"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are
willing to work and give to those who would not." ~Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American Founding Father, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776), and the third President of the United States (1801–1809). He was an ardent proponent of democracy and embraced the principles of republicanism and the rights of the individual with worldwide influence.
I realize that if you were educated in our government schools you probably spent about 10 minutes studying Thomas Jefferson. Here are a few of the things that he said about the United States that should give you pause to make you think about where we are going as a country and as a civilization.
"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the
government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking
care of them."
"My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from
too much government."
"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms."
"The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear
arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in
government."
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of
patriots and tyrants."
"To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas
which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical."
Just think about what's happening to these United States. I guess the old saying is true, those who refuse to learn from history are bound to repeat it. Then again, you probably were never taught anything about Jefferson...
Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!
"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Monday, August 10, 2015
What Are You Seeing?
“A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment
a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral.”~Antoine de Saint-Exupery, 1900 – 1944
Think about that...
The last time you looked at a pile of rocks, did you see the image of a cathedral? Or anything other than a pile of rocks? Probably not, and that's too bad. Have you ever created something out of nothing? Oh sure, as a kid, you probably did this all the time. Have you done it recently? Why not?
de Saint-Exupery also said “Life has taught us that love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.”
Here's something that you most likely have never given any thought to. We don't see with our eyes, we see with our brains! Yes, our eyes allow us to see images, people, things however it's the brain that interprets that for us! In other words, you can train your eyes/brain to see better things. You can even retrain your brain to see the same things differently!
The problem then is that way too many people are stuck seeing with their eyes and not their brains.
I'll leave you with one last quote, this from Marcel Proust:
"The real voyage of discovery consists, not in seeing new landscapes, but in having new eyes." Have new eyes today. See the cathedral in the pile of rocks. Look outward together in the same direction.
Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!
“A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral.”
Think about that...
The last time you looked at a pile of rocks, did you see the image of a cathedral? Or anything other than a pile of rocks? Probably not, and that's too bad. Have you ever created something out of nothing? Oh sure, as a kid, you probably did this all the time. Have you done it recently? Why not?
de Saint-Exupery also said “Life has taught us that love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.”
Here's something that you most likely have never given any thought to. We don't see with our eyes, we see with our brains! Yes, our eyes allow us to see images, people, things however it's the brain that interprets that for us! In other words, you can train your eyes/brain to see better things. You can even retrain your brain to see the same things differently!
The problem then is that way too many people are stuck seeing with their eyes and not their brains.
I'll leave you with one last quote, this from Marcel Proust:
"The real voyage of discovery consists, not in seeing new landscapes, but in having new eyes." Have new eyes today. See the cathedral in the pile of rocks. Look outward together in the same direction.
Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!
“A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral.”
Friday, August 7, 2015
Be Here NOW!
"We look backward too much and we look forward too much, thus we miss the only eternity of which we can be absolutely sure -- the eternal present for it is always now."~William Phelps
Are you stuck in looking back or looking forward too much? Why? While it is helpful to look back and look forward, don't forget about being present! Being present is the only place where you can make a difference. In the present, you can change your future. The eternal present is always now!
Can you look around in awareness? Can you be present? Most people are thinking about what's next instead of thinking of what's NOW! Be present. It will help you grow your business. It will help you develop better relationships. It will allow you to be you. There's a reason it's called being "present," because it's a gift you give to yourself!
Fight the thoughts of what's next and think about what's now. Work on it every minute of the day and stay present!
Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!
"We look backward too much and we look forward too much, thus we miss the only eternity of which we can be absolutely sure -- the eternal present for it is always now."
Are you stuck in looking back or looking forward too much? Why? While it is helpful to look back and look forward, don't forget about being present! Being present is the only place where you can make a difference. In the present, you can change your future. The eternal present is always now!
Can you look around in awareness? Can you be present? Most people are thinking about what's next instead of thinking of what's NOW! Be present. It will help you grow your business. It will help you develop better relationships. It will allow you to be you. There's a reason it's called being "present," because it's a gift you give to yourself!
Fight the thoughts of what's next and think about what's now. Work on it every minute of the day and stay present!
Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!
"We look backward too much and we look forward too much, thus we miss the only eternity of which we can be absolutely sure -- the eternal present for it is always now."
Thursday, August 6, 2015
Offspring Of Thought
"There are no limitations to the mind other than those we acknowledge, both poverty and riches are the offspring of thought."~Napoleon Hill
What limitations have you acknowledged? Why? Did someone tell you you couldn't do it so you agreed with them? Did you try once and it didn't work so you quit and said, "I can't do that?" How many times and about how many things did you say "I can't do that" and quit?
Do you agree that the only limitations to your mind are those that we acknowledge? Why or why not? Both poverty and riches are offspring of our thoughts. Do you believe that? Why or why not?
When we acknowledge our limitations, we give them more power than they should have. There are NO Limitations, only those that we acknowledge and if that's the case, why haven't you done what you have always wanted to do? Are you letting the excuses become your limitations?
Go about your day today and think of NO LIMITATIONS! Can you do it? Even for an hour? Half a day? The whole day? Just try it!
Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!
"There are no limitations to the mind other than those we acknowledge, both poverty and riches are the offspring of thought."
What limitations have you acknowledged? Why? Did someone tell you you couldn't do it so you agreed with them? Did you try once and it didn't work so you quit and said, "I can't do that?" How many times and about how many things did you say "I can't do that" and quit?
Do you agree that the only limitations to your mind are those that we acknowledge? Why or why not? Both poverty and riches are offspring of our thoughts. Do you believe that? Why or why not?
When we acknowledge our limitations, we give them more power than they should have. There are NO Limitations, only those that we acknowledge and if that's the case, why haven't you done what you have always wanted to do? Are you letting the excuses become your limitations?
Go about your day today and think of NO LIMITATIONS! Can you do it? Even for an hour? Half a day? The whole day? Just try it!
Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!
"There are no limitations to the mind other than those we acknowledge, both poverty and riches are the offspring of thought."
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
Put No Trust In The Morrow
"Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero." Means "Seize the day, put no trust in the morrow."~Horace
We've all heard "Seize the day," but most people don't include the rest...which might be even more important. For several reasons.
"Put no trust in the morrow." Here's the deal. Tomorrow is promised to no one! But most of the time, we proceed as if we are going to live forever and never think about it. There's another quote that says "Put off until tomorrow only what you want to leave unfinished if you die tonight." (Or something like that) We are mortal beings and we can go at any time. Kind of makes you at some things differently, doesn't it.
Action:
"Seize the day." Be present now. Be in the moment, only in this moment and your world will expand exponentially. Most of us find it difficult to be in the moment, we are either thinking about what has already happened (and we can't do anything about) or thinking about what's to come (which we can only prepare for). When you are in the moment, you are truly living.
That being said "Put no trust in the morrow." Stop putting off the important things in life and get doing them!
Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!
"Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero." Means "Seize the day, put no trust in the morrow."
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
The Tyranny Of Immediacy
"I will not be governed by the tyranny of immediacy."~Mary Anne Radmacher
Are you governed by the tyranny of immediacy? Do you allow others immediacy to govern you? Why? What do you get? Take control your life and stop that NOW! Here's an example; email. Do you keep it open and look at it as soon as they come in??? I hope not.
In today's microwave society, we want everything 2 minutes ago. We have lost the ability to have delayed gratification and are constantly seeking immediate gratification. Why?
The problem with immediate gratification is that as fast as it comes, it's gone again that fast and then we need to find another source of gratification. It's a vicious cycle that never ends until we step back and slow down and stop the tyranny of immediacy.
Very often it's our friends and clients who try to impose the tyranny of THEIR immediacy on us. We need to learn to politely tell them that that we run our own life and that their issue while important, it doesn't rise to OUR immediacy level. Don't allow them to give you their issue.
Here's a challenge for today, don't allow the tyranny of immediacy to win even once today.
Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!
"I will not be governed by the tyranny of immediacy."
Monday, August 3, 2015
Wise Use Of YOUR Time
"Think highly enough of yourself to make wise and effective use of this day. Remember that every moment you fill is your own, precious, irreplaceable time."~Ralph Marston
Are you making wise and effective use of your time? Today? If not, then you don't think highly enough about yourself. You get to choose. Taking action or procrastination. Making wise and effective use of the day or wasting the day.
Every moment is yours to fill. It's your choice what to do with it. No one else can make you do anything that you don't want to. It comes back to your choice of thinking highly enough about yourself or not. Do you think highly enough about yourself or are you allowing others to dictate your time? Don't let them, it's your choice.
John Randolph said "Time is at once the most valuable and the most perishable of all our possessions." How true that is. Think about that. We own 24 hours a day. Are you investing it or wasting it? Think about how easy it is to blow 15 minutes every couple of hours. It could add up to 3 or 4 hours a day that we fritter away and lose forever. Do you value time as your most valuable possession? Most people don't.
Start making wise and effective use of your time...TODAY!! It's your choice to use your time in the way you see as best. Make sure that you are choosing well. Start treating time as your greatest possession!
Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!
"Think highly enough of yourself to make wise and effective use of this day. Remember that every moment you fill is your own, precious, irreplaceable time."
Are you making wise and effective use of your time? Today? If not, then you don't think highly enough about yourself. You get to choose. Taking action or procrastination. Making wise and effective use of the day or wasting the day.
Every moment is yours to fill. It's your choice what to do with it. No one else can make you do anything that you don't want to. It comes back to your choice of thinking highly enough about yourself or not. Do you think highly enough about yourself or are you allowing others to dictate your time? Don't let them, it's your choice.
John Randolph said "Time is at once the most valuable and the most perishable of all our possessions." How true that is. Think about that. We own 24 hours a day. Are you investing it or wasting it? Think about how easy it is to blow 15 minutes every couple of hours. It could add up to 3 or 4 hours a day that we fritter away and lose forever. Do you value time as your most valuable possession? Most people don't.
Start making wise and effective use of your time...TODAY!! It's your choice to use your time in the way you see as best. Make sure that you are choosing well. Start treating time as your greatest possession!
Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!
"Think highly enough of yourself to make wise and effective use of this day. Remember that every moment you fill is your own, precious, irreplaceable time."
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