Dr. Seuss’ The Sneetches is a favorite of ours.

The story is about two different kinds of Sneetches. One with stars on their bellies and sneetches with none upon thars.

They are bamboozled (don’t get to break that one out much) into getting stars added and removed from their stomachs in a race to see which kind of Sneetches are the best.

Like all my favorite Dr. Seuss books, this story illustrates an important life lesson while being silly and whimsical (bamboozled and whimsical in the same email, wow).

At first blush, I thought the lesson was about not looking down on others because they are different than you.

And while I think that lesson can be gathered from this story, there is a potentially more important one.

Don’t let someone else tell you that because you don’t have a “star” that you are anything less.

The really sad part of the story was that each group in turn accepted the other group’s labeling of them as “less than” or some version of that.

When we accept those thoughts and labels that others place on us we actually do become “less than” we are capable of being.

I think Thomas Jefferson said it best:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”

Remember today to not accept the limitations any else places on you.

Make it a great day.

Jake

You can’t plow a field by turning it over in your mind. – Gordon B. Hinckley

I tend to over analyze things.

Trying to think about all the angles, what is the best way to do something, etc.

But this thoughtfulness must be balanced with action.

As I get a little older, I am beginning to think that you don’t want to balance these two out.

There must be a bias towards action.

The scale needs to tip towards doing something.

Is there something in your life that you are over-thinking?

Do you need to take some action today?

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/9jK-NcRmVcw

Big day for our little companies at Maxlider/Mavidea.

We’ve got a few trucks being auctioned off at Barrett Jackson.

When we have something big happening I always think of how lucky we are to have such great employees and customers. How lucky we are to experience these moments together. The meaningful relationships we build add meaning to the big moments.

Be thinking good thoughts today and tomorrow.

Make it a great day.

Jake

For those who want to watch, the 4 door crosses the block at 4:45 Central Time. You can watch it on the History Channel on online at the Barrett Jackson site – https://www.barrett-jackson.com/Events/Event/Home/Scottsdale-2023/ab1e8b14-6a68-41aa-becb-8942d5d2b9fa

Here are the listings and lot numbers for the three vehicles if you want to follow along:

https://www.barrett-jackson.com/Events/Event/Details/1968-FORD-BRONCO-CUSTOM-SUV-265173

https://www.barrett-jackson.com/Events/Event/Details/2022-FORD-BRONCO-CUSTOM-SUV-263467

https://www.barrett-jackson.com/Events/Event/Details/2022-FORD-BRONCO-RAPTOR-CUSTOM-SUV-263466

Andy Stanley once did a series going through the process of decision making and how to make better decision’s in your life.

He suggests asking yourself a question. What story do I want to tell?

When facing an important decision, he suggests looking into the future and asking this question to help clarify what you are really deciding.

Some examples….

When it comes to your finances, what story do you want to tell?

When it comes to your health and fitness, what story do you want to tell?

When it comes to your family and your closest relationships, what story do you want to tell?

These are just to get you thinking a little. Thinking of the story you want to tell is beginning with the end in mind. Everything becomes clearer when you can attach a story to it.

I encourage you today to not only think about what stories you want to tell, I encourage you to write them down. Then start making decisions that align with those stories.

We are all writing the story of our life everyday by the decisions we make.​ Let’s do our best to write the story we want to tell.

Make it a great day.

Jake

"The Shortcut to Contentment"

Comparison drops you at the dead-end of discontentment every single time. Whether you come out on top and feel guilty, or don’t measure up and feel short-changed, comparison always leaves you dissatisfied.

But there’s a secret to overcoming it: gratitude. The shortcut to contentment is thanking God, and it works no matter which side of comparison you’re on.

How? It’s an instant perspective adjustment. When comparison makes you feel short-changed, gratitude can shift your focus to all the blessings you do have. And when you’ve been blessed with a lot, thanking God puts you in the humble posture needed to use those gifts well.

Comparison is out to steal your contentment. But the habit of expressing gratitude is an easy way out of its trap. – Andy Stanley

Comparison is such a dangerous road to travel. Andy’s suggestion above is that the road is too narrow and isn’t worth the trip.

He suggests we skip it and instead take the road of gratitude.

We all have something to be thankful for.

In our darkest hour, there is a light shining somewhere.

Something to maybe add to Andy’s suggestion about being thankful. Tell someone.

Tell someone today that you are thankful for them, or even just tell them something you are thankful for.

Just tell someone.

Make it a great day.

Jake

There are a lot of people at Barrett Jackson. Lots and lots and lots.

Any time I go to a big event like this it involves a certain amount of people watching.

What strikes me every time is that there are a lot of different ways you can live life.

How you dress, how much money you make, whether you smile a lot, positive attitude or negative attitude, etc. – you get to pick.

Some of us (myself included more than I would probably admit) are maybe (probably) letting how others live their lives influence us a little too much.

We worry about what to wear or what others might think of us. We wonder why others have what we don’t have. We compare and contrast. We allow envy and bitterness to creep in.

In the end, we get to pick. It’s our choice what kind of person we want to be.

And other people are watching.

What they see is up to you.

What if they saw love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control?

Our lives are given purpose and meaning through the relationships we foster. Relationships that blossom in proportion to our ability to live out those things just listed.

Embrace your opportunity to be a person worth watching.

Make it a great day.

Jake

We’ve spent the last two days at Barrett Jackson and every time I go to a big car event I feel good about this community we get to be a part of.

So many people following and pursuing something they are passionate about.

Whether it’s an old Bronco or a brand new Ferrari or a random old Honda Civic – there is somebody at the event amped up about it.

The people appreciate the work we do at Maxlider and the passion we put into our builds.

There is a general mutual admiration and respect even when they aren’t into Broncos or we aren’t that into Honda Civics.

I’m grateful for the little part we get to play in this great community.

In life it is easy to focus on our differences and to pick apart others who don’t see the world the way we do.

But it’s better when we can instead appreciate those differences and encourage others to pursue their own path.

Cars and trucks are an easy way to bridge those gaps and appreciate those differences. We can find ways if we look for them.

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS – In case it isn’t clear there is also some wisdom to be applied here. If someone else’s idea of a good time is stealing, we probably shouldn’t encourage that. We should lock our doors and report them to the police. Our deepest values need to remain steadfast and unwavering.

This toe tapper Meaghan sent out a few years ago is another of my favorite things about Meaghan – she looks for the ordinary miracles.

This Toe Tapper from a few years ago is a great reminder to find joy in the ordinary miracles around us every day.

When Jake asked me for a suggestion to use as this Friday morning’s toe tapper, I jokingly mentioned this song because it has been playing in my head lately. Little did I know I would get roped into sending this out. 😉

I hope some of you will enjoy it, regardless of its lack of toe tapping quality. The video is full of clips from the latest movie version of Charlotte’s Web, which is one of my all time favorite books about friendship and ordinary miracles. The song has been an inspiration to me to look for joy in the every day. When I am feeling down or having a bad day, all I have to do is look at the colors of fall against a bright blue sky, think about the uniqueness of each and every snowflake falling (a little too early last week, in my opinion), watch my little girl form something out of play-doh with her little fingers, or call a friend whom I love with all of my heart. Noticing the little miracles in my daily life keeps my focus on the good in the world, in others, and in myself.

https://youtu.be/rweU-FFE6Ww

If you remember to take a look, you too can find ordinary miracles as you go about your normal day. When you find those little bits of beauty, joy, and love in your life, you may also find a little "tap" in your toes (and your heart, since I am going with the sappy theme here). Then you can "open up and find a way to give some of your own."

Happy Friday, Toe Tappers!

Meaghan Davis

Meaghan’s birthday today!

Not quite sure how she pulls it off, but she sure does get more wonderful each year.

I sure got the better end of the deal when she agreed to marry me over 20 years ago.

One of my favorite words to describe what’s so great about Meaghan is grace.

I once heard someone describe grace as the gift of giving others better than what they deserve.

Meaghan does this everyday with her husband, children and those around her.

She is forgiving, kind and caring even when it isn’t warranted or deserved.

Because she is that kind of person.

I take inspiration from this all the time and hope it can do the same for you.

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