If serving is below you, leadership is beyond you. – Anon

Mikie sent me this quote the other day and it has popped into my head a few times since.

Great leadership starts with service.

Greatness in general starts with service.

I think there is a book entitled “Servant’s Heart”, and I think that little phrase says it well.

If we can work on our heart and attitude to the point where our heart is aimed at service, we will find success.

Find someone to serve today. Make it a point to do it with joy in your heart.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Our flag honors those who have fought to protect it, and is a reminder of the sacrifice of our nation’s founders and heroes. As the ultimate icon of America’s storied history, the Stars and Stripes represents the very best of this nation. – Joe Barton

Not only was yesterday our anniversary, but we also had the good sense to get married on Flag Day.

Flag Day is one of those holidays that I’m sure I didn’t know existed until we got married on the same day, but I’ve come to appreciate the idea now that I know it is there.

The American flag is an important symbol of what is right in the world.

Freedom, liberty, democracy and sacrifice.

Each time I am reminded of all of the good things that come with being an American, I am also reminded of what Viktor Frankl said. He suggested that since we have a Statue of Liberty in the East, we should have a Statue of Responsibility in the West.

The American Flag is also a responsibility for each of us.

To do our best to protect what it stands for and to build upon and not tear down all that has been built since our country was founded.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/3GwjfUFyY6M

Sunday will be our 13th anniversary so I couldn’t resist sending out this classic that has probably been played at more weddings than you can count.

Weddings and anniversaries are a great reminder of how lucky some of us are having found our wife or husband.

If you are lucky enough to have a spouse, give them an extra squeeze and “I love you” today.

If you haven’t found that person yet, keep looking. It’ll be worth the wait.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Our deepest habits were formed in the fire of emotion.

Think of you habits like a groove in the road. Think of the wagon trains on the old dirt and mud roads in the West.

Habits become more deeply ingrained over time, when the habit is repeated over time.

But the real depth comes when some weight is applied, and that weight comes in the form of deeply felt emotions.

If this is true, knowing this might be helpful in a couple of different ways.

First, it might allow us to diagnose why a certain habit or habits are so hard to change. They might be tied to a very emotional time or moment in our life and only by beginning to separate the habit from the emotion of the past.

Second, it allows us to apply emotion to begin a new habit. Whether it be an emotional response to quitting a bad habit (Never Again!) or an emotional response to starting a new habit (bedtime stories for a loved new child), emotion will drive that new habit deeper.

What habit(s) would you like to start or stop?

What emotions are at play?

Make it a great day.

Jake

WIN – What’s Important Now

I was recently listening to an audiobook (“Essentialism” by Greg McKeown) where the author told the story of an exceptional high school rugby program.

The team credits some of their success to the simple concept above. They are always thinking WIN – what’s important now.

Whether they are winning or losing.

Whether it is the offseason or the playoffs.

They work to consistently focus on the most important priority for right now.

As I thought about this, I think it comes with an added benefit besides the intense focus it creates.

By focusing on what’s important now, it allows you to build momentum. By racking up a series of small wins, it allows the team to build up positive momentum and ride that into the next win.

So, What’s Important Now?

Make it a great day.

Jake

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. – Psalms 139:13-14

Something I am more and more amazed by as I get older is just how unique each of us.

Somehow we were all made differently.

These verses really get to that point. Imagine each of us being knit together in our own unique way.

This realization can create confidence for each of us. Realizing that we were made for a specific and special purpose should allow us to have an unshakable confidence in ourselves. After all, the entire universe came together to create us, individually and on purpose.

This realization also creates an extreme amount of responsibility for each of us. If we are uniquely made, so is everyone else. This creates responsibility in us because once we realize this, we are now responsible for treating them that way. We should treat everyone as if they were fearfully and wonderfully made.

The world is full of wonderful creations. We can choose to embrace this and be inspired.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Saturday was the anniversary of D-Day.

Ronald Reagan gave a moving speech about this historic day on the 40th anniversary.

Please watch and think of those who have fought for our freedoms.

https://youtu.be/eEIqdcHbc8I

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/2B1j4Z25i7k

Schools out for summer.

Remember that feeling when you were a kid? That feeling of freedom and adventure.

We said things like “I can’t wait until I’m a grown up and I can do whatever I want ALL of the time.”

We looked forward to this time when school would be out forever and we would be free to do whatever we wanted.

Well….news flash…..that’s you now.

You are free to do whatever you want.

School is out forever (metaphorically speaking of course, if you want to go to school, go for it).

What are you going to do with your new found freedom?

Make it a great day.

Jake

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. – Margaret Mead

Today marks 8 years for us at Mavidea.

As I think about Mavidea, I almost always think of the above quote.

As I think about the last 8 years, I think of all the ways we have already changed the world.

All the clients served.

All the employees employed.

All the community service.

Something I’ve noticed lately is just how many lives have been touched by Mavidea over the years. I think about all the stories and conversations and can’t help but think about how proud I am of all the Mavideans.

Life has come and gone. Life has changed for many of us, but our commitment to each other and our cause has never wavered.

Want to know the best part?

Our future is going to be even better. We have so much to look forward to and to work toward.

We have many more lives to touch. We are just getting started.

Thank you to all of you for being a part of our attempts at making this world a better place.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you’ll start having positive results. – Willie Nelson

I have to come to believe that our brains can’t handle two thoughts at once. It is a one at a time thing.

And that is why quotes like this one make so much sense.

If we can only entertain one thought at a time, replacing negative with positive can have tremendous benefit.

If we can focus on positive thoughts, one after the other, we can crowd out the negative.

If there is only room for one, might as well make it a good one.

Make it a great day.

Jake