People Can’t Break You If They Don’t Make You

There are a lot of angry people in the world and some days it seems like they all live and work around me. 

The good news is that they don’t.  Too often we let people get inside of our head or play with our emotions and they have no right to either one.

Some people are better at ignoring the pests that buzz around in my head than I am.  I know that everyone cannot be pleased but I’m lying if I say it doesn’t bother me sometimes.

So how do I combat it? 

1.  I eventually realize that the person who is angry will eventually be angry and talk bad about somebody else very soon.  It’s usually their nature, almost a hobby for them.

2.  I realized that their opinion of me doesn’t make me and in the long run the truth will win.  It always does.

3.  They are not a majority.  They are loud and the loudest one in the room is usually the weakest one in the room.

At the end of the day the people throwing stones don’t get to break you because they had no hand in making you who you are. 

Keep your head up and lean on those who truly support you.  They are likely waiting to lift you up.

I’m cheering for you.

#leadership #motivation #coaching
#bebetter #beblessed

What Do You Do With Your Opportunities?


Taking time to show appreciation, say a kind word or right a brief note can have a lasting impact. 

Too often we discredit a simple gesture thinking that it lacks the flair or the ability to be quoted on social media when something simple may be the most impactful and long lasting.

Several years ago I listened to Iowa State Athletic Director Jamie Pollard share the story of a life changing health scare he had and how it helped to change his perspective on life. It was very real and showed the kind of man and leader that he is.

Later that day I decided to send him an email thanking him for speaking to our group and sharing his story. He’s a busy man leading a Power 5 University and likely wouldn’t see it or would just skim through it and move on to something much more important.  How wrong I was.

A few days later he sent me a hand written note and a leadership book that he had read in the mail.  The leader with 1,000 things to do took time to say Thank You and encourage someone he had never met or would even recognize passing on the street.

I keep that note as a bookmark in every book that I am reading to help remind me of two things.

1) It is impactful to take time to encourage someone with a kind word or gesture, even if you may never cross paths.

2) Words, rather spoken or written, can have an impact long after they are shared.

Use your words wisely and as a way to build others up. They are more powerful than we may ever know.

I’m cheering for you.

#leadership #motivation #coaching
#bebetter #beblessed

No Magic Formula For Success

There is no magic formula that will lead you to success. No slight of hand or trick that will bring a great achievement your way.

People tend to want the quick fix and they want it yesterday but the only way real and lasting success happens is with moment by moment, day by day work.

It’s not glamorous and is sometimes messy but if you set your mind on the vision that you have, show up and do the work daily you will be closer to it at the end of the day than you were yesterday.

Control your effort and your attitude today and then do that again tomorrow and continue to repeat it.  Moment by moment.  Day by day.

It’s not magic.
It’s reality.
It’s the key to lasting success.

I’m cheering for you.

#leadership #motivation #coaching #bebetter #beblessed

What’s Important Now

Legendary football coach Lou Holtz coined the acronym W.I.N. and asked his players to think about “What’s Important Now” at least 35 times per day.

What would thinking about W.I.N. 35 times per day require from you and me?

Discipline
-Be committed to what’s important to us.

Action
-See a need, meet the need.

Choice
-If we make 30,000 a day let 35 of them be to refocus into the here and now.

Presence
-Be in the moment. It is the most important one.

It won’t always be easy but often times the best things for us are hard. If it were easy everyone would do it.

It may be hard but think of the impact that focusing on W.I.N. will have for us and those we are loving and leading.

I’m cheering for you.

#leadership #motivation #coaching
#bebetter #beblessed