Haters Gonna Hate

It Makes No Sense To Be Jealous

"The jealous are troublesome to others, but a torment to themselves."...William Penn

Haters gonna hate.  You hear this expression all the time.  And I guess when you hear something all the time there's a certain degree of truth to it.  It does seem that people who are jealous like to rain on other peoples parades quite a bit nowadays.  The most puzzling thing about it all is that it's quite unnecessary.  It makes no sense to be jealous.  It's destructive and very self defeating to being the best version of yourself possible.

We should take great effort to avoid being jealous or worse, resentful of other peoples good fortune.  It's toxic thinking. It robs us of having an appreciation of all the things that we are in possession of and who we are.  And it in no way furthers your ability to improve in any area of your life.  

Most of the people who enjoy a good amount of success in life have had to earn it. Sure there are many people who were possibly born into more favorable circumstances.  Perhaps their parents, or grandparents, or great grandparents...you get the picture...were the originators of the lifestyle they enjoy, but should we really hold that against them?  

People get where they are, and have what they have in life because they adhere to a certain life philosophy.  If your life philosophy is dominated by thinking things through and making good decisions, developing sound plans and then taking action to see those plans become reality. you can enjoy the rewards that are available to you in this world.  But fair warning!  Hard work, persistence, sacrifice, character, working well with other people...all these things will play a role in exactly how successful you can ultimately become. 

The greatest thing we can do...instead of being jealous of other people...is learn from them.  Try to emulate what they are doing, or have done, to allow them to enjoy the lifestyle we desire.  We all can learn so much from other people...and I truly believe that most people who enjoy a large degree of success also like to pay it forward. There is a lot of satisfaction to be gained by them knowing that they had something to do with another persons success.  Ask questions.  Approach people. Be bold but not obnoxious and I think you would be surprised how many people would carve some time out of their schedule to lend someone a hand.

Avoid jealousy at all costs. Learn how to celebrate other people's victories and good fortune.  It says so much about a person who is able to do so. Jealousy robs you of being secure in who you are.  It diminishes your self esteem and self worth. Your better than that. You have enormous value.   

Until next time...

#YouMatterTremendously

#GoldenRuleLifeStrategy

Here's another great video.  It's a pretty in depth look at jealousy.

Today Could Be The Day

The Best Day Of Your Life Could Be Today

"Learn from the past, but don't live there.  Build on what you know so that you don't repeat mistakes.  Resolve to learn something new everyday.  Because every 24 hours you have the opportunity to have the best day of (your) company's life....Harvey Mackay

Last Sunday was Father's Day and I made a post about how it was somewhat special as I live in the Greater Cleveland area and the Cleveland Cavaliers were playing for an NBA Championship.  It was Game 7 between the CAVS and the Golden State Warriors and against all odds the CAVS, led by the incredible LeBron James and the young superstar Kyrie Irving, pulled off the upset and won the Championship!  Let me tell you it was an amazing feeling to have a Championship team finally arrive in Cleveland!  The parade that occurred a few days later in downtown Cleveland was spectacular, with an estimated 1.3 million people flooding the area to express their gratitude to the team.

This series between the CAVS and the Warriors can serve to illustrate a few important life lessons.  The CAVS were down in the series 3-1 and pretty much all of the experts expected the Golden State Warriors to close out the series.  After all...no team in NBA history had come back from a 3-1 deficit to win the championship.

The CAVS can be symbolic of you!  Perhaps things have been tough for you for an extended period of time.  Perhaps much longer than you expected.  You may have sustained bruises to your ego and your self confidence may have suffered a bit. Life can be way more grueling than any sporting event can be.   It can be merciless at times.

The key to surviving it all is to "keep on keeping on."  Sustain the belief in yourself that you can overcome any obstacle given enough time. You just have to get through it all.  Along the way if you're doing the right things; keeping a good attitude, working hard at whatever you're doing, helping others as much as you can despite your own hardships and/or limitations, then life will surely take notice.  Life will introduce you to people who will help you if you allow them to.  Opportunities will present them to you if you are open to them...looking for them.  They may not be the opportunities or people that you were expecting.  That matters little.  What matters is your ability to persevere and your ability...your resolve...to see yourself through whatever it is life throws at you.

On any given day things can change for you.  A conversation.  A Help Wanted ad. An idea.  A chance encounter.  A friendship developed.  A relationship blossomed.  So many different things. Any given day holds the potential for the pendulum of good fortune to swing in your favor.  The best day of your life could be today. Or tomorrow.  Or the day after that.  That is one of the most beautiful things about life.

Until next time...

#YouMatterTremendously

#GoldenRuleLifeStrategy

Here's this week's video: It's awesome.  The Butterfly Effect.

Father's Day Here In Cleveland

This Father's Day Is Something Special.

"Fathers Day is hopefully a time when the culture says, 'This is our moment to look at who our men and boys are.'"...Michael Gurian

Today is Sunday June 19th, 2016.  It's Father's Day, and it's also the day that Game 7 of the NBA Finals will be played between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors.  Game 7 of course means that it's for all the marbles.  A championship is at stake, and here in Cleveland where we haven't had a major sports championship since the Cleveland Browns won a football championship in 1964, it's a big deal.  This Father's Day is something special.

Father's Day is always a day of mixed emotions for me.  My dad had a lot of issues stemming from his military service, and we never got along.  I'm sure he loved me, but never knew how to express it, and that was tough on me growing up. To be honest with you it's still tough on me...but more so now because I am now a father of two boys myself.  That provides me with the other side of the coin.  I'm very close with my sons in all regards.  We have a very different father and son dynamic that what I shared with my father.  I am very thankful for that.

It's tough being a father at times. You have to constantly walk a fine line between being a disciplinarian and a friend.  Trying to set an example for your children requires you to wear many hats.  The hat of the husband is worn when you are teaching your sons how to treat their future girlfriends and wife...by how you treat your wife...while teaching your daughters how their future boyfriends and husband should treat them.  The hat of the coach is worn when teaching your children how to compete...how to give something their very best and be gracious in victory and how to handle the disappointment when they come up short. The hat of a judge is worn when you ultimately have to make tough decisions and hand out consequences so your children learn valuable life lessons that they can hopefully take with them when they are young adults.

That being said I wouldn't have it any other way.  Nick & Kevin I love you guys more than words can express.  It's an honor to be your father.  You guys are my biggest source of pride. Watching you guys develop into fine young men is my greatest accomplishment, and that's my biggest take away from the whole dad experience.  I hope when it's all said and done that you know that I tried my very best and that there's nothing I wouldn't have done for you.

Now how great would it be to cap off this Father's Day by watching the greatest basketball player in the world, LeBron James, deliver a NBA Championship here to Cleveland while I watched and rooted him on with my sons? 

Happy Father's Day to everybody out there!  GO CAVS!!!

Until next time...

#YouMatterTremendously

#GoldenRuleLifeStrategy

Here's this weeks video:

  

True Growth Is Never Comfortable

Become Comfortable Being Uncomfortable

"Be willing to be uncomfortable.  Be comfortable being uncomfortable.  It may get tough, but it's a small price to pay for living a dream."...Peter McWilliams

True growth is NEVER comfortable. It's the situations and experiences that challenge us the most that make us stronger and prepare us for the future challenges that await us.  If you are to become the very best version of yourself possible you are going to have to get comfortable being uncomfortable.

It's from dealing and coping with our problems and our unique challenges that we learn how to dig deep within ourselves, find out what type of energy we are really ready to commit, that allows us to face adversity or a new challenge, that the growth comes from.  

This isn't the easiest thing in the world to understand or to do.  And sometimes we may have to go through the same ordeal over and over again until we finally learn the life lesson that we are supposed to. This may not happen on our timetable. But when we do finally reach that breakthrough moment we come out of it with real growth.  We're stronger, smarter, and better for it.

It's a process that we just have to trust in. It's easy to remain in our comfort zones and avoid the hard work and pain that's going to be required out of us to overcome a new challenge. And sometimes when we're not "up to it" we'll defend our decision not to put forth the effort by rationalizing and making excuses.  Not good.  It's avoidance. And we all know it deep down inside.  We can fool a lot of people...but we can never really fool ourselves.

There's always so much more room to grow in all areas of our lives. What sense does it make to remain comfortable when we're not realizing our God given potential?  I believe strongle that if we're too comfortable, we're usually being too complacent.  It's where stagnation breeds. It will manifest itself in some...if not all...areas of our lives...whether it be our personal or professional lives.  

We only get one shot at this remarkable thing called life.  Let's get the most out of it...even if that requires us being a little uncomfortable.  Let's meet new people and try new things.  Open our minds up to some new possibilities.  And whenever we encounter a struggle of some type...understand that there's a certain degree of growth that we'll benefit by overcoming it.

Until next time...which may be a week from now!  I wanted to continue posting three times per week, but I have a new opportunity in my professional life that I am trying to make the most of. With that being the case I will update this blog once a week, unless time allows me to post more frequently.  For the time being.  

Here's this week's video: Harlan's honesty is pretty amusing too!  

You Want To Be A Pro Like Gino

Gino Is Going To Hook Me Up!

"All successful empolyers are stalking men who will do the unusual, men who think, men who attract attention by performing MORE THAN IS EXPECTED OF THEM."...Charles M. Schwab

I need a few new suits so it's time to visit my guy Gino.  Gino is a mens fashion consultant at the department store I shop at. I'll admit that Gino has spoiled me.  The last time I shopped for a couple suits was probably 2 or 3 years ago.  That's when I met Gino.  Gino is a pro.  You want to be a pro like Gino.  Gino is going to hook me up!

I called this morning to make sure Gino was going to be in later in the evening when I would be able to make it across town. Unfortunately, he'll only be working until 2 this afternoon so I'm out of luck. He won't be there until Monday. That's OK. I'll wait till Monday.

You see I'll wait for Monday because I know what I'm going to get from Gino.  A great shopping experience!  Gino has a terrific personality and made it fun last time I was in.  The fact that he has impeccable taste from working in the men's department for a considerable amount of time helps also. He know what's in style. Knows how to accessorize.  He's going to make me look as good as he can, and I'm going to walk out of that store happy that I shopped there. Gino likes what he does and it shows. I kept his business card last time because the moment I left that store I KNEW the next time I was going to be in need of a suit I was going to call him.  I'm a faithful customer when I receive exceptional service.  Want more repeat business? Provide exceptional service. 

Gino was happy to hear from me.  I'm not 100 percent sure he remembered me...I'm sure he will when he sees me...but he appreciated me telling him that I remembered how well he took care of me and that's why I wanted to see him. I told Gino the truth. That one tends to remember professionals who provide excellent services.

That should be the goal for all of us.  To try and go above and beyond in whatever we are doing to earn a living. Even if it's not the ideal situation we should always strive to do the best we can. People notice. They remember. It does make a difference when you do more than is expected of you.  That's a key to success.  One of many that should not be overlooked.

Opportunities open themselves up when you have this type of mindset and attitude.  When you enjoy what you're doing, and you go that extra mile, the inevitable conclusion is that you are going to stand out from the crowd and you will be noticed.  That's how you get ahead.  That's how you create separation.    

Until next time...

#YouMatterTremendously
#GoldenRuleLifeStrategy

Here's today's video:
     

Stay Motivated!

This Blog Post Is Going To Rev You Up!!!

"Good, better, best. Never let it rest. 'Til your good is better and your better is best!"...St. Jerome

"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing."...Walt Disney

Sometimes you just have to go outright commando on yourself. I'm talking Navy Seal, Chuck Norris, Mike Tyson in his prime, full out ass kicking mode!

Let's face it...we all need those little bursts of intense focus to get things done. To accomplish some things that need to be done but for whatever reason...probably because there's some serious work involve...you've been avoiding.  Look, we all get tired and complacent. So it's good to have sources that we can rely on to help us ramp it up a notch.

Sports has always done it for me. Right now our Cleveland Cavaliers are in the NBA Finals for the second year in a row, and for the second year in a row they face the Golden State Warriors. Now anybody that knows basketball knows what's at stake between these two teams. It's going to be an epic showdown between LeBron James and Steph Curry and their two respective teams.  I'm talking one for the ages!

#AllIn216

#AllInTogether

Go CAVS!!!

Look I was tired as can be just a few moments ago! Not wanting to do this blog post!  But I channeled my inner LeBron James and just went BEAST MODE! 

Now I'm gonna treat whoever tunes into this page to a couple cool videos that should get you pumped up to take on something with gusto! Courtesy of me and the incomparable LeBron James! 

Until next time my friends...

#YouMatterTremendously

#GoldenRuleLifeStrategy

#CavsRule

Here's today's video's: