Use Your Past Wisely

There is nothing more damaging to your future potential than spending your present dwelling on the past. Whatever has happened is over. Glory or defeat, once the clock struck midnight, the day was done. You are reborn each morning, and who you are each day is defined by what you do that day and that day only. You are not your past. You are only your present and your present actions will determine your future. Yet allow the past to instruct you so you can be wiser moving forward, but don’t let it continue to suck you backwards and beat you down. Look back for lessons, not excuses.

Never Be the Smartest Guy in the Room

"Nobody should aspire to be the smartest person in the room. First of all, if you think you are, you're probably not. And if by some chance you really are, you've got the hardest job in the world because no one can do much to help you. In his memoir "Open," Andre Agassi made a wonderful point about his long-standing rivalry with Pete Sampras. Agassi observed that without Sampras as a rival he might have had a better record, but that the competition with Sampras made him a better tennis player. Being pushed to new heights should be what we all want, whether you're a junior copywriter, or the CEO."

Please read the entire blog article "Never Be the Smartest Guy in the Room" by Phil Johnson http://adage.com/smallagency/post?article_id=145861 It's really worth the read!!

Trader Joe's

Really interesting piece on Trader Joe's...definitely worth the read! I had no idea they were this big and who actually owns them!

http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/110437/inside-the-secret-world-of-trader-joes

Peeps Can Change...

Marshall Goldsmith, author of "What Got You Here Won't Get You There" http://www.amazon.com/What-Got-Here-Wont-There/dp/1401301304, has stated that personality testing can lead to stereotyping which I'm inclined to agree with. To say my personality type is this and is unchangeable is wrong thinking. This may seem like a “Duh!” moment, but it's surprising how many people talk about personality testing as though people can't change.

Goldsmith commented on a common misconception surrounding the new emphasis we now see being placed in the build-on-your-strengths movement. The idea of building on your strengths is an effective life strategy but not an excuse. He stated:
The build-on-your-strengths idea makes total sense when it’s at the level of the occupation. For example, Tiger Woods should be a golfer, not a stand-up comedian. He’s building on his strengths becoming a golfer and he shouldn’t be a stand-up comedian. On the other hand, I think what happens on the build-on-your-strengths stuff, is people misinterpret it. So they would say, “Well, Tiger Woods is a great driver, so he doesn’t have to worry about putting. He can ignore his putting.” He really cannot ignore his putting. It’s part of his job. If you’re a leader and you’re great at strategy but terrible with people, you can’t just sit there and say, “It doesn’t matter.” It does matter. It all matters. You can’t sit there and ignore part of your job and say “I’m not good at that therefore I have an excuse to ignore it.” All that does is reinforce a useless stereotype.

While most advocates of build-on-your-strengths do not encourage that, Goldsmith is right. The idea is often misinterpreted. We must build on our strengths and minimize activities that call upon our weaknesses, but our weaknesses have to be dealt with. And that requires some behavior modification. Too often it can be taken as an excuse to do-your-own-thing and not a position to grow and learn from. We can’t let ourselves fall into the trap of saying, “That’s just the way I am” because it’s hard to change. It may be the way you are, but you can be better. You can grow if you decide to. And as a leader you have an obligation to.

Seriously...I'm serious!

"The best thing you can say about any movie's soundtrack is that it can stand on its own, and that no matter what you think of the movie, the soundtrack is full out amazing!!!" And such is the case with ALL three Twilight Soundtracks (yes, you read that right!) To some, this may already be common knowledge...I just happen to be a little late to the party! But whatever! I'm serious...regardless your stance on these flicks, you need to check out the 3 soundtracks!! Just a stellar mix of artists & bands...Muse, Paramore, Linkin Park, Death Cab for Cutie, The Killers, Ok Go, The Black Keys, Metric, Band of Horses, Florence & the Machine, The Bravery, etc. http://www.amazon.com/Twilight-Soundtrack-Various-Artists/dp/B001ED7C58/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1281578695&sr=1-1

So let me know what you think!

Numb or Alive?

Question: If God gave you the choice between being numb and being healed, which would you really choose? The fact is most of the things we bring to God in prayer probably fall into the category of pain-relievers. We want our nuisances to go away, our impatience to be satisfied, and our guilt and shame to subside.

Fortunately God loves us too much to merely numb us into complacency and give us spiritual ibuprofen to mask our lack of shalom. I have a growing sense that many of the things I most resist in my life are actually there to play some part in my healing.

Playing Large

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." (a quote mistakenly attributed to Nelson Mandela in his inaugural address, but instead was written by Marianne Williamson (A Return to Love, p 188-189.)

This isn't the first I've read this quote nor will it be the last. Each and every time I read it, I'm convicted and stirred by it, but I've just never taken the time to consider why exactly it does. It amazes me that I've always thought it best to shrink back, to downplay certain aspects of myself so others wouldn't be insecure. But I'm finally seeing and realizing more that most of my life is lived in fear, particularly fear of what others think. Could it be that God shines His light through a confident me, rather than a shrinking away me? I wonder how many of us play small because we think that's more holy and acceptable. Traditionally I think many of us have been taught that humility means glorifying our weaknesses so we don't upset anyone else's strengths. Yes, there is a place (an important, rudimentary place) for humility, but there is also a confidence that feeds true humility. It's a confidence that comes from knowing glory rests inside us like a gift. If God has given us such an amazing gift as light, power, joy and a renewed, redeemed life, why do I/we hide like His gifts are things to be ashamed of? Glory, God's glory, resides in my heart. I don't know about you, but I'm stirred to play large. Playing small is living a tentative, fearful life, and personally I'd rather play large, risk being misunderstood, so that more glory for Him will flow out of me, not less.