The Extra Mile

“There are no traffic jams along the extra mile.”

- Roger Staubach

Just how come there are no traffic jams along the extra mile?  It’s because not many people are traveling the extra mile.  They’re not traveling the extra mile because they’re not willing to put forth the extra time and effort to travel the extra mile.  Instead, they settle for taking the same old route everyday, yet complain about the traffic jams they encounter.   Just like getting stuck in a traffic jam, they get stuck in life.  Getting stuck in a traffic jam is no fun and getting stuck in life is even worse. 

If you’re willing to travel the extra mile, keep in mind that initially you’ll likely discover adversity, fear, and disappointment.  However, if you continue with your course, adversity will give way to opportunity, fear will give way to faith, and disappointment will give way to satisfaction.  Keep in mind, when you arrive at the end of the extra mile you’ll find success.  You can’t travel the extra mile and not arrive at: Destination Success!  Remember, regardless of your outcome(s), when you arrive you’ll be successful.  True success is not measured by outcomes; it’s measured by the person one becomes because of the process.  

There is a reason why there are no traffic jams along the extra mile.  There just aren’t enough people willing to travel it.  When someone is willing to travel the extra mile while others are not, it says something about that person.  It tells me that they are in the process of becoming a better person.  You can’t come face to face with fear and overcome adversity and disappointment and not become a better person in the process.  So remember this as you embark upon the extra mile, you can’t travel its course and not end up in a better place! 

Destination Success – Here We Come!  Hope to see you on the Extra Mile!

It’s your life: live it, love it and celebrate it!
MJD

The Right Ingredient

"Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings."

-- William Arthur Ward

***

POINT TO PONDER:  Just as a dish can go from bland to delectable by adding the right ingredient, your life can be transformed by adding the right ingredient too.  The right ingredient is gratitude.   So, if you want to make a common, routine and ordinary life something special, just try adding a little gratitude. 

Mm-Mm Good!

It's your life: live it, love it, & celebrate it!
MJD  

A Firm Foundation

“A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him.”
- David Brinkley 

 ***
Unfortunately, people like to throw bricks. No matter what you do or say, or don’t do or say for that matter, people will hurl bricks at you. There will always be people who will complain about you, criticize you, and condemn you. I encourage you to resist the urge to throw bricks back at the “brick throwers.” A counter-attack by you, makes you no better than those who throw bricks at you.

Brinkley tells us that bricks can be used to build a firm foundation. By not throwing bricks back at the “brick throwers”, you’re demonstrating good character. You’re exemplifying poise, self-confidence, discipline and tolerance. These qualities are key traits in developing and maintaining good character. Remember, a truly successful person is grounded (foundation) in good character. Don’t be a “brick thrower.” Use the bricks thrown at you to build a firm foundation. And, if you struggle from time to time with your foundation, you can always call on the Master Architect – He created the universe, just think what he can do for you!

It’s your life: live it, love it and celebrate it!
MJD

Choices, Choices, Choices

“There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them.”

 -  Denis Waitley

***

We make lots and lots of choices each day!  What did you decide to wear today?  What did have for breakfast?  What will you do this evening?  Most of the choices we make are routine choices.  They’re decisions we make that don’t require much thought.  Occasionally, we’ll find ourselves in a situation where we have to make a choice that can be life-changing.   Most times, these are difficult decisions that require significant time, research and analysis.  If we only had a crystal ball or even the slightest glimpse into the future, just think how much easier and less stressful it would be on us when making a choice.

All of us are faced with having to make the exact same choice every day.  To most, It’s a  choice that they won’t give any thought to.  Unfortunately for those people, they don’t recognize it is the most important choice they’re going to make for the day.  Each day, we all must choose whether we are going to accept conditions as they exist or will we accept the responsibility for changing them? 

If you’re looking to make some changes in your life (conditions), the only way to do so is to make a conscious choice to do so.   Don’t allow the most important choice you’re going to make each day to become just another routine choice.  Instead, today is the day to make the choice to commit to asking yourself each morning when you arise, “Am I a going to accept conditions as they are or am I going to accept responsibility for changing them?”   If you want to live a happier and more fulfilled life, to me, the choice is quite clear!

It's your life: live it, love it,& celebrate it!
MJD

A Different Look

Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.

- Wayne W. Dyer

***

Life is a matter of perspective!  How is it that two people can experience the exact same thing, yet come away with a completely different experience?  It is not the event/circumstance that determines the experience it is the way you look at the event/circumstance that gives it its meaning: positive or negative, significant or insignificant, fulfilling or unfulfilling, etc.   

So, if you really want things in your life to change, you must first change the way you look at things.   You can do this by recognizing that no matter what event/circumstance you’re enduring, others have it much worse than you.  When, you decide to look at your event/circumstance this way, it puts things in perspective.   Recognizing that others are enduring much more significant pain, loss, anxiety, and discomfort puts an immediate end to your “pity party.”

Next, stop telling yourself, “I have to” and start telling yourself, “I get to.”   When you have to do something it is an obligation.  When you get to do something it is a privilege.  You don’t “have to” go to work, you “get to” go to work.  Think of all the people who are struggling to find a job, they would love the privilege of earning a day’s wages.  You don’t “have to” clean the house, you “get to” clean the house.  Think of the homeless, wishing for one night’s sleep in a comfortable bed with a roof above their head, or the person confined to a wheelchair who would love to have the opportunity to clean the house just one more time. I hope your getting the picture.

And finally, if you’ve been playing the victim role, its time to give it up.  Absent events that are completely outside of your control, which are few and far between, you are responsible for your decisions and consequences in your life.  When you’re a victim, you’re not capable of changing the way you look at things.  Why?  Because, a victim believes they’re helpless to the events/circumstance occurring around them.  When you stop playing the victim role, you’ll soon find yourself in a position to change the way you look at things. And, when you change the way you look at things, things change!   

So there you have it, life is a matter of perspective!  Your perspective!  So if your life does not seem to be measuring up right now, maybe it is about time to change the way you look at things. 

I urge you to try a different look – you just might be surprised at what you find!

It’s your life: live it, love it & celebrate it!

MJD 

Mouth Management

Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something. 
~ Attributed to Plato

POINT TO PONDER: 

The wise are adept at managing their mouth.  They know when to speak, what to say, and how to say it.  The foolish, on the other hand, have a reckless mouth.  They speak out of selfishness.  Feeling compelled to hear themselves speak, their timing, content and/or presentation is ineffective.  Remember, The Good Book tells us, “Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble” (Proverbs 21:23).   Today, be like the wise and start managing your mouth.  I ask you: the next time you speak will you have something to say or will you have to say something?

It's your life: live it, love it & celebrate it!
MJD

Problem Solved

Believe that problems do have answers, that they can be overcome, and that we can solve them.

~Norman Vincent Peale

***

George Dantzig was a doctoral student at University of California, Berkely in 1939.  Having overslept for his statistics class, he walked into class late and noticed two statistical problems on the blackboard.  Unbeknown to him, the problems were open questions ( a problem that can be accurately stated, but has yet to been solved).  The two problems had stumped several of the greatest mathematicians throughout the years.  Dantzig thought that the “homework” problems were a little more difficult than usual, but nonetheless set out to complete the “homework assignment.”  Dantzig completed the “homework assignment and apologized to his professor for taking so to complete the assignment.  A few weeks later, Dantzig was contacted by an overly excited professor who advised Dantzig that he had just solved one of the most famous unsolved problems in field of statistics and that he had prepared Dantzig's solution for publication in a mathematical journal. 

George Dantzig admitted that had he known that the two problems were considered unsolvable problems, he never would have attempted to solve them.  He would have thought that since several “great minds” were unable to solve the problems, why should he try. 

POINT TO PONDER:  Problems do have answers, even one’s that are thought to be open problems (unsolvable).  Relationship problems, work problems, financial problems do have answers.  All problems have answers; you just have to believe there is an answer and go to work on solving it. Dantzig was able to solve a problem that was considered unsolvable because he did not allow negative thinking to dissuade him from trying.  All too often, when we face difficult situations in our life, we allow negative thinking to dictate our outcomes: “it’s too hard,” “it will never work,” or “nothing ever changes.”  This type of thinking only perpetuates the problem.  Plain and simple, we don’t solve many of our problems because we don’t believe we can.  Lacking belief, we develop and adaptive style and allow a problem to plague us until we finally decide do something about it.  Most times, people do nothing about a problem but complain.  Complaining is negative thinking that only manifests itself in maintaining status quo.  I have never heard of a problem being solved by complaining. 

Problems do have answers!  They are solved with positive thinking.  So the next time one of those (unsolvable) problems creep into your life, I want you to remember George Dantzig and how he solved the unsolvable problem.  Dantzig solved the problem because he believed that he could.  When you believe you’re capable of doing something, you’ll find yourself in a world where nothing is unsolvable. 

Problem(s) Solved!

Its your life: live it, love it, & celebrate it
MJD