This past week, we took the family to the NC State Fair. I think this was our 4th time but I still haven't figured out the layout exactly. I have a general idea of what direction I want to go, but at times I feel like I am in a maze and not exactly sure where I am.
At the store, we are talking about vision statements. These are "paintings" of what we would like our business to look like in the future. Kaylyn and I are working on the same thing for our family. If we don't know what we are working towards, it will be pretty tough to get there. We often talk about goals and dreams. Where we want to be 6 months from now, 1 year or 10 years from now.
At the fair I was reminded that another crucial part of the equation is KNOWING where you ARE. You may have a vision but do you have accurate knowledge of where you are now? We were trying to hook up with some friends and part of that conversation consisted of explaining where each of us were at the time. That was really important. Or, when we wanted to find the Sky Diver or the Ferris Wheel, knowing where we were was a critical piece of information. If we thought we were one place when we were actually at another, we would go the wrong way to find our destination. We would ultimately find our way but if we didn't have an accurate idea of our location it took more time making some wrong turns than if we had known where we were to begin with.
As our family and my business works on where we want to go, we need to ensure we know where we are right now. Not just think we know, but ensure we have an accurate understanding of where we are now.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
Super Heroes and Their Sidekicks
I will be talking with 2 groups this month and one common question is, "who were/are your heroes?"
Here are the definitions I found for "Hero".
1) a. A mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability.
b. An illustrious warrior.
c. A man admired for his achievements and noble qualities
2) a. The principle male character in a literary or dramatic work
b. The central figure in an event, period or movement
3) Submarine
4) An object of extreme admiration and devotion
Synonyms are god, idol and icon.
When I think of my heroes I think the synonym, icon, is the most appropriate. Icon's first definition is "a usually pictorial representation". When I think of heroes, I think of people that represent a certain quality or ability that I admire.
The first three people that come to mind are my Dad, my Mom and my Pastor when I was growing up. They were my primary role models during my early development. They influenced me in multiple areas of my life. My faith in God, my work ethic, my morals, my athletic development, my values, my hobbies, etc. My Dad, My Mom and my pastor helped me build a foundation as a young person that would allow others to add their influence to my life. My parents and my pastor are my Super Heroes.
As with any good Super Hero story, there are also sidekicks that support the efforts of the Super Heroes. I think we often overlook these people in our lives. Many people can identify a single hero and it is often a parent or teacher or coach. What about the sidekicks? What about the other people that have influenced you and molded you along your way?
I think for many of us, it is these sidekicks that really help us in specific ways and help determine how successful we will be in our different endeavours. Whether it is in marriage, parenting, business, sports, or any other aspect of our lives. We probably would be OK without any single one of them, but collectively, their influence on us is indispensable.
For many of us, we don't choose our Super Heroes. But, the sidekicks are often chosen by our actions. Who we choose to be friends with. Who we choose to work with. Who we choose to have lunch with. Who we choose to have as a roommate in college. Who we choose to marry. Who we choose to call on the phone today. Who we choose to introduce ourselves to this afternoon. Who we go to the movies with Friday night.
I can't remember the source of this quote but I believe it to be true. "What we are reading and who we surround ourselves with today determines where we will be 5 years from now."
Pick your sidekicks wisely.
Here are the definitions I found for "Hero".
1) a. A mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability.
b. An illustrious warrior.
c. A man admired for his achievements and noble qualities
2) a. The principle male character in a literary or dramatic work
b. The central figure in an event, period or movement
3) Submarine
4) An object of extreme admiration and devotion
Synonyms are god, idol and icon.
When I think of my heroes I think the synonym, icon, is the most appropriate. Icon's first definition is "a usually pictorial representation". When I think of heroes, I think of people that represent a certain quality or ability that I admire.
The first three people that come to mind are my Dad, my Mom and my Pastor when I was growing up. They were my primary role models during my early development. They influenced me in multiple areas of my life. My faith in God, my work ethic, my morals, my athletic development, my values, my hobbies, etc. My Dad, My Mom and my pastor helped me build a foundation as a young person that would allow others to add their influence to my life. My parents and my pastor are my Super Heroes.
As with any good Super Hero story, there are also sidekicks that support the efforts of the Super Heroes. I think we often overlook these people in our lives. Many people can identify a single hero and it is often a parent or teacher or coach. What about the sidekicks? What about the other people that have influenced you and molded you along your way?
I think for many of us, it is these sidekicks that really help us in specific ways and help determine how successful we will be in our different endeavours. Whether it is in marriage, parenting, business, sports, or any other aspect of our lives. We probably would be OK without any single one of them, but collectively, their influence on us is indispensable.
For many of us, we don't choose our Super Heroes. But, the sidekicks are often chosen by our actions. Who we choose to be friends with. Who we choose to work with. Who we choose to have lunch with. Who we choose to have as a roommate in college. Who we choose to marry. Who we choose to call on the phone today. Who we choose to introduce ourselves to this afternoon. Who we go to the movies with Friday night.
I can't remember the source of this quote but I believe it to be true. "What we are reading and who we surround ourselves with today determines where we will be 5 years from now."
Pick your sidekicks wisely.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Motivation for Running
When I registered to run the marathon back in 2006, I got a free 4 month subscription to Runner's World magazine. Kaylyn and I still get it and read it today. It is very motivational, whether you are wanting to run your first 5K or 10th marathon. You can read stuff on the website for free or get a subscription for a year for as little as $1 per issue ($12 per year). It is well worth it. To see their site, just click on the title of this post.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)