Be Great Today!

I have had the good fortune to have been mentored by Starbucks Chairman Howard Schultz, Dell’s founder Michael Dell, Virgin’s CEO Richard Branson, creator of such hits as Survivor and The Apprentice’s Mark Burnett, actor Sylvester Stallone, Wendy’s restaurant founder Dave Thomas, billionaire investor Warren Buffett and literally hundreds of other famous, successful, and wealthy individuals.  How can an average guy like me from suburban Detroit gain access to all of this world-class talent?

 The answer to that question is thru the books that they have written.  All of these individuals and for that matter, individuals in every field, industry, and nation have shared their secrets to success in print for hundreds of years.  The answers to any question that you may have are in print at your local Barnes & Noble, Border’s Books, or online at Amazon.com just waiting for you to dive in and scoop up the treasures from page after page of answers to how these people overcame seemingly insurmountable odds to rise to the top of their respective fields.

 Further, you have people in your life: parents, siblings, teachers, coaches, neighbors, bosses, and friends who are achieving every day what you want.  Understand that not everyone in life is going to understand your hopes and dreams.  We all have different opinions and view the world from a slightly different lense.  It can be hard to understand sometimes why loved ones or people you admire have a different view from you when it comes to your dreams.  Just remember that your dreams are just that, “yours” and belong to no one else. 

 If you are operating from a base of integrity and life is giving you signs that whatever you may be striving for is a good thing, then by all means, forge on, and stick to your path.  Realize that some or all of the people listed above may not want to see you succeed because of their own insecurities or competitive nature to always have to be on top.  Just keep pushing on.

Dream Big!

What mentors must have in order to help you:

1. Have your best interest in mind. The mentors that you select must have your best interest in mind.  This may seem obvious but is not always the case.  Your mentors must truly value you as a person and want you to succeed.  Your mentors must want to give you wings that let you fly free on your own terms in your own time frame.

2. Not have an alternate motive for self gain, at your expense.  You must have a win-win relationship where you both gain.  Your mentor must not provide conditional assistance which would limit your growth to not surpass the mentor’s abilities.  Your mentor should want you to be the best you can possibly be and want you to surpass their capabilities and accomplishments.

3. Have already achieved or helped others achieve what you desire.  Your mentor must be a person that is either living what you want to live, lived what you desire to live, or coached others successfully on how to live the way that you want to live.  A mentor who hasn’t walked in the shoes that you desire to walk in or helped others achieve their dreams will not be able to get you where you want to go.

4. Exhibit integrity in all of their actions in life.  If your mentor only does what is right, when it is convenient, then you will learn other shortcuts that could lead to a dead end, and other problems, instead of true happiness and success.

5. Be honest with you about both your strengths and weaknesses.  If your mentor only tells you what you want to hear instead of what you “need” to hear, then the mentor will not be doing you any favors.  A good example of this was an episode of the reality show, So You Think You Can Dance?  One of the contestants brought his mother, who said he was great.  Was he really great?  Mom convinced this guy that he was great, and the supposed dancer said as much to America.  When it was time for this contestant to strut his stuff, it was evident that he had never danced in public, ever.  Forget the fact that he had never had any formal dance training, he had no rhythm or skill whatsoever.

When you are fortunate enough to have a mentor or role model in your life, whether it’s for a short time (in the form of a boss or coach), or for your whole life (in the form of parents or a spouse), the key is to respect that person and have an open mind, heart, and spirit.

Live, Learn and Pass it On!

We had a beautiful snowfall a couple of weeks ago, and my daughters had great fun building forts and sledding down the hill in the back yard for a couple of days.  On the second day of play, I asked my youngest daughter, Megan, why she hadn’t used certain sections of the yard.  She informed me that Anne Marie, the oldest, had instructed the group to save those areas.

I let Anne Marie know that if they wanted to have fun with the unused snow, they better use it today because the temperatures were going to climb into the 40’s the following day, at which point the snow would be gone.

That got me thinking… what am I or any of us not using that we should be?

? Time, we only get each day once?

? Access to family, friends, neighbors, or co-workers? 

? Are we allocating our financial resources properly balancing today and tomorrow?

? Saying “I Love You” to that special someone?

? Forgiving those who hurt you?

How do we know when we should use one of the above, knowing that we risk losing it as the alternative?  I believe you know when :

1.     You know who you are as a person and what you are capable of.

2.    Your priorities are lined up with your values and in sync with your capabilities.

3.     Your taking responsibility for your daily choices and actions.

4.     Your utilizing your God given abilities, or natural strengths to the best of your ability.

If you’re focused on paying attention and developing the above traits, you’ll know when to use it or lose it!  Just as it’s important to seize opportunities when they present themselves, it’s equally important to let other opportunities pass you by.  The opportunities to lose would consist of those being harmful to your health, wealth, or well being.

So next time your playing in the snow, try to remember that sooner or later the snow is going to melt, so you might as well have fun now!

Have a great day!

Do you want more out of this life of yours?  As far as I see it, you have 2 choices, (1) be the example yourself by leading, or (2) follow a great example.

First, who to follow?  A person, movement, or organization that would be a great example to follow is any that makes the world a better place by being here.  This doesn’t have to be anyone or anything that is big and splashy, just one that follows the Golden Rule… “Do onto others as you’d want done onto yourself.”

An example of this is the late, great Mother Teresa.  Mother Teresa’s name is synonymous with lover, generosity, giving, caring for the less fortunate, dignity, and hope.  But, I bet you weren’t aware of this information. 

In studying Mother Teresa’s life, after her passing, if the world wasn’t aware of the inspirational influence that she provided, you would not draw the same conclusion.  Journal entries speak of uncertainty, despair, and darkness.  Each morning, those feelings were pushed aside as Mother Teresa rose to care for the sick, hungry, and poor of Calcutta, India.  This daily action resulted in a mission that lives on after Mother Teresa’s death.

When Mother Teresa’s, Missionaries of Charity was passed onto her successor in 1997, the society had nearly 4,000 sisters, 300 brothers and more than 100,000 lay volunteers who oversaw 610 houses in 123 countries.  Overcoming daily uncertainty, despair, and darkness can have some truly amazing, blessed results.  Mother Teresa of Calcutta is truly one of the greatest examples to follow!

Now, how to lead!  You don’t have to be or become rich from a monetary standpoint to be a great leader.  You simply have to put good into the world, take action, one day at a time.  How do you do that?

1.     Smile at fellow humans as you pass them throughout your day!

2.     Offer warm greetings or well wishes to loved ones and strangers alike!

3.     When you’re talking with others genuinely listen and be in the moment!

4.     Take time to notice nature and give thanks for its beauty!

5.     Phone a friend, just to say “hi!”

Note: there is a common thread in the 5 options above.  They are all free!  No money needed. 

Share and give freely and you will receive so much more in return than you could have ever imagined.  Guaranteed.  Mother Teresa didn’t have it easy, and she didn’t have an agenda, other than giving God’s love to God’s children, each moment of each day of her life.  What a blessed life and what a beautiful, lasting legacy!

Great results are guaranteed for you, whether you approach the day and your life as a leader or follower.

Pay It Forward!