People Who Want What's Best for You Want to See You at Your Best
“People who want what’s best for you, want to see you at your best.”
- Oprah Winfrey
I was recently watching an inspirational video on YouTube featuring Oprah Winfrey delivering a commencement speech to an auditorium of graduating college students (yes, I think Oprah is the bomb ).
During her impassioned address, she imparted upon the graduates the words shared above,
“People who want what’s best for you, want to see you at your best.”
Hearing these words caused me to pause, reflect upon and appreciate all of the amazing people I have had in my life who supported and encouraged me.
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Are You Practicing Your Basics? (Part 2)
“Master the basics. Then practice them everyday without fail. Small disciplines repeated with consistency everyday lead to great achievements gained slowly over time.”
- John C. Maxwell
Last week I shared the concept of how in martial arts, a Black Belt is nothing more than a “Master of the Basics”.
When we bring the principle of “practicing the basics” into our everyday lives, we can find that it serves us greatly in creating mastery and success in everything we do.
I discussed in detail how the practice of my first three of six basic...
Are You Practicing Your Basics? (Part 1)
“Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying the basic fundamentals.”
- Jim Rohn
I believe consistently and diligently practicing the basics is the key to success and mastery in any endeavor.
In the Martial Arts, instructors consistently share with their students the following......
Black Belt is nothing more than being a
master of the basics.
From early in my martial arts career, I have a vivid memory of my first martial arts instructor talking about the importance of practicing the basics. He equated the basics as the foundation...
Success is Not Something You Achieve in a Day; It’s Something You Practice Daily
“You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. That means developing great habits. Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments, and that bridge must be crossed every day. Over time that daily crossing becomes a habit. And ultimately, people do not decide their future; they decide their habits and their habits decide their future.”
- John Maxwell
We are all creatures of habit.
When we take a close look at our lives, it is usually easy to see how many of the activities we embark upon each day are...
He Just Kept Showing Up
“Success is not final. Failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.”
- Winston Churchill
In my over four and a half decades of teaching and training in the martial arts, I have witnessed some incredible examples of students overcoming obstacles in their training and in their lives. Injuries and illness, personal relationship challenges and financial difficulties are just a few of the difficulties I have seen my students be confronted with and overcome.
While these instances are generally not experiences, we would intentionally ask for in our lives, they invariably are gifts as they help us to become better, stronger and more...
What Makes You Come Alive?
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
- Howard Thurman
I have been extremely blessed in my life to have several amazing teachers, instructors, and mentors along my path.
These people have guided me in all areas of my life. Whether it was martial arts, sports, business, or parenting, each one of these incredible individuals, regardless of their area of influence, has left an indelible impact on my life and the lives of those that I serve.
In reflection, I have come to realize, that all of these important...
It's NOT about being Balanced; It's about BALANCING
“Step with care and great tact, remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act.”
- Dr. Seuss
Several years ago, I observed one of the most creative ways of making an impactful point by a professional speaker that I have ever witnessed.
I was attending a National Speakers Association meeting in Denver and the keynote speaker was a man with a unique background. He had started as a busker or street performer on the streets of San Francisco. After years of entertaining audiences in the “City by the Bay”, he had now transformed into an outstanding professional speaker.
Combining his powerful...
The Power of Enthusiasm
“Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success. When you do a thing, do it with all your might. Put your whole soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. Be active, be energetic and faithful and you will accomplish your object. Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Last year, I attended a concert with my son, Jason to see one of his favorite musical artists, David Gray.
While not being a particularly big follower of Gray before the event, I left the concert as a huge fan. Part of that came certainly because of the quality of his...
Your Eulogy in Three Words
“If only you could sense how important you are to the lives of those you meet; how important you can be to the people you may never even dream of. There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person.”
- Fred Rogers, Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood
Impact. Whether we know it or not, each one of us has the ability to impact others in profound ways.
This is usually recognized for those who positively affect the masses through speaking to large audiences, television appearances or internet posts that go viral.
But most of the time it is done in ordinary ways, by ordinary people. It comes in our...
A Lesson Learned from My Camino
“Solvitur Ambulando ………………..It is solved by walking.”
- Saint Augustine
June 1, 2020, marks my sixth anniversary of completing one of the most remarkable experiences of my life, when I walked the Camino de Santiago.
Popularized in the United States by the movie, The Way, starring Martin Sheen, the Camino, or the Way of St. James is a 500-mile trek across northern Spain which begins in western France, ascends up into the Pyrenees mountains and then descends into Spain for the duration of the journey.
For most who embark upon this journey, it is life changing. It certainly was for me. ...