more to God’s voice.

To listen more to my own voice internally.

To listen more with an open mind and heart. Maybe my way or my ideas aren’t the best. Maybe some new opportunities exist that I haven’t thought of.

If you catch me talking too much – say something! I’ll do my best to listen.

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS If you are also interested in talking less and listening more, maybe we could hop on a call and see who could talk the least.

“Ask yourself if what you’re doing today is getting you closer to where you want to be tomorrow.” — Anonymous

End of year goal check in time….

Q4 started last Friday.

How are you doing on your goals?

If you didn’t set any, pick something now and get started.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/2AB9zPfXqQQ

“Sounds like somebody’s got a case of the Mondays.”

It’s funny to me that Monday is the day of the week that is supposed to be the worst day. Seems to me that it should be the best day of the week.

It’s the start of a new week. A clean slate.

Everything is in front of you. Anything is possible.

Think of this week as a trial run. Think of it as a week full of possibilities and new beginnings.

What is the one thing you would like to get done?

Get on it.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/mye1aCskFcM

Classic Hammer.

It’s an important reminder though – we’ve got to pray just to make it today.

Thoughtful reflection and prayer can go a long way towards easing life’s burdens or at least making them more bearable.

Make some time for prayer today.

Make it a great day.

Jake

The hardest thing is to take less when you can get more. – Kin Hubbard

This reminds me of two sayings that often go through my mind –

• Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered.
• A gentleman never takes an advantage.

We must actively work to curb our appetites. To work against our natural tendencies toward greed and gluttony.

Not in a “rich people and business are bad” kind of way, but in a way that allows us to minimize the distractions from the life’s more important elements.

The opportunity to have and be more is an opportunity to give and serve more, not a chance to consume everything in an endless chase of temporary pleasures.

I’ve had the good fortune to have had generous and kind parents who (despite my best efforts) instilled some of these same values into me. We’ve worked to consistently tithe as a family and the lesson I’ve learned from doing so is that we are better off for having given away those tithes.

Our lives are better when we give and serve more.

Find a way to give today. Not out of guilt or shame, but from a desire to honor our role in this world.

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS – Bonus point/reminder – it’s not about you (or me)! It’s about others. Every single time.

And oldie but a goodie…(from 2010).

Today is another “Jakeism”. This one is a fairly recent addition to my random sayings.

During several conversations with people about the hard work involved in making the changes suggested in these emails, I said to them:

You’re worth it.

Think about that. YOU. ARE. WORTH IT. Whatever hard work it will take to make you happy, you are worth it. You are worth the time it will take to make the changes necessary to meet your goals.

Want to lose weight? You are worth it.

Want to read more and learn more? You are worth it.

Want to be happy? You are worth it.

Want to become a better father/husband/wife/friend? You are worth it (and so are your loved ones).

And when you do meet your goal, embrace it. Enjoy yourself and the fruits of your labor. You’re worth it.

I have realized a couple of other things as I thought about this.

I am worth it. For some reason, these happy/attitude pills look a lot easier to swallow when I am handing them out to others. I too need to spend time and focus on the concepts mentioned in these emails and I am worth the results that will come out on the other side.

I have also learned that we are worth it. Mavidea as a collective is worth whatever hard work and effort is needed to accomplish our goals. We are worth pushing a little harder, making that extra call, going the extra mile for the customer, and encouraging each other along the way.

This next part might sound a little corny, but I suggest every one try it.

At some point today, look in the mirror and say out loud, “I am worth it”.

Because you are and there is no better time to get started on making your dreams come true than today.

Jake