Reinvent The Gate

“Reward excellent failures. Punish mediocre success.” — Phil Daniels, Sydney Executive

This quote inspires the heck out of me.  Seriously.

If ever there was a pervasive vision for risk-taking, this would be the battle cry.

Why Not Do It This Way?

“The problem is never how to get new, innovative thoughts into your mind, but how to get old ones out.” — Dee Hock

Sing Like No One Is Listening

Sunny with a chance of amazing!

Happy Monday everyone.

Having a GREAT week is ultimately up to each one of us. Our attitude shapes our behaviors, and our behaviors reinforce our attitude.

It’s a revolving door, so to speak. It’s also a habit.

And the easier it is to do, the harder it is to change.

Remember today’s forecast. Be prepared. Bring your sunglasses and sunscreen.

All Gave Some, Some Gave All

Today’s post brought to you by returning Guest Blogger, Skip Gaskill:

Freedom Isn’t Free!…..Really?

Most people in this country really don’t/can’t grasp the reality of our country being at war today. We hear about it in the media every day but we as a country are not “really” at war. Why do I say this?

Because with the exception of the families of the fallen and the families of the deployed, we aren’t being asked to do without commodities like soap, sugar, butter, etc., as families were during WWII. We aren’t in blackout conditions at night for public safety. We aren’t working around the clock to produce tanks, ships, or airplanes to meet the needs of the Services. We come and go as we please, we go to work, we go to school, we go to parties, dances, sporting events, etc. We have our freedom.

Why?

Because our leaders knew there was going to be a fight one way or another. Our enemy hates us and our way of life. Our very lifestyle is a threat to their beliefs and they are on a campaign to destroy it. So, our leaders decided that it would be better to fight in the enemy’s front yard rather than our own. This decision means that we don’t have to deal with air strikes, suicide bombers, IED’s, or close quarter battle in our streets, our alleys, our yards, and in our homes.

This is a good thing right?

Absolutely yes…with one minor drawback.

It’s a double edge sword…because we took the war to the enemy’s front yard we don’t/can’t feel the threat (which I’m here to tell you is real) here at home and it makes it difficult for us to comprehend the seriousness of the threat. We feel safe. We are Free.

If you take nothing else away from this blog please consider this…don’t ever take your freedom for granted…someone paid the bill on our behalf.

Quote:
“Freedom has a taste the protected will never know.” – Anonymous (found written on a C-Ration Crate, Khe-Sanh, Republic of Viet Nam)

LinkedIn

Yesterday, an unsolicited LinkedIn invitation reached my inbox. Being an open networker on LinkedIn and Twitter, I gladly accepted Matt’s LinkedIn invite.

Social media tools really are like anything else in life – you get out of it what you put into it. Period.

Did you know social media has surpassed pornography as the number one Internet activity?

We often hear of blind spots, mostly with a negative connotation.

But not yesterday:  “Great profile and great blogs. It seems you live your life as you present it.”

When you’re a small business startup, you are everything: Visionary, Marketing, PR, HR, Finance, Spokesperson, Ambassador, Idea Creator, Innovator, Spiritual Director, Artistic Director, Secretary, Networker, Errand Boy, Office Manager, “Gopher”, Rookie, CEO, Janitor, and everything else.

All you can do is try. But until you actually try it on your own, you have no idea.

I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.

Twitter Summary

Twitter = jeffnoelmidlife

Pokemon (Pocket Monster)

What do children want?

Seems to me they want their parents to notice stuff.

Notice what they like to do and how well they do it.

Last night our son and I put a five dollar deposit on the new Pokemon game, Soul Silver, which is being released Sunday, March 14.  The deposit ensures we can reserve a copy.

Otherwise, they are very likely to run out.

Apple’s iPhone sometimes has similar challenges.

What’s the moral here?

Cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon.  Little boy blue and the man in the moon. When you coming home? I don’t know when. But we’ll get together then….

What derails our confidence?

Everything.

Then, perhaps we should watch this You Tube video for our hourly dose of inspiration.

Before you decide to not click the video, let me simply ask you, right now, are you inspired to start your day? Are you 100% confident in your ability to be remarkable and indispensable?

I get nothing if you click through and watch it. Well, almost nothing.  I get the peace of knowing that I tried my best to help you this morning.

If you click here, you’ll see a common man, working for the phone company, who has every reason to back down from his destiny.

But he didn’t.  And neither should we.

Will be back again tomorrow for another shot at helping you with your daily dose of “don’t settle”.

PS.  The clip has 63 million views so far.

Trash is as trash does.

Sins of commission (trying to do the right thing) are forgivable…

Sins of omission (doing nothing when you should be doing something) are not.

Is it acceptable to throw trash on the ground, because others have?

Is it acceptable to throw away your dreams because others have?

Famous

Yesterday’s post, with the quote sent from Sally, is a reminder of how difficult it is to have the confidence to feel like we can make a difference.

People who know you well, will not notice your transformation, and therefore, you are much more susceptible to their ridicule and your own doubt.

And during this Lenten Season, many are reminded of Jesus’ story. Jesus wasn’t considered a Prophet in his home town, but he should have been.

Instead, he changed the course of history with his humility. And his prophetic promise, and sacrifice.