The secret of happiness is something to do. – John Burroughs

I will take the liberty of adding one thing – the secret to happiness is something meaningful to do.

We are all so busy.

And that busyness hasn’t led to happiness for a lot of us.

But when we can match up our busyness with progress towards something meaningful we begin to feel that happiness we desire.

One other important thing from this quote that I agree with.

Happiness requires action.

Even if that action is to take a break, we must take action with purpose to get where we want to go.

Based on these standards then – do you have something to do today?

Make it a great day.

Jake

"People who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity no matter how impressive their other talents"- Andrew Carnegie

Wow. Little harsh there, Mr. Carnegie.

Or maybe it just hit a little too close to home.

There is a consequence to not doing our best. Mediocrity. A wasting of our talents and gifts.

There is a reward for doing our best. Something better than mediocrity.

It’s a choice.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/RAzBfY_dYE4

Let this serve as your weekly reminder to get up and dance a little.

Make it a great day.

Jake

"A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for." – William G. T. Shedd

Ships were built for sailing and so were you.

You were built for movement and progress.

You were built for service.

Don’t stay in the harbor.

Make it a great day.

Jake

“I always thought that the “thriving” would come when everything was perfect, and what I learned is that it’s actually down in the mess that things get good.”

― Joanna Gaines, The Magnolia Story

I recently finished reading this book and really liked this idea from the book.

She talks a lot about how all of the success came after she figured out how to thrive with the way things were.

One of the hardest paradoxes is the battle between being happy with the way things are and maintaining a desire and ambition for what could be.

We each have our own balance to strike between this focus on how things could be and how they are.

How can you be happy with what you have?

How can you inspire yourself towards better?

My hope is that each of you thrive today.

Make it a great day.

Jake

"Never confuse a single defeat with a final defeat." – F. Scott Fitzgerald

Great quote for the last day of the second month.

Most of us have already had a setback or two with our goals to start this year.

But those are single defeats. We are only truly defeated when we quit.

Each defeat is an opportunity to learn and grow.

To begin anew with a fresh perspective and renewed enthusiasm.

It really is a choice. Choose to look at the obstacles as opportunities to grow or choose to see them as the end of the road.

Make it a great day.

Jake

You must be the change you wish to see in the world. – Mahatma Gandhi

We all wish for a better world.

We all see room for improvement in the world around us.

Monday morning is a great time to renew your focus on being the change you want to see in the world.

If you want to see more love, be more loving.

If you want to see more service, serve more.

If you want to see more selflessness, be less selfish.

If you want to see more courage, be more courageous.

A lofty goal, to be sure. But one worth striving for.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/Wl8yDRJSiHs

I’m sure it wouldn’t work lyrically but I would change the sentiment of this song, just a little.

I would change it to “Don’t stop believing the future can be better”.

I wouldn’t make it in the music biz.

All of us need hope and faith.

Hope that tomorrow can be better.

Faith that it will all work out in the end.

Tomorrow can be such a source of anxiety and worry. Living in the present is the key.

We must learn to live in the present with faith and hope for our future.

It’s a balance to be sure, but one worth seeking.

Make it a great day.

Jake

In response to yesterday’s email asking everyone to find a small way to get started, Mr. Cluney replied with an interesting article he had recently read.

https://www.davidwolfe.com/japanese-technique-defeat-laziness-1-minute/

It’s a good idea about the concept of Kaizen.

A simple takeaway to start with is the idea of setting a timer for 1 minute to get started on something.

Want to start exercising? Set a timer for 1 minute.

Want to start doing a budget? Set a time for 1 minute.

Want to start reading more and turning off the TV? Set a timer for 1 minute.

Just one minute. Anyone can do that, right?

Pick something you want to get started on and spend 1 minute on it today.

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS – Thanks Mr. Cluney for sharing. For those of you who don’t know, Mr. Cluney sends insightful responses to me in response to daily attitude emails pretty frequently. He is super cool dude.

"Definiteness of purpose is the starting point of all achievement." – W. Clement Stone

We all know that when we have a purpose and motivation everything seems to be so much easier.

It’s the finding of the purpose and motivation that is sometimes the hardest part.

The words “starting point” gave me an idea.

What if our only purpose was to get started?

To get started on our search for purpose.

To get started on our weight loss plan.

To get started saving money.

To get started, that’s it. Just to find the first, smallest step and take it.

Make it a great day.

Jake