Shine on, you crazy diamond

Most people want to shine like a diamond.  We want to be highly valued.  We want to be unique.  We want to be admired.  We want to be seen as beautiful. Diamonds are formed at the Earth’s mantle.  90 miles from the Earth’s surface.  Carbon is transformed to diamonds.  Under great pressure, at temperatures around […]

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The biggest secret to time management

  A few months ago, I tried to fit left over soup in a container.  Jen told me that it wouldn’t fit.  I insisted it would. I cleaned up soup that overflowed from the counter.  She gave me “that look.”  Once again, I had tried to fit too much in the container. Time Management is […]

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Blessings and Sacrifice

  Running a successful business.  Writing a book.  Starring in the community play.  Earning first chair violin in the symphony (or third chair).  Playing on the varsity football team.  Getting the promotion.  Finishing a book that’s difficult to understand.  Receiving a Masters of Fine Arts.   Having a lush lawn. Twins have taught me there is […]

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Opinions are like … ?

Everyone thinks that they know the better way.  Everyone believes they’re are right.  A thought hits their consciousness, it must be right.  It’s a fact to the person who thought it.   Of course, anyone who believes something differently is wrong. The next time you think you’re right, ask yourself a question – “What evidence* […]

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Who’s the idiot now?

When I was 21 I thought everyone was an idiot.   Not much has changed. I still murmur to myself regularly, “They’re all idiots…” while I shake my head at what goes on in this world.   The difference now is that I know that I’m one, too. 2o years of mistakes will do that […]

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What Do You Have Time To Do? 4 Questions to Ask Yourself

  We don’t seem to have the time to do a lot of things.  Things like exercise, cooking healthily, calling our parents, brothers, sisters and friends, reading great books or magazines, driving without distraction (as we text some ridiculously unimportant message). We do seem to have time to do a lot of other things, though. […]

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One question to get the most use from your stress

  Studies show that bad stress causes harmful reactions in us.  It literally kills us slowly.  A key distinction between good stress (Eustress) and bad stress (distress) is whether we see ourselves as capable of exerting ourselves on our situation to affect it. When we focus on what can’t do, we create bad stress and […]

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Two Simple Steps to Move Closer to your goals

  An object that’s a rest tends to stay at rest.  An object in motion will continue along the same course unless another force redirects it. It’s a law of physics.  It’s also a law of life.  Change your words, change your mind I’ve been at rest for several months.  I’ve talked about how I […]

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Could you use a cold shower?

The bookthrew down a challenge.  Imagine turning on the shower.  Only the cold water.  No hot at all.  Now, imagine you jump into the shower.  Did you cringe at the thought?  Good.  Now do it.  For 5 days in a row.  That was the challenge Julien Smith tossed my way. I threw the water on. […]

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How do you do better?

Robby said, “I used to have those reference documents taped all over my work space.  It helped me a lot.”   I looked that the document I needed.  It was open in MS Word.  I looked at Robby and said, “Yeah, I really need to print this.”  And then I sat there.  Without printing it. […]

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