Monday, November 30, 2015

The Toledo War

I was born in Toledo and when I heard about this on the TV show "How the States got Their Shapes", I thought I'd look it up.

Per Wikipedia:
The Toledo War (1835–36), also known as the Michigan–Ohio War, was the almost bloodless boundary dispute between the U.S. state of Ohio and the adjoining territory of Michigan.
Originating from conflicting state and federal legislation passed between 1787 and 1805, the dispute resulted from poor understanding of geographical features of the Great Lakes at the time. Varying interpretations of the law caused the governments of Ohio and Michigan to both claim sovereignty over a 468-square-mile (1,210 km2) region along the border, now known as the Toledo Strip. When Michigan petitioned for statehood in 1835, it sought to include the disputed territory within its boundaries; Ohio's congressional delegation was in turn able to stall Michigan's admission to the Union.
Beginning in 1835, both sides passed legislation attempting to force the other side's capitulation. Ohio's governor Robert Lucas and Michigan's 24-year-old "Boy GovernorStevens T. Mason were both unwilling to cede jurisdiction of the Strip, so they raised militias and helped institute criminal penalties for citizens submitting to the other's authority. The militias were mobilized and sent to positions on opposite sides of the Maumee River near Toledo, but besides mutual taunting there was little interaction between the two forces. The single military confrontation of the "war" ended with a report of shots being fired into the air, incurring no casualties.
During the summer of 1836, Congress proposed a compromise whereby Michigan gave up its claim to the strip in exchange for its statehood and approximately three-quarters of the Upper Peninsula. The compromise was considered a poor outcome for Michigan; nearly all of the Upper Peninsula was still Indian territory at the time. Voters in a state convention in September soundly rejected the proposal.
In December 1836, the Michigan government, facing a dire financial crisis and pressure from Congress and President Andrew Jackson, called another convention (called the "Frost-bitten Convention") which accepted the compromise that resolved the Toledo War. The later discovery of copper and iron deposits and the plentiful timber in the Upper Peninsula more than offset Michigan's economic loss in surrendering Toledo.

 Interesting days


Today - Computer Security Day and Stay Home Because You're Well Day I'm going to try this with my boss

Tomorrow - Giving Tuesday and Eat A Red Apple Day

Next Monday - A Date Which Will Live in Infamy and Cotton Candy Day Maybe it's just me, but I think this should be celebrated in the summer. It's also Letter Writing Day Which is truly becoming a lost art

December 30 - Bacon Day Need I say more?

December 31 - No Interruptions Day and Make Up Your Mind Day


Saturday, November 28, 2015

Your weekend guide to interesting days

Today - French Toast Day and Small Business Saturday I'm planning on going to a small, local diner for breakfast today

Tomorrow - International Aura Awareness DaySquare Dancing Day and Electronic Greetings Day

Next Saturday - Bathtub Party DayInternational Ninja DayWorld Soil Day and Sachertorte Day A bathtub party definitely sounds interesting

December 28 - Card Playing Day Gin? Poker? Bridge? Go Fish? What's your favorite?

Friday, November 27, 2015

The Friday Fishwrap

All the news that's fit to wrap around a dead fish

The week in review


Monday - "Habit 5 - Seek first to Understand, then to be Understood"

Tuesday - "Habit 6 - Synergize"

Wednesday - "Habit 7 - Sharpen the Saw"

Thursday - "The 8th Habit - Find Your Voice and Inspire Others to Find Theirs"

Here's this week's video

Interesting days


This week


Saturday - World Television Day and World Hello Day

Sunday - Go For A Ride Day

Monday - Fibonacci Day

Tuesday - Celebrate Your Unique Talent Day

Wednesday - Shopping Reminder Day and Parfait Day

Thursday - Thanksgiving and Cake Day

Today - Buy Nothing Day How I celebrate Black Friday every year. And it's Maize Day. And to help you get rid of those kernels stuck in your teeth, it's also Flossing Day. And let's not forget Systems Engineer Day and Pins And Needles Day

Next week


Tomorrow - French Toast Day and Small Business Saturday

Sunday - International Aura Awareness DaySquare Dancing Day and Electronic Greetings Day

Monday - Stay Home Because You're Well Day and Computer Security Day

Tuesday - Giving Tuesday and Eat A Red Apple Day

Wednesday - Fritters Day

Thursday - Roof Over Your Head DayDisability Day and Make A Gift Day

Friday - Wear Brown Shoes DayBartender Appreciation Day and Dice Day This sounds like a good day to wear my brown shoes and to play some liar's dice. It's also World Wildlife Conservation Day and Cookie Day


Next month


December 21 - Humbug DayInternational Dalek Remembrance DayCrossword Puzzle DayRibbon Candy Day and Short Story Day

December 22 - Forefathers' Day and Date Nut Bread Day

December 23 - Roots Day and Festivus

December 24 - Egg Nog Day

December 25 - Christmas and Pumpkin Pie Day

December 26 - Candy Cane Day and Thank You Note Day

December 27 - Make Cut-out Snowflakes Day and Visit The Zoo Day Maybe it's just me, but it seems like making paper snowflakes is more of a mid-winter activity than visiting the zoo

Thursday, November 26, 2015

The 8th Habit - Find Your Voice and Inspire Others to Find Theirs


From www.stephencovey.com:
In today's challenging and complex world, being highly effective is the price of entry to the playing field. To thrive, innovate, excel, and lead in this new reality, we must reach beyond effectiveness toward fulfillment, contribution, and greatness. Research is showing, however, that the majority of people are not thriving. They are neither fulfilled nor excited. Tapping into the higher reaches of human motivation requires a new mindset, a new skill-set --a new habit. Dr. Covey's new book, The 8th Habit®: From Effectiveness to Greatness, is a roadmap to help you find daily fulfillment and excitement.


But what does it mean to find your voice? "Voice is unique personal significance - significance that is revealed as we face our greatest challenges and which makes us equal to them." From The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness by Stephen R. Covey.

There are 4 facets to your voice - passion (heart), need (body), conscience (spirit) and talent (mind). These 4 facets - or intelligences - are something that each of us posseses and are unique to us.




After you find your voice, you can help others find theirs through pathfinding, aligning, empowering and modeling.

Pathfinding (vision) - Jointly determine the course
Aligning (discipline) - Set up and manage systems to stay on course
Empowering (passion) - Focus talent on results, not methods, then get out of people's way and give help as requested
Modeling (conscience) - Set a good example


I hope this brief overview has inspired you to find out more about the 8th habit.

You can get a copy of the audiobook here.

Here are the links to all the other 7 parts of this series.

Monday - Habit 1 - Be Proactive

Tuesday - Habit 2 - Begin with the End in Mind

Wednesday - Habit 3 - Put First Things First

Thursday - Habit 4 - Think Win-win

Monday - Habit 5 - Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood

Tuesday - Habit 6 - Synergize

Wednesday - Habit 7 - Sharpen the Saw

Thursday - The 8th Habit - Find Your Voice and Inspire Others to Find Theirs

Interesting days

Today -Thanksgiving and Cake Day My favorite is German Chocolate. How about you?

Tomorrow - Buy Nothing DayMaize DayFlossing DaySystems Engineer Day and Pins And Needles Day

Next Thursday - Roof Over Your Head DayDisability Day and Make A Gift Day

December 26 - Candy Cane Day and Thank You Note Day

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Habit 7 - Sharpen the Saw


From www.stephencovey.com:
Sharpen the Saw means preserving and enhancing the greatest asset you have--you. It means having a balanced program for self-renewal in the four areas of your life: physical, social/emotional, mental, and spiritual. Here are some examples of activities: 
Physical:Beneficial eating, exercising, and resting
Social/Emotional:Making social and meaningful connections with others
Mental:Learning, reading, writing, and teaching
Spiritual:Spending time in nature, expanding spiritual self through meditation, music, art, prayer, or service

As you renew yourself in each of the four areas, you create growth and change in your life. Sharpen the Saw keeps you fresh so you can continue to practice the other six habits. You increase your capacity to produce and handle the challenges around you. Without this renewal, the body becomes weak, the mind mechanical, the emotions raw, the spirit insensitive, and the person selfish. Not a pretty picture, is it? 

Feeling good doesn't just happen. Living a life in balance means taking the necessary time to renew yourself. It's all up to you. You can renew yourself through relaxation. Or you can totally burn yourself out by overdoing everything. You can pamper yourself mentally and spiritually. Or you can go through life oblivious to your well-being. You can experience vibrant energy. Or you can procrastinate and miss out on the benefits of good health and exercise. You can revitalize yourself and face a new day in peace and harmony. Or you can wake up in the morning full of apathy because your get-up-and-go has got-up-and-gone. Just remember that every day provides a new opportunity for renewal--a new opportunity to recharge yourself instead of hitting the wall. All it takes is the desire, knowledge, and skill.
But just what does the term "sharpen the saw" mean? From http://www.livingontherealworld.org/?p=606:
A woodcutter strained to saw down a tree.  A young man who was watching asked “What are you doing?”
“Are you blind?” the woodcutter replied. “I’m cutting down this tree.”
The young man was unabashed. “You look exhausted! Take a break. Sharpen your saw.”
The woodcutter explained to the young man that he had been sawing for hours and did not have time to take a break.
The young man pushed back… “If you sharpen the saw, you would cut down the tree much faster.”
The woodcutter said “I don’t have time to sharpen the saw. Don’t you see I’m too busy?” 

Many of us are too busy to sharpen our saw...that is to take the time to take care of ourselves, but we'll be happier, healthier and more productive if we do.

Sharpening the saw is a Quadrant 2 activity, important but not urgent. But the results make it worth the time to program it into your schedule.


Here's a link to the audiobook.

Monday - Habit 1 - Be Proactive

Tuesday - Habit 2 - Begin with the End in Mind

Wednesday - Habit 3 - Put First Things First

Thursday - Habit 4 - Think Win-win

Monday - Habit 5 - Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood

Tuesday - Habit 6 - Synergize

Wednesday - Habit 7 - Sharpen the Saw

Thursday - The 8th Habit - Find Your Voice and Inspire Others to Find Theirs


Interesting days



Tomorrow - Thanksgiving and Cake Day

Next Wednesday - Fritters Day

December 25 - Christmas and Pumpkin Pie Day Grab some pumpkin pie and lots of Cool Whip  and settle down to a marathon of your favorite holiday movies. I have a lot of favorites..."It's a Wonderful Life", "Miracle on 34th Street", "White Christmas" and "Holiday Inn". What are your favorites?




Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Habit 6 - Synergize


From www.stephencovey.com:
To put it simply, synergy means "two heads are better than one." Synergize is the habit of creative cooperation. It is teamwork, open-mindedness, and the adventure of finding new solutions to old problems. But it doesn't just happen on its own. It's a process, and through that process, people bring all their personal experience and expertise to the table. Together, they can produce far better results that they could individually. Synergy lets us discover jointly things we are much less likely to discover by ourselves. It is the idea that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. One plus one equals three, or six, or sixty--you name it. 

When people begin to interact together genuinely, and they're open to each other's influence, they begin to gain new insight. The capability of inventing new approaches is increased exponentially because of differences. 

Valuing differences is what really drives synergy. Do you truly value the mental, emotional, and psychological differences among people? Or do you wish everyone would just agree with you so you could all get along? Many people mistake uniformity for unity; sameness for oneness. One word--boring! Differences should be seen as strengths, not weaknesses. They add zest to life.
Habits 1 - 3 were the Private Victory, while Habits 4 - 6 were the Public Victory:


Habit 7 will tie them all together.

Monday - Habit 1 - Be Proactive

Tuesday - Habit 2 - Begin with the End in Mind

Wednesday - Habit 3 - Put First Things First

Thursday - Habit 4 - Think Win-win

Monday - Habit 5 - Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood

Tuesday - Habit 6 - Synergize

Wednesday - Habit 7 - Sharpen the Saw

Thursday - The 8th Habit - Find Your Voice and Inspire Others to Find Theirs


Interesting days



Tomorrow - Shopping Reminder Day and Parfait Day

Next Tuesday - Giving Tuesday and Eat A Red Apple Day

December 24 - Egg Nog Day


Monday, November 23, 2015

Habit 5 - Seek first to Understand, then to be Understood

From www.stephencovey.com:
Communication is the most important skill in life. You spend years learning how to read and write, and years learning how to speak. But what about listening? What training have you had that enables you to listen so you really, deeply understand another human being? Probably none, right?

If you're like most people, you probably seek first to be understood; you want to get your point across. And in doing so, you may ignore the other person completely, pretend that you're listening, selectively hear only certain parts of the conversation or attentively focus on only the words being said, but miss the meaning entirely. So why does this happen? Because most people listen with the intent to reply, not to understand. You listen to yourself as you prepare in your mind what you are going to say, the questions you are going to ask, etc. You filter everything you hear through your life experiences, your frame of reference. You check what you hear against your autobiography and see how it measures up. And consequently, you decide prematurely what the other person means before he/she finishes communicating. Do any of the following sound familiar?

"Oh, I know just how you feel. I felt the same way." "I had that same thing happen to me." "Let me tell you what I did in a similar situation."

Because you so often listen autobiographically, you tend to respond in one of four ways: 
Evaluating:You judge and then either agree or disagree.
Probing:You ask questions from your own frame of reference.
Advising:You give counsel, advice, and solutions to problems.
Interpreting:You analyze others' motives and behaviors based on your own experiences.

You might be saying, "Hey, now wait a minute. I'm just trying to relate to the person by drawing on my own experiences. Is that so bad?" In some situations, autobiographical responses may be appropriate, such as when another person specifically asks for help from your point of view or when there is already a very high level of trust in the relationship.
I think the key is to really listen to what the person has to say, without assuming that we know what they're going to say. Don't assume! And then repeat what you think you heard back to make sure you understood it correctly "Let me see if I got this straight. You're saying...".

When the other person feels understood, they're more likely to be able to understand what you're trying to say. If you're both trying to get your point across, but nobody's listening you're just wasting time.

Monday - Habit 1 - Be Proactive

Tuesday - Habit 2 - Begin with the End in Mind

Wednesday - Habit 3 - Put First Things First

Thursday - Habit 4 - Think Win-win

Monday - Habit 5 - Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood

Tuesday - Habit 6 - Synergize

Wednesday - Habit 7 - Sharpen the Saw

Thursday - The 8th Habit - Find Your Voice and Inspire Others to Find Theirs

Interesting days


Today - Fibonacci Day




Tomorrow - Celebrate Your Unique Talent Day

Next Monday - Stay Home Because You're Well Day Now that sounds like an excellent reason to stay home! It's also Computer Security Day

December 23 - Roots Day and Festivus


Sunday, November 22, 2015

The Funday Sunnies

Interesting days



Tomorrow - Fibonacci Day 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8 Who do we appreciate? Fibonacci! Fibonacci! Yaaaay Fibonacci!

Next Sunday - International Aura Awareness DaySquare Dancing Day and Electronic Greetings Day How last millennium!


December 22 - Forefathers' Day and Date Nut Bread Day


Saturday, November 21, 2015

Your weekend guide to interesting days

Today - World Television Day and World Hello Day



Tomorrow - Go For A Ride Day

Next Saturday - French Toast Day I love French toast! It's also Small Business Saturday I don't normally promote shopping during the Thanksgiving weekend, but if you do shop please make it a local business


December 21 - Humbug DayInternational Dalek Remembrance DayCrossword Puzzle DayRibbon Candy Day and Short Story Day


Friday, November 20, 2015

The Friday Fishwrap

All the news that's fit to wrap around a dead fish

The week in review


Monday - "Habit 1 - Be Proactive" Part of a series on The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

Tuesday  - "Habit 2 - Begin with the End in Mind"

Wednesday - "Habit 3 - First Things First"

Thursday - "Habit 4 - Think Win-win"

Here's this week's video

Interesting days


This week



Tomorrow - World Television Day and World Hello Day

Sunday - Go For A Ride Day

Monday - Fibonacci Day

Tuesday - Celebrate Your Unique Talent Day

Wednesday - Shopping Reminder Day and Parfait Day

Thursday - Thanksgiving and Cake Day

Friday - Buy Nothing Day How I celebrate Black Friday every year. And it's Maize Day. And to help you get rid of those kernels stuck in your teeth, it's also Flossing Day. And let's not forget Systems Engineer Day and Pins And Needles Day


Next month


December 14 - Monkey Day

December 15 - Cat Herders Day

December 16 - Day Of Reconciliation and Chocolate Covered Anything Day

December 17 - Re-gifting DayMaple Syrup Day and Wright Brothers Day

December 18 - Free Shipping DayUgly Christmas Sweater DayUnderdog DayInternational Migrants DayArabic Language Day and Bake Cookies Day

December 19 - Look For An Evergreen Day

December 20 - Go Caroling Day Do you like to go caroling? I went once. It's also Games Day and Sangria Day How about getting your friends together for sangria and games? Here's a recipe for sangria

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Habit 4 - Think Win-win



The first three habits form what is known as the "Private Victory". These three habits are self-development habits, moving you from dependence to independence.

From Wikipedia:
The habits are designed, when you put them in practice, to help you mature as a person. This process of maturing is described below:
Dependence >> Independence >> Interdependence
We all start out life as babies completely dependent on our parents or other person to take care of us. This is a state of weakness and powerlessness.
As we grow up we work to become independent, moving out of our parent's home, earning money for ourselves, etc. A person at this level is able to do things for himself and does not need anyone else to survive.
The greatest human achievements come from people working at the third level, interdependence. This is when people work together to achieve a common goal, and is the level of maturity of many people in a mature society or organization. This is how mankind has achieved things together that no single person could do alone. Interdependence is the state of human development of greatest maturity and power.
As we develop our character as people, we grow in each of the seven areas described by the seven habits. In this process we move up the chart from dependence to independence to interdependence.
Habits 4 - 6 move us from independence to interdependence, or working with others to be able to achieve more than we could on our own. These are the "Public Victory" habits.

From www.stephencovey.com:
Think Win-Win isn't about being nice, nor is it a quick-fix technique. It is a character-based code for human interaction and collaboration. 

Most of us learn to base our self-worth on comparisons and competition. We think about succeeding in terms of someone else failing--that is, if I win, you lose; or if you win, I lose. Life becomes a zero-sum game. There is only so much pie to go around, and if you get a big piece, there is less for me; it's not fair, and I'm going to make sure you don't get anymore. We all play the game, but how much fun is it really? 

Win-win sees life as a cooperative arena, not a competitive one. Win-win is a frame of mind and heart that constantly seeks mutual benefit in all human interactions. Win-win means agreements or solutions are mutually beneficial and satisfying. We both get to eat the pie, and it tastes pretty darn good! 

A person or organization that approaches conflicts with a win-win attitude possesses three vital character traits:
  1. Integrity: sticking with your true feelings, values, and commitments
  2. Maturity: expressing your ideas and feelings with courage and consideration for the ideas and feelings of others
  3. Abundance Mentality: believing there is plenty for everyone
Many people think in terms of either/or: either you're nice or you're tough. Win-win requires that you be both. It is a balancing act between courage and consideration. To go for win-win, you not only have to be empathic, but you also have to be confident. You not only have to be considerate and sensitive, you also have to be brave. To do that--to achieve that balance between courage and consideration--is the essence of real maturity and is fundamental to win-win.
When my younger son, Nick, and I used to go bowling, we combined our scores and tried to beat our combined score in the next game. We didn't play against each other and we cheered each other on because it was our combined score that counted, not who had the best individual score.

Monday - Habit 1 - Be Proactive

Tuesday - Habit 2 - Begin with the End in Mind

Wednesday - Habit 3 - Put First Things First

Thursday - Habit 4 - Think Win-win

Monday - Habit 5 - Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood

Tuesday - Habit 6 - Synergize

Wednesday - Habit 7 - Sharpen the Saw

Thursday - The 8th Habit - Find Your Voice and Inspire Others to Find Theirs

Interesting days



Tomorrow - Name Your PC DayAfrican Industrialization DayUniversal Children's Day and Peanut Butter Fudge Day Yum!

Next Thursday - Cake Day Let them eat cake!

December 19 - Look For An Evergreen Day



Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Habit 3 - First Things First

From www.stephencovey.com:
To live a more balanced existence, you have to recognize that not doing everything that comes along is okay. There's no need to overextend yourself. All it takes is realizing that it's all right to say no when necessary and then focus on your highest priorities. 

Habit 1 says, "You're in charge. You're the creator." Being proactive is about choice. Habit 2 is the first, or mental, creation. Beginning with the End in Mind is about vision. Habit 3 is the second creation, the physical creation. This habit is where Habits 1 and 2 come together. It happens day in and day out, moment-by-moment. It deals with many of the questions addressed in the field of time management. But that's not all it's about. Habit 3 is about life management as well--your purpose, values, roles, and priorities. What are "first things?" First things are those things you, personally, find of most worth. If you put first things first, you are organizing and managing time and events according to the personal priorities you established in Habit 2.
This video demonstrates the importance of putting first things first...that is. making sure you schedule time for the most important things first.


I look at the big rocks as Quadrant 2 activities, the gravel as Quadrant 1, sand as Quadrant 3 and water as Quadrant 4:


You need to make time for the Q2 activities before they become Q1. Exercise when it's important but not urgent; before your urgent and important heart attack!

If you avoid the Q3 and Q4 activities as much as possible, you'll have time for even more Q2 activities.

Franklin Covey has a 7 habits planner. I used to use it but somehow, over the years, I've misplaced it. I'll have to dig it up and start using it again.

Monday - Habit 1 - Be Proactive

Tuesday - Habit 2 - Begin with the End in Mind

Wednesday - Habit 3 - Put First Things First

Thursday - Habit 4 - Think Win-win

Monday - Habit 5 - Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood

Tuesday - Habit 6 - Synergize

Wednesday - Habit 7 - Sharpen the Saw

Thursday - The 8th Habit - Find Your Voice and Inspire Others to Find Theirs

Interesting days


Today - Occult Day

Tomorrow - Have A Bad Day Day,  Use Less Stuff DayWorld Toilet Day and International Men's Day

Next Wednesday - Shopping Reminder Day Only one more month! It's also Parfait Day Yum!

December 18 - Free Shipping DayUgly Christmas Sweater DayUnderdog DayInternational Migrants DayArabic Language Day and Bake Cookies Day What's your favorite kind of cookies to bake?

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Habit 2 - Begin with the End in Mind

This is what got me into network marketing and to begin to reconnect with old friends. I began by thinking who would be at my funeral...it turned out that it was probably my wife, kids and sister. But now that I've made new friends and reconnected with old ones, there will hopefully be at least a few more people.

Again from www.stephencovey.com
So, what do you want to be when you grow up? That question may appear a little trite, but think about it for a moment. Are you--right now--who you want to be, what you dreamed you'd be, doing what you always wanted to do? Be honest. Sometimes people find themselves achieving victories that are empty--successes that have come at the expense of things that were far more valuable to them. If your ladder is not leaning against the right wall, every step you take gets you to the wrong place faster. 

Habit 2 is based on imagination--the ability to envision in your mind what you cannot at present see with your eyes. It is based on the principle that all things are created twice. There is a mental (first) creation, and a physical (second) creation. The physical creation follows the mental, just as a building follows a blueprint. If you don't make a conscious effort to visualize who you are and what you want in life, then you empower other people and circumstances to shape you and your life by default. It's about connecting again with your own uniqueness and then defining the personal, moral, and ethical guidelines within which you can most happily express and fulfill yourself. Begin with the End in Mind means to begin each day, task, or project with a clear vision of your desired direction and destination, and then continue by flexing your proactive muscles to make things happen. 

One of the best ways to incorporate Habit 2 into your life is to develop a Personal Mission Statement. It focuses on what you want to be and do. It is your plan for success. It reaffirms who you are, puts your goals in focus, and moves your ideas into the real world. Your mission statement makes you the leader of your own life. You create your own destiny and secure the future you envision.
I've talked quite a bit about mission and vision statements. Although, what they call a Personal Mission Statement is more properly called a vision statement, since it's talking about your vision for the future. See my blog posts on the subject here: vision and mission

Monday - Habit 1 - Be Proactive

Tuesday - Habit 2 - Begin with the End in Mind

Wednesday - Habit 3 - Put First Things First

Thursday - Habit 4 - Think Win-win

Monday - Habit 5 - Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood

Tuesday - Habit 6 - Synergize

Wednesday - Habit 7 - Sharpen the Saw

Thursday - The 8th Habit - Find Your Voice and Inspire Others to Find Theirs

Interesting days


Today - Entrepreneurs' DayWorld Prematurity DayTake A Hike DayPetroleum DayUnfriend Day and Homemade Bread Day If anybody is planning on making homemade bread, I'd be glad to help you taste test the results

Tomorrow - Occult Day

Next Tuesday - Celebrate Your Unique Talent Day What unique talent do you have?

December 17 - Re-gifting DayMaple Syrup Day and Wright Brothers Day




Monday, November 16, 2015

Habit 1 - Be Proactive

Those of you who've read "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen R. Covey will probably recognize the title of today's blog post. My plan is to do an 8 part series...the 7 habits of highly effective people plus "The 8th Habit" over the next 8 days. However, I'm on call with UPS this holiday season, so I may not be able to do this in 8 consecutive days.

From www.stephencovey.com:
Your life doesn't just "happen." Whether you know it or not, it is carefully designed by you. The choices, after all, are yours. You choose happiness. You choose sadness. You choose decisiveness. You choose ambivalence. You choose success. You choose failure. You choose courage. You choose fear. Just remember that every moment, every situation, provides a new choice. And in doing so, it gives you a perfect opportunity to do things differently to produce more positive results.

Habit 1: Be Proactive is about taking responsibility for your life. You can't keep blaming everything on your parents or grandparents. Proactive people recognize that they are "response-able." They don't blame genetics, circumstances, conditions, or conditioning for their behavior. They know they choose their behavior. Reactive people, on the other hand, are often affected by their physical environment. They find external sources to blame for their behavior. If the weather is good, they feel good. If it isn't, it affects their attitude and performance, and they blame the weather. All of these external forces act as stimuli that we respond to. Between the stimulus and the response is your greatest power--you have the freedom to choose your response. One of the most important things you choose is what you say. Your language is a good indicator of how you see yourself. A proactive person uses proactive language--I can, I will, I prefer, etc. A reactive person uses reactive language--I can't, I have to, if only. Reactive people believe they are not responsible for what they say and do--they have no choice.

Instead of reacting to or worrying about conditions over which they have little or no control, proactive people focus their time and energy on things they can control. The problems, challenges, and opportunities we face fall into two areas--Circle of Concern and Circle of Influence.

Proactive people focus their efforts on their Circle of Influence. They work on the things they can do something about: health, children, problems at work. Reactive people focus their efforts in the Circle of Concern--things over which they have little or no control: the national debt, terrorism, the weather. Gaining an awareness of the areas in which we expend our energies in is a giant step in becoming proactive.

 Like I posted on Facebook the other day:
Our lives are not determined by the circumstances we were born into (nature) nor the circumstances that were thrust upon us (nurture) but instead how we choose to deal with those circumstances (choice). 
Be proactive and choose to live your life the way YOU want to live it

Here's my planned schedule:

Monday - Habit 1 - Be Proactive

Tuesday - Habit 2 - Begin with the End in Mind

Wednesday - Habit 3 - Put First Things First

Thursday - Habit 4 - Think Win-win

Monday - Habit 5 - Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood

Tuesday - Habit 6 - Synergize

Wednesday - Habit 7 - Sharpen the Saw

Thursday - The 8th Habit - Find Your Voice and Inspire Others to Find Theirs

Interesting days



Tomorrow - Homemade Bread DayEntrepreneurs' DayWorld Prematurity DayTake A Hike DayPetroleum Day and Unfriend Day

Next Monday - Fibonacci Day 11/23 are the 1st 4 digits of the Fibonacci sequence 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8...

December 16 - Day Of Reconciliation and Chocolate Covered Anything Day Yum!




Sunday, November 15, 2015

The Funday Sunnies

I had a great time here in Las Vegas, but I'll be heading out in a few hours. I'd like to thank my friend, Jonathan Argyropoulos, for stopping by the hotel for a little while last night.

Interesting days



Tomorrow - Button Day and Have a Party with Your Bear Day

Next Sunday - Go For A Ride Day This sounds like fun. Maybe I'll go out to Modesto and look at apartments

December 15 - Cat Herders Day Git along li'l kitty