The Discipline of Celebration

Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of the release of my book, On Track: Life Lessons from the Track & Field.

I’ve learned a lot through the process of writing and self-publishing my first book.  The book hasn’t become a best seller yet, but it has brought me rich experiences.  This is a reason to celebrate.

When was the last time you stopped to celebrate?

In the pursuit of stretch, we sometimes forget to stop and celebrate the good things in our life.

In honor of this week’s milestone, I’d like to invite you to celebrate with me.  For the next week starting TODAY, I have reduced the price on the Kindle version of On Track: Life Lessons from the Track & Field to 99 cents.

Please pass the world along, so others can join in the celebration.

Click HERE to go to Amazon to get the eBook.

How would your world be different if you made the decision to celebrate more often?  How has celebration made a difference in your life?

The Discipline of Being Present

“We’ve fallen into a trap of ever-widening orbits of contact, and there is a total disregard for the present moment.”

Jerry Seinfeld

Yesterday, I wrote about the discipline of showing up.  Now that you understand the importance of showing up, it’s time to make the most of your time here. The discipline of being present is crucial to your overall success in your life.

What does it mean to be present?

Being present means being in tune with what is going on around you. It means really listening to what others have to say. And it means contributing to the conversation.

Being present means engaging with others. It means actively participating in life. It means listening to the others and providing constructive feedback to help others grow. It also means listening to the feedback of others to help you grow.

When you show up, be on time. Introduce yourself to others. Talk to others.  Learn to put aside your other distractions and focus on those in front of you in the moment.

Being present will stretch you to become a better leader and a better human being.

How would your world be different if you made the decision to be present?  How has being present made a difference in your life?

The Discipline of Showing Up

Have you seen this excitement and enthusiasm wear off?

Do you sometimes feel like quitting or simply staying at home?

I don’t think you’re alone.

I have singed up for a hundred different activities, events, and commitments.  My initial excitement carries me for a while.  I want to see great things happen, but I get bored, frustrated, or tired.  The initial feelings of euphoria turn into dread as I fight the inner battle inside my head – should i stay at home or should I show up?

This is my story.

I signed up to help with youth group at our church after our youth pastor invited me to go on a missions trip to Guatemala with our church’s teenagers.  I remember the excitement as I attended my first few meetings after the trip.  It was fun to interact with the kids.  I was fueled by the momentum from our life changing trip together.  This feeling lasted for a little while but then it started to fade.  I was one of the older leaders at the weekly meetings.  I felt awkward at times in my interactions with the teenagers.  And there times when I would have preferred to be at home with my wife.

Generally, I kept going.  I decided to show up even when I didn’t feel like it.

Some nights were better than others.  There were many nights that turned into something very positive for me and hopefully for the teenagers I was hanging around each week.  This would not have happened if I decided not to show up.

I signed up for Toastmasters almost a year ago.  Again, I was initially excited about this opportunity, but this hasn’t always been the case as my time with the club has continued.  There our times when my mind is focused on things in my office, and I struggle to shift my brain into a Toastmasters mindset for our lunchtime meetings.

And yet, I have decided to show up.  This has led to many new friendships, tremendous personal growth, and improved self-confidence.  This week, I’ll be giving my tenth speech at our club’s bi-weekly meeting.  This means I will officially become a Competent Communicator – the first in a series of Toastmasters significant milestones.  This would not happen if I decided to stay across the street at my office.  I’m only three projects away from completing my Competent Leader, and this won’t happen if I don’t show up.

At home, there I are times when I come home exhausted after a hard day of work.  I want to be the best husband and father I can be.  I want to be intentional in my interactions with my wife and my kids.  This starts by simply showing up.

Showing up takes discipline.

Showing up will STRETCH you.

Showing up matters.

Showing up can change the world.

How would your world be different if you made the decision to simply show up?  How has showing up made a difference in your life?

5 Ways To Ignite A Fresh Start In Your Life Starting TODAY

Spring is a time for fresh starts.  Just like the Phillies (and all the other teams that didn’t make the playoffs last year), we can all use a fresh start.

When life gets overwhelming or just plain boring, a fresh start can reignite our passion for moving forward – for living life to the fullest.

Here are some ways to ignite a fresh start in your life starting today:

5 Ways To Ignite A Fresh Start In Your Life Starting TODAY

1. Start something new today.  Sometimes the best way to ignite a fresh start is by trying something new and different.  Try a new restaurant.  Wear a new outfit.  Meet someone new today.
2. Change your routine.  It’s easy to get stuck in a rut.  Eat something different for breakfast.  Drive a different way to work.  Do something to alter the pattern you’ve been in lately.  This change will give you a new perspective and a better opportunity for a fresh start.
3. Resist the urge to catch up.  A fresh start doesn’t mean trying to catch up all at one time.  Take it one day at a time.  If you try to catch up in one day, you will become discouraged.
4. Quit something.  Bob Goff quits something every Thursday.  The discipline of quitting things in your life that should be lower on your priority list is a great way to make room for more important things, and it’s a great way to ignite a fresh start in your life.
5. Find a reason to give thanks.  Gratitude is one of the best ways I know to ignite a fresh start.  Take time to observe the things going on around you today.  There has to be something worth appreciating.  When we are thankful, we are more likely to smile, and we are more likely to see the world through a new set of eyes.

What can you start today?  What do you need to change today?  What do you need to quit today?  What do you appreciate today?  Why do you need a fresh start?

7 Ways To Live An Inspired Life

I’m going to let you in on a little secret about my writing.

I typically write my posts the night before it actually goes live.  I often ponder the post throughout the day, and I sit down and write out the thoughts sometime between 8 and 10 PM.  When I’m happy with the post, I schedule it to go “live” at 5 AM the next day.

After a busy weekend, I did that last night after I came home from youth group shortly after 9 PM.  When I arrived home, I honestly didn’t have any thoughts about what my post for today.  Honestly, I felt very uninspired.  I sat down at the computer and pulled together a less than stellar post, and I headed up to bed.  I was weary, and I was a little disappointed I hadn’t put more thought into my post earlier in the day.

As I woke up this morning, I started thinking a little more about inspiration.  We all need inspiration in our lives, but too often we live uninspired lives.  Why?

• Lack of inspiration happens when we are too tired.  As a result, we lack the energy to put thought into our days.
• Lack of inspiration happens when we are too busy.  As a result, we lack the time to soak in what is going on around us.
• Lack of inspiration happens when we aren’t intentional with how we mentally feed ourselves.  As a result, we fail to fill our minds with good things – things that inspire us in a good way.
• Lack of inspiration happens when we hang out with people who drag us down.

How do we combat this problem?  Deep down inside, we all want to live inspired lives not just to have a blog post idea for the next day.  We want to live inspired lives to help us live lives that have meaning and matter.  Today, instead of the uninspired post I wrote last night, I want to leave you with seven ways you can live an inspired life.

7 Ways To Live An Inspired Life

1. Journal daily.  This may take some practice, but it’s an excellent discipline for capturing thoughts on your day.  When you develop the habit of writing a daily journal, you will naturally see the sources of inspiration rising up around you.
2. Get sleep and exercise.  You can’t expect to live an inspired life when you are running on fumes.  Make sure you get ample sleep and add regular exercise, and you will begin to see inspirational things around you more often.
3. Intentionally fill your mind with good things.  Read God’s Word.  Listen to podcasts.  Read books.  Listen to music.  When you intentionally fill your mind with good things, you will be inspired to live your life differently.
4. Get outside.  Staying locked up inside your office or home prevents you from getting fresh air and prevents you from seeing the rest of the world outside your “box.”  Getting outside even for short periods of time will lead to more inspiration.
5. Learn to say “No.”  The only way you will open up time in your busy schedule for times of inspiration is by saying “No” to some of the things that are clogging your schedule.
6. Turn off the television.  I don’t know what the statistics are, but I’m pretty sure too many Americans watch too much television.  A little television is okay, but we should learn to limit this time.  By limiting our television time, we will have more opportunity for actually living an inspired life.
7. Hang out with people who lift you up.  I hang out with a group of guys once a week who regularly inspire and lift me up.  I hang out with a group of families twice a month who force me to get out of my comfort zone.  By hanging out with people like this, you will naturally begin to look at life more positively, and you will find yourself living an inspired life.

How have you been inspired lately?  What helps you live an inspired life? 

Pondering The Brevity Of Life

There is an audio version below.

Teach Us To Number Our Days

This is a post I wrote just four weeks ago upon learning that a college classmate of mine had been placed on hospice.  I received word Tuesday afternoon that she passed away.  She was young (at least by my standards).  From what I can tell, she lived her life to the fullest, and she lived her life with the intention of glorifying God even in these last four weeks.

I am reminded through this news of the brevity of life.

When we are young, we think we will live forever.  We feel invincible.  As we approach mid-life (where I am now), we begin to realize life moves pretty quickly.  In talking to those twice my age, it doesn’t sound like life slows down at all as we get older.  It just keeps going faster and faster.

I’m reminded of a line from one of my favorite movies, Shawshank Redemption, of the choice we have.  We must choose to “get busy living or get busy dying.”  We all have a birth date, and we are all headed to a death date.  I don’t fear my death date, but I do want to make the most of the time in between these two milestones.  Some people refer to this as the dash.  How will you live your dash?

This is a question we should all ponder today.

Let’s all decide today to make the most of our time here on the earth.  Let’s do what really matters.  Let’s honor God and bring glory to his name by how we live our lives.

Here’s the link to my original post – Teach Us To Number Our Days.

I would encourage you to head over to Kristie Rush’s blog to read how she processed her final days in this life.  I think you’ll be challenged and inspired.

What are you going to do TODAY to make the most of your time?  Share in the comments.

The Key To Achieving Big Dreams – The Discipline Of Small Steps

Have you seen the Prudential Retirement Challenge commercial?

Here it is to refresh your memory:

The commercial is designed to get you thinking about taking small steps today to create a larger retirement later.

Last week, I spoke at Grove City College on the topic of delegation, leadership, and legacy.  At the end of my presentation, someone asked me a question that went something like this:  “How do I lead and delegate effectively when people in my organization don’t seem to really care?”  The question as I remember it implied the hopeless feeling we can all feel at times when a desired outcome seems so far out of reach.  I referenced the above Prudential commercial in my response.  I talked about how taking small steps can be the catalyst for major change down the road.

What are your dreams?  What are your big, scary, audacious dreams and goals?

Don’t think small here.  Think GIGANTIC!

What do you want to accomplish in your life?

Maybe you want to build 100 houses in Guatemala.  Okay, this is one of my dreams.  Maybe you want to become a doctor.  Maybe you want to become a pilot.  Maybe you want to write a book.

When we look at these dreams, it can be easy to become discouraged.  How in the world are we ever supposed to achieve these targets we set for ourselves?

What would happen if we started looking at our targets – our hopes – our dreams – a little differently?

What if we saw these dreams in terms of small steps we can take today that will push us closer to realizing our dreams down the road?  I call this the Discipline of Small Steps.  This is a concept I mentioned first on Tammy Helfrich’s Right Where You Are Podcast a few weeks ago.  The idea of small steps makes a lot of sense when you step back and think about it.

Just like your retirement savings can grow to large figures when you practice small steps – or small deposits, you can achieve your big, crazy dreams by practicing small steps.  You don’t build 100 houses in Guatemala all at once.  You build 100 houses one at a time.  I would even argue that you build 100 houses one cinder block and one piece of wood at a time.

What small step can you take today that will get you closer to your big dream in the future?  Tell me your thoughts in the comments.

Teach Us To Number Our Days

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.  Psalm 90:12

Last week, I received news that two connections are facing the end of their time here on the earth.  A college classmate was told the chemo was no longer working in her 14 year bout with cancer, and she is heading towards hospice.  Another connection was told their infant daughter has an incurable illness that will lead to death within two years.  On top of this news, my parents lost a good friend in Dallas, TX who was instrumental in helping my parents and my little brother feel welcome when they moved to the area several years ago.

These pieces of news left me a little down heading into the weekend.

Life can be tough, and it’s hard to see people suffering.

As I was participating in worship at our church’s high school youth group, the band began to lead us in Bebo Norman’s song, Nothing Without You.  I’ve always liked this song, but it hit me a little differently this time when the band began to sing the final verse:

Take my time here on this earth
And let it glorify all that You are worth
For I am nothing
I am nothing without You

We don’t know how long we have here.  We may live to 100, or we may not see our next birthday.  Either way, we have a limited time left to live here on Earth.

What will we do with our days?

Will we waste them?  Or will we use them to the fullest?

I want to glorify God with my days.

How about you?

These words lifted me up out of my melancholy.  They reminded me of the hope I have, and they reminded me to make the most of my days.  Sometimes we need a few words of encouragement.  And sometimes these words come from simple songs like this one.

When was the last time you heard a song at just the right time?  What was the song, and how did it lift you up?

Recipe For Success

Are you looking for success?

It takes time and hard work and persistence and patience to see things succeed.

We live in a “I want in NOW” culture.  But we must remember “Good things come to those who wait.”  Overnight success is unrealistic, rare, and temporary.

Put in the work, put in the effort, put in the time, and you will see a harvest worthy of what you put into the process.

Success is not for the lazy.  It’s for the diligent.

Don’t give up!

How do you define success?  How do you get there?

Book Review: Rich Kids by Tom Corley (@RichHabits)

What does it mean to be rich and how do you get there?

I’m reading two books in the early part of this year that are forcing me to think about this question.  The first book is Redefine Rich: A New Perspective on the Good Life by Matt Ham.  I’ll share more about this book in the coming weeks.  If you want to hear some of my early thoughts on this topic, go to my blog post from September 29th by clicking here and then go listen to my podcast interview with Matt.

The second book is Rich Kids: How to Raise Our Children to Be Happy and Successful in Life by Tom Corley.  I received this book from one of my blog world friends, Matt McWilliams, and I am so thankful for the opportunity to read the book.  I wish I had read this book when I was a teenager, but I think it’s a book worth reading whether you are young or older.  And while the subtitle seems to point to parents, I think this book is a valuable resource whether or not you are a parent.

This book is not written from a religious perspective.  Rich Kids uses an easy-to-read story to provide practical tips for developing habits that will lead you to a rich life.  It would be easy to think this is only meant for those who want to have monetary wealth, but I think the principles and habits suggested in this book are great tools for anyone who want to live life to the fullest.

Here are a few of the things I captured as I was reading Rich Kids:

• “Learn as many new skills as you can when you’re young.”  Keep learning.  Keep growing.  Keep stretching!
• “You can’t be successful in life if you don’t have a passion for what you do for a living, and you can only find your passion in life by pursuing creative activities.”  Life is too short to live without passion.  So many people fail to find and follow their passion.  I don’t want to waste my life.
• “Success is not easy.  Success takes time, persistence, passion, and an obsessiveness that borders on fanaticism.  Successful people are fanatics.  They are obsessed.  They understand that success is a process.”  Get rich quick schemes don’t work in the long run.
• “When you find your main purpose in life you stop worrying about the ‘how.’  The ‘why’ is all that matters.  The ‘why’ is your main purpose.  Once you find your ‘why,’ the ‘how’ magically appears.”
• “Success takes time.  Realizing your goals in life just takes time.  Life is a marathon.”  In a culture of “I want it now,” we have to remember that good things come to those who are patient.
• “Having a mentor in life is like someone depositing millions and millions of dollars into your bank account.  Mentoring is critical to success.”  Who is you mentor?
• “You can’t become successful if you’re always blaming others for your circumstances.”  Many don’t want to hear this one.
• “Always focus on the other person and resist that human tendency to put yourself first.”
• “Life is all about rising above your self-interest and getting into the habit of treating the other person as important.”
• “Wherever you go, carry around a notepad, and when you meet anyone you want to get to know, don’t be afraid to ask them their birthday.”
• “Making the effort to remember someone’s name tells them that they are important to you.”
• “Parents need to lead by example.”
• “Start by making a point to find something to be grateful for each day.”
• “Always be grateful for the smallest things in life as well as the big stuff.”

These are just a few of the things that stood out to me as I read this book.  Having a “rich” life starts by making choices and taking actions that lead us down the right path.  Rich Kids will get you started down the right path.

What is one habit you have implemented that helps you have a “rich” life?  What is one habit you need to implement to have a “rich” life?

(Please note:  I received a copy of Rich Kids for free as part of a giveaway from Matt McWilliams.  I was not required to provide a favorable review.  I truly believe this book can be a helpful reminder to any reader in helping them to take steps to become successful – at work, in the community, at church, and at home.

Also to note:  There are affiliate links in this post.  Should you purchase Rich Kids or Redefine Rich by clicking one of these links, I receive a small percentage of the purchase.  These funds are used to support The Stretched Blog and to extend ministry and missions to Guatemala.  Thank you!)