Men stumble over pebbles, never over mountains. Marilyn French
We’re inspired by big visions but get stuck on day to day trivialities.
I sure need to work on this one.
I can get stuck on today’s little issues and forget that there is a mountain of good waiting for me.
What’s got you stuck?
Where are you letting a pebble stand in your way?
How are you tripping over unimportant details?
Take stock today and change gears a little to avoid those little pebbles.
Make it a great day.
Jake
Resending this previous post in honor of Martin Luther King Day on Monday.
“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well’. – Martin Luther King Jr.
This is one of my favorite quotes.
Not only because of the truth and inspiration we can gain from it, but also because of the example set by the person who said it.
Imagine living in that time, amidst all of that tension and strife, and having the strength of character to tell people to sweep streets as if they were sweeping the streets of heaven.
His audience was quite literally living through hell on earth and he inspired them to be and do their best in every scenario.
This message seems particularly appropriate this election and political season.
Take this message to heart today (and every day).
Do your best with what is in front of you.
Love and serve those around you with all you’ve got.
Make it a great day.
Jake
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” – Martin Luther King Jr.
One of the persistent themes that flows throughout speeches and quotes from Martin Luther King Jr. was that of service.
He seemed to understand that service to others was part of the path to prosperity that he and the people he led were seeking.
Think about the situation though.
They were persecuted, belittled, beaten and mistreated in every way possible. It would have been difficult to live in that environment and have your thoughts be focused on serving others.
But he knew that love and service would win out. He knew that the only way to rise above it all was to be better than their oppressors.
As we think about Martin Luther King Jr. let’s remember to focus on service to others regardless of our current circumstances. It is the sure path to victory and happiness in the long run.
Make it a great day.
Jake
Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow. – Helen Keller
We have a choice. We can choose to spend most of our time facing the sunshine.
One of my favorite ideas from Jim Rohn is that we “go the direction we are faced”.
We move towards what we are looking at and for.
So, if we choose to face the sunshine, we will head towards it.
As long as you don’t take this all the way and try to fly into the sun (that will end badly), we will end up better off.
As you begin your day today, which way are you facing?
Make it a great day.
Jake
In honor of Meaghan’s birthday I figured I would send out a Beatle’s song and this one seemed appropriate.
Being married to Meaghan is a daily reminder of just how lucky I am.
I venture a guess that everyone who receives this email has someone in their life to be thankful for.
Make sure and tell them today how thankful you are.
Make it a great day.
Jake
Meaghan’s birthday is Saturday and I went looking through previous daily attitude emails about her and found this one:
No one is youer than you. – Dr. Seuss
Today is Meaghan’s birthday.
I remember the line above from “The Birthday Book” on Meaghan’s birthday every year.
For some reason, God sent me Meaghan (I can’t wait to ask him how I got so lucky).
And no one is more Meaghan than Meaghan.
Each of us has someone in our lives that has come about at the right time or in the right way.
In the way that only they could.
Today, be thankful for those that have and continue to impact your life.
Be thankful for they were uniquely made.
Be thankful they are in your life.
I know I am.
Make it a great day.
Jake
PS – Happy Birthday, Meaghan!
"God has infinite attention to spare for each one of us. You are as much alone with him as if you were the only being he had ever created." – CS Lewis – “Mere Christianity” (1952)
I liked this quote because it reminded me of what Rick Warren says.
He pictures God sitting at the end of our bed every morning saying “I can’t wait until he/she gets up. I can’t wait to see what they do today.”
To me, the best part of this is exactly what CS Lewis is talking about.
We are all equal.
We are all wonderfully and uniquely created.
Having this attitude frees us to be so much better to each other and ourselves.
To have more patience when things go wrong.
To expect the best from each and every one of us.
To not get so mad when the best doesn’t come.
When thinking about this I try to start at home. I imagine myself sitting on the end of the bed waiting for Meaghan to wake up, thinking that I can’t wait to see what she will do today. I imagine the same thing for the kids.
I try to expand that circle throughout the day. Co workers, customers, vendors, waiters, drivers, cashiers, anyone that comes across my path.
I fall far short of having this attitude all the time (like CS Lewis says….it requires infinite attention, which I don’t have), but the more I can do it, the better my day goes.
Try it out today. Even if just for one person.
Make it a great day.
Jake
If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading. Lao Tzu
Jim Rohn talks about how you can’t change your destination (where you’re going to end up) overnight, but you can change your direction (setting you on a path towards a new destination).
And a change in direction is so much easier to contemplate than a complete overhaul.
Think about your goals for the year.
Think about the direction they are taking you.
Do you need to make any adjustments?
What are some small changes in direction that will get you heading in the right direction?
Make it a great day.
Jake
I sent this after our Christmas party a few years ago and thought I was appropriate to send again after our Christmas party last week.
Every year at the Christmas party I make it a point to find a moment or two to step back from it all and just observe.
Every year I see the same thing.
I see smiles.
I hear laughter.
I feel the love in the room.
I remember that this is what it is all about. I remember not to worry or overthink it. I remember that we are getting the big things right.
I find my wife and go back to her side remembering that I am the luckiest guy in the world.
Thank you for being a part of that. I can’t imagine it without each and every one of you.
Merry Christmas.
Jake
This song reminds me of something I say a lot (that I probably stole from my dad) – “it’s all going to work out in the end.”
I don’t know how and I’m not sure when, but I’m sure of it.
One of the biggest lessons that has come from thinking of this over the years is that when it does “work out in the end” it is always different than I thought and more times than not, it’s better.
We have a desire to know and control our future.
We worry.
We fret.
We’re filled with anxiety.
And it all works out in the end.
Something I pray and hope for frequently is peace.
Life’s too short to spend it filled with anxiety and worry.
As you begin the new year, I encourage you to seek out peace. To be the kind of person that brings and shares peace everywhere you go.
Make it a great day.
Jake
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