Two good reminders here.
First – smile. A lot.
Smile all day long.
Smile so much people think you are weird.
Second – tell the people around you that make you smile that you are thankful for them.
We all have someone that makes us smile.
Say thank you.
Make it a great day.
Jake
In the sales world, one of the secrets to success is a concept I call "one more phone call".
The idea is that at the end of the day when you are ready to pack things up and head home, you make one more phone call.
I have heard many successful salespeople say that this little trick is what made the difference in their sales career.
I know all of us aren’t necessarily in sales, but we can use this same principle to be more successful.
Think about what is your "one more phone call".
What little thing can you do every day to push you over the edge?
Pick something and try it for a week and try it out.
Make it a great day.
Jake
Today’s email falls into the category of “another weird Jake-ism”, so bear with me a little.
One thing I do when faced with an important or potentially anxious situation is to “zoom out”.
I mentally picture zooming out from “above” and picture the group of others I’ll be interacting with.
Typically, this leads me to ask myself the question “What’s the big picture here? What’s really important here?”
I’m sure this probably falls into the “weird” category, but every time I end up feeling a lot better because the answers to the above questions help me put things into perspectives.
Typically the answers that I come back with are things like:
Relationships and kindness matter more than getting my way.
My wife and kids are the most important relationships and I’m pretty sure they like me.
Everyone in the room is a child of God, just like me. Treat them as such.
How can I be of service?
Hopefully this helps you a little as you go about your day.
Take a minute before your next meeting or next important conversation.
Make it a great day.
Jake
Know your why and nothing gets in the way; if you don’t know your why then everything gets in the way.
Heard this on a podcast yesterday and it seemed like a great way to say something we all know.
When motivated, we capable of doing amazing things.
When distracted and unfocused, the years go by without much progress.
We are lucky to have been born at a time and a place where the motivations of survival are no longer relevant most of the time.
We are able to stretch beyond our basic needs for water and food and shelter and pursue a life of meaning.
We are also living in a time when our opportunities for meaning are easily stolen by distractions and trifles.
It’s so much easier to let our time and resources slip away than it is to stretch ourselves and live a life of meaning.
I’m sure there is a more thoughtful way to work through this if you struggle, but I think we should start with where we are today.
What motivates you today?
Use that to get started.
Refine and adjust from there.
Find your why along the way.
Make it a great day.
Jake
Fortune favors the bold.
Today is Columbus Day. A day to remember the explorer who first landed in North America.
The quote above reminds me of Columbus.
Finding America was actually a big mistake. Columbus had made a major miscalculation. He was way off.
Because he was willing to take a risk he ended up finding something else instead.
His mistake led to his greatness.
What area of your life needs some boldness?
How many mistakes have you made lately?
We must be willing to be bold in order to experience greatness in our lives.
Make it a great day.
Jake
Sometimes you need to be willing to fight.
But mostly with yourself.
You have to be willing to fight your desire to be comfortable.
You have to be willing to fight your desires to continue that bad habit.
You have to be willing to fight your desire to give up on that new habit.
You have to be willing to fight for your future today.
Make it a great day.
Jake
Promise me you will remember; you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think. – A.A. Milne
Meaghan came across a little of quotes from kids books and I liked this one.
I’m sure this is not true, but I imagine every AA Milne quote from the eyes of Winnie the Pooh.
His simple, loving and kind nature allow him to take sentences like the one above at face value.
He doesn’t overthink it, and we shouldn’t either.
You are braver than you believe.
You are stronger than you seem.
You are smarter than you think.
God created you with all of this and more. He’s excited to see you make the most of it.
Make it a great day.
Jake
Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions. Dalai Lama
I would add “it comes by your own actions and thoughts”.
If we can get ourselves to a mature spot, we can recognize that any unhappiness in our lives is born from our own actions and thoughts.
It’s a tough place to get to for sure, but something I believe to be worth struggling with.
Recognizing this truth is one part of the equation, the other part is actually likely to be most helpful.
Want to be more happy?
Act and think happier.
This seems a little daunting if you think in absolutes, but I would suggest just keeping it simple.
Try to think and act happier more today than you did yesterday.
Perfection or continual happiness isn’t the goal, better than yesterday is.
Think one more happy thought than yesterday.
Take a moment to think about what you would do at this moment if you were happy, then do it.
Make it a great day.
Jake
I have for many years endeavored to make this vital truth clear; and still people marvel when I tell them that I am happy.
They imagine that my limitations weigh heavily upon my spirit, and chain me to the rock of despair.
Yet, it seems to me, happiness has very little to do with the senses. If we make up our minds that this is a drab and purposeless universe, it will be that, and nothing else.
On the other hand, if we believe that the earth is ours, and that the sun and moon hang in the sky for our delight, there will be joy upon the hills and gladness in the fields because the Artist in our souls glorifies creation.
Surely, it gives dignity to life to believe that we are born into this world for noble ends, and that we have a higher destiny than can be accomplished within the narrow limits of this physical life.”
~ Helen Keller
Wow.
Born for noble ends with a higher destiny.
Take these words to heart today.
Make it a great day.
Jake
New month, new week….time to shake it up.
Do something different today.
Changes things up.
Make it a great day.
Jake
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