One of the greatest attacks of the enemy is to make you busy, to make you hurried, to make you noisy, to make you distracted, to fill the people of God and the Church of God with so much noise and activity that there is no room for prayer. There is no room for being alone with God. There is no room for silence. There is no room for meditation. – Paul Washer

Not sure about you, but the last year or so sure has felt “busy”.

I’ve been actively working on being less hurried (still a lot of work to do).

It’s too easy to confuse productive and busy. We are all the same amount of busy – 24 hours goes by at the same rate for all of us.

We run around trying to win the “busy contest” that everyone seems to be competing in. Cramming in less meaningful activities until we aren’t productive at all.

God, our spouses, our children, our co-workers, family members, exercise, study, etc. get crowded out in exchange for social media, TV, gossip, complaining, junk food, etc.

Fill your time up with the good stuff. 24 hours will be gone again before you know it.

Make it a great day.

Jake

"If your dream is to live a life full of happiness, bliss, and love, chances are what’s holding you from that kind of life is either your pride or your fear." – Ken Black

When you read that quote, what popped into your head?

Afraid of failure?

Too proud to admit a mistake?

Afraid of what others might say?

Too proud to say you are sorry?

Maybe the day to get over yourself is today.

Make it a great day.

Jake

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

When I read this, my first thought was about how lucky I am to have grown up in a good home.

The second thought was that I’m lucky to have such a wonderful wife who’s working hard to create that kind of space for our kids.

The real challenging thought though was that school isn’t out.

That when it comes to human virtues, I need to make home a school.

That study is not optional.

What values are you working on at home?

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS – To give you some ideas I really like the Bible verse about the fruit of the spirit – love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. All of these begin at home.

A lot of people quit looking for work as soon as they find a job. – Zig Ziglar

Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don’t turn up at all.- Sam Ewing

One of my favorite scenes from Bruce Almighty is when God and Bruce mop the floor together.

Bruce has finally gotten to the end of his rope and goes seeking help, and God gives him a mop and then they mop the floor together. The sheer simplicity of doing some hard, good work together produces clarity of thought and purpose for Bruce.

There is something almost cathartic about doing some plain old fashioned hard work.

Hard work is also one of the keys to creating and transferring value to others (which in turn determines our rewards). Applying hard work to solving the problems of others can be our unique way of delivering value.

Is there something in your life that just needs some good old fashioned hard work?

When can you start?

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/1-VCWUtNm-4

I’m always amazed at people who have the patience and skill to shoot a video like this.

I’m guessing this took a lot of setup and retakes.

All for entertainment or the art of it or both (or some other reason).

What are you willing to put that kind of effort into?

Make it a great day.

Jake

Men who never get carried away should be. – Malcolm Forbes

Sometimes we need to get a little carried away.

Sometimes we need to get a little crazy over something.

Sometimes we need to get a little obsessed over a goal.

Some goals require us to put in more effort than normal.

Do you have something on your list that needs you to get a little carried away?

Do you need to get carried away about that new diet?

Do you need to get carried away about that new investment plan?

Do you need to get carried away taking care of that friend?

Do you need to get carried away?

Make it a great day.

Jake

He who knows that enough is enough will always have enough. – Lao Tzu

I’ve been an aspiring minimalist the last few years and have become convinced to work on breaking my desire for more stuff.

At times I’ve surprised myself with my vulnerability to buying and acquiring stuff.

We live in a period of time and a place where our stuff can rule us. We spend our time working to get more or maintain and organize what we have.

What we were built for is relationship.

We were built to spend time with each other, in nature, and with God. None of which requires stuff.

Make it a great day.

Jake

We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men. – Herman Melville

Life is not about me.

Life is not about me.

Life is not about me.

Or you…sorry.

If only I could finally train myself to think this thought all day every day. To permanently and triumphantly conquer that selfish part of me that creeps in all too easily.

Like life, this email also isn’t only about me.

Where could you live this out better in your life?

Where could you be less selfish?

Where could be more connected?

Whatever came to mind, take some kind of action to move towards better.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Someone posted this video on the Insta the other day and it reminded me of this Father’s Day Daily Attitude Email from a few years ago.

http://youtu.be/t2G8KVzTwfw

This is one of my favorite father-son moments from sports.

Derek Redmond is running the race of his life, on the grand stage of his sport and the unthinkable happens: he pulls a muscle and can’t finish the race.

As he hobbles along, trying to just cross the finish line his dad comes running out from the stands and helps him across the finish line.

Imagine what is going through his mind.

I can’t believe this happened.

I’ve wasted so many hours and years training.

I failed.

And then comes this loving gesture from his dad.

His dad swoops in and puts his arm around him and helps him across the finish line.

Together, they showed that sports are more than just winning and losing. More than an injury at the worst possible time. It was about the love of a father for his son.

I have been very blessed to have a father and father-in-law who have shown me this same love. I work to show my kids this same love every day.

Maybe we all can’t be fathers who run out on the track during the Olympics.

But we can all be that person to run in and put our arm around someone and show that we are there for them in their moment of pain and weakness.

We can be strong for someone we love.

We can inspire others to love and serve one another.

We all will struggle at one point or another. My sincerest hope is that we will all also have someone in our lives to run in, put their arm around us and help us across the finish line.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/NiGbr9Sqz1M

Andre sent this over to me this week with a note saying it might be a good toe tapper.

It’s one of my favorite things to get ideas for these emails.

I imagine everyone who reads this as a little community and when I get to send something one of you likes out to the others it is a way of making new connections in ways that wouldn’t have happened otherwise.

When you are old like me life seems to be more and more connected.

How you treat people matters and adds up in the end.

How you eat matters and adds up (literally) in the end.

How you spend or invest your money and adds up (literally…two in a row) in the end.

What you share with others matters and adds up in the end.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Thanks to all of you who have shared ideas for and written daily attitude emails over the years, you’re the best!