Reposted from 2009 on my former blog site with help from a friend and former student with one of her blog postings about songs.
 
It’s amazing that music has a power all its own.  Certain songs help us connect back to specific memories and for many of us, those memories become crystal clear when we hear certain songs.  I like having music on now when I am working. With all the sources on the Internet, on I-Pods and MP3 players, with the music channels on digital cable, or the music channels that come with our cars today – and don’t forget about regular, good-old radio too – all types of music is available to us all the time.

 This morning, in trying to accomplish things for my business and teaching career, I turned on the 80’s music channel  (graduating in high school in 1984 and college in 1989 has doomed me forever to love the 80’s music
– at least that is what my two kids have said) and I heard the song by Atlantic Starr – “Always”.  Wow… instant
connection with my wedding.  My wife and I have been married for 19 years and that song connected with us so
much that we chose it as our first song to dance to at our reception.  That song brings back so many vivid
memories, clear pictures in my mind that really help connect me to the thoughts and feelings that were going on that night. Those thoughts, feelings, emotions, etc., help me with what is going on today.  It gives me great perspective as to why I got married to my wife.  It helps me remember the pieces to the foundation of why I love her so much.  In getting back in touch with those thoughts and memories, it helps me to quickly forget little things that might be getting in the way of our relationship.  It also helps me to think about ways to get better at being her husband – she deserves it. 

Sure, it brings on the tears a little bit, but just like basketball coach Jim Valvano said when he was battling cancer –
 
“To me, there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every
  day of our lives. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two
  is think. You should spend some time in thought. And number three is, you
  should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think
  about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a
  heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something
  special”.

If you laugh every day, cry everyday and think every day – that’s a full day, that is, like he said, a heck of a great day.   I’ve done those today and I try to do those every day.  Have you?  When was the last time you did that?  Music helps you know.  Find those couple of songs that help you remember a time when you felt good about yourself.  Think back with the emotions and feelings of the songs on when you had dreams and goals, when you were inspired and fired up about doing something great.  My Life and Success coach, Mike Litman said it last night, “We need to stop belittling our gifts and start believing that we are useful to helping others.”  Find those songs, listen to them however you can – a lot, every day if you can.  Then go out and find more songs that give you the same connection to those positive thoughts and feelings.  Here is the kicker, the real big point – then go act upon those thoughts and feelings.  After 43 years that action step is finally kicking in for me.  All I can say thank God for the music that helped kick me into finally doing something about my goals and dreams. 

© Coach John Daly – 2011
- http://coachtoexpectsuccess.weebly.com/

So many times I will find a great quote posted by someone that I really like to share.

On Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or here on my blog.  I need to keep putting these things out there for people to make up their own minds about using the quotes in their lives.  I know it helps me when I read one that really connects and gets me to reflect usually on an issue that I need help with at the very moment I read the quote.

So this one really stuck with me:  “The best thing about the future is that it only comes one day at a time.”
— Abraham Lincoln

What a great, true statement.  It does come one day at a time.  It doesn't come all at once (thank goodness).  The future is what we make of it.  From our choices, habits, the people we hang out with, our attitude, how we spend our time and the way we think about ourselves and other things.

But we must know that all those things do connect with how our future will be; it's still just one day at a time.  Tat is why it's so important to work on all those pieces in our lives.  More coming in the "future" on this topic for sure.  Make today a great day - it's your only chance to do that today.  :-)

Games and Life – part 2
By Coach John Daly
Re-printed from 2009 posting on my former blog
 
Picking up from part 1….

The other part of my story with playing golf the other day with my dad happened even before I even got out to his house.

When I was leaving that morning, I stopped at 7-11 for some coffee.  As I was getting mine, a lady came in and was upset that they changed her favorite flavor of the cappuccino.   She walked out disgusted and I thought as to what her day was going to be like.

How could she get so upset because of her coffee?    I kind of chuckled to myself quietly.

I love coffee… at times I think it’s too much.  But I know that would not really be a reason for me to get too upset and have it ruin my day!  I really felt sorry for the people that she was going to be around today.

I mentioned something to the clerk about it and he said,“that’s nothing, awhile ago, we had a guy come in and yell at the owner because we did not have any of the chocolate creams for his coffee!”  

Can you believe that? I guess if we think about it, sad to say, we have all run into someone like this.

Of course this drove home the memory of me being like this at times in my life, yuk,  I don’t want to go back to being that kind of person.

The clerk and I both agreed that there are far more important things in life to get worked up about compared to coffee.

I know most people see lessons like that all the time in our day-to-day activities and travels. There are constant lessons for all of us to learn from, every day, wherever we go.  It’s just so important for us to pick up on those lessons. 

Like I tell my kids, students and players – watch, look and listen.

You can learn so much from others and that means that we don’t have to make the same mistakes we see others making.  I know you are thinking of at least one example right now that just came to you about this one.

By the way, the clerk greeted me with a very positive attitude and a “good morning – how are you doing?”  So I knew that he caught the same thing that I did.

I retold the story to my dad as we were playing the 10thhole.  We had both lost a couple of shots– I lost 2 balls and he lost 1.  We both had to use the drop area then we both proceeded to miss the green.

Another lesson hit me again. As frustrating as golf is (for me at least), it’s a great, great game.  Not only can anyone play the game, really at any age; but it offers such great life lessons. This time it got me thinking the best way to approach playing golf is just like life.

You have to have a humble attitude along with watching your ego.  Golf is very humbling.  It teaches you to not get too worked up about little things (like coffee or a bad shot).  It’s a learning experience – just as life is.

We should learn from our mistakes on the course and in life.  If I ever get to thinking that,“hey, this game isn’t so tough” or “hmm… I’m pretty good at this game”.  The game, just as life, will bring you to your knees.

That must be where my bad knees come from. 

My dad and I agreed that we both understood that point.  We also agreed that it was a good thing we enjoyed the company we were playing with too.  Remember, who we hang out with in life, does matter.

Do what you can to learn from wherever you are and whatever you are doing.  Learn from others.

Keep in mind things that are really important in life.  Look for these little success and leadership principles in your day.  No matter what’s going on in your life right now, there are lessons to be learned.

Remember, when those brick walls and frustrating moments come up in our lives; two things to think about.

As Dr. Randy Pausch said “those brick walls are there to see how bad we want what we are going after in life.”  

The other point to remember is that those are the moments where we can learn the most by the way we handle the brick wall or frustration.

I’m always repeating that great quote that was given to me from a friend – “Don’t play small in life”, someone needs your help.

Get in touch with me to share your stories so you can do just that.  Your stories can help someone for sure.
© Copyright , 2011   http://coachtoexpectsuccess.weebly.com

Games and Life

By Coach John Daly
Reposted from August 2009 - Another in a series of older articles and blog postings from a former website of mine.
 
Misty rain and around 60 something degrees, a perfect way to start an early morning of golf.  
 
But it was perfect, even before I hit my first shot. 
I got to play with my dad. 
He taught me about the game and we always have a great time.  
 
We don’t always play great, but there are always a few great shots here and there.  Just enough to keep us coming back for more.  
 
You got to remember, with a name like John Daly, I get it all the time about playing golf.

I live roughly an hour away from my parents and with an early morning tee time getting up around 5 a.m. was the order of the day.  Not a problem as I’m really a morning person to begin with.  Plus, like I told my dad, I had trouble sleeping.  

Do you ever get excited for something coming up the next day that you have trouble sleeping?  Funny, it’s still like that for me with Christmas.

I was excited and not just for the breakfast he was making for me when I got to his place at 6:30.  I kept waking up since I was afraid that I was not going to hear my alarm and get a late start to see my dad.  (Not hearing my alarm has come up a few times in the past.) 

I’m sure it’s happened to you too. 

You see, it’s easy to get excited over something that is in your heart.  That is one of the lessons here that the sooner we learn that, the better our life can be.  

I’m just getting into learning that fact.  I truly wish I had that huge nugget sooner in life.  
 
Wow!  Ding, Ding, Ding –  Read that one again.

This is an important part of finding a successful and meaningful life - Finding a passion in life to connect to. If you are able to find a passion and get paid for that passion – holy cow… that is rare company if you are there. 

Look around you.  How many people have that going for them in their lives??  

Might not be too many?

The second point today is another wake up call for me. 

First, I got to spend some great time with my dad on the golf course.  Saw my mom too along with 2 of my nephews.  My son was there too, spending a week with my sister’s family to babysit his two cousins.

I know I need to take more time to do things like this.  Time is a funny thing.  

We all have the same amount.  But look how we spend it.

Those people that are successful spend it differently than those that are not so successful.  That is a huge point towards success for anyone, in any area they want to achieve it.

You want to know something – you can be one of those same people!

How I spend my time has been a huge battle over the years.  I’m getting tired of having the same results with spending my time as I have always done.

Hence, the reason I’m finally off of my lazy butt and doing something I’ve been talking about for the last few years.

Part of that for me, is to make sure I spend more time with the people that I love.

Who are those important people in your life?  Do you know?  

Have you told them that they are important to you and that you love them?

We don’t have as much time as we think do to the things that are truly important.  We see examples of that all the time.  It’s just that it hurts more when the examples happen to us and / or the people that we love.

Take a look at these two points in your life.  Think about them, write down your thoughts if you need to.

Drop me a note if you have some thoughts.  You can leave a comment here on my blog or go to my home page and at the bottom, there is a place to send me your comments, thoughts, ideas and questions.  

Better yet, let me know if you’d like to be working towards finding passions in your life along with spending your time better too.Maybe I can help.

Remember this too.  The more you invest in helping yourself become better, all those important people that you’re thinking about – they will be better for it too.

Look for part 2 of the story coming soon….


©Copyright 2011  Coach John Daly  http://www.coachtoexpectsuccess.weebly.com

What Time is it?
By Coach John Daly
Reposted from:  August  6, 2009
 
That’s a question that we either hear or think about so many times a day. 
Other people ask us about it. 
We are rushing around trying not to be late to class, a meeting, getting  in our car, or to even get home for our favorite T.V. show.  
 
But do we ever really think about that  question other than to look at a clock? 
Come on, think about it.
 
My friend, this question took on a different view for me the other night. 
It’s ironic though because I have heard and thought about this view on time many times before.  I’m sure
you have too.
 
You see I was at a funeral home for a friend of mine that died.  I got there for the prayer service and I heard something that hit me right between the eyes.  
 
My friend’s cousin was speaking to everyone as they opened the floor for anybody that wanted to share a few thoughts.  It was at this time when she was trying to finish up that she said “I thought I had more time with him. 
I thought I had more time to make plans with him, to talk about the family with him, to go and do things with him.  Now I realize that I don’t.  How many of us say that about things and people in our lives?”  
 
As she walked away fighting back the tears, I was doing the same thing and I looked around at the packed room that spilled out into the halls, others were fighting back the tears too.  There were so many of her cousin’s former football players there.  Big guys, now in their 40’s and 50’s, all misty eyed with tears.
 
Like I said a punch to the nose!  Tears welling in my eyes from that quick and powerful punch.   OUCH!  
 
I knew I have heard this before, many times.  Why was it hurting so much now?
 
I know it’s because indeed, I have heard it many times before.  But was I doing anything about it?  Was I making
changes to implement that more into my life? I can say a little, here and there. I know now that it’s something that I have to really work at doing a better job with.  Time is one of those things that seems to be going by faster as I get older.  

We all talk about that, but what do we do about it?   Actually I hear more and more people talking about it now, regardless of their age.
 
So many songs talk about it.  Once it’s gone, you can’t get it back, it’s that type of message we hear
so often in songs. So why do we waste so much of it on things that don’t really mean to much?   Why  does it usually take a sad event or tragedy to get us to focus on this? 
 
I guess I’m tired of me going through these things, I think about it, make a few little changes for a few days. 
Then I’m right back to my old habits and old ways on how I spend my time.  
 
Another irony, about the same time last year we lost another good friend.   My friend that just died this past week was best of friends with the one who died a year ago.   Both of these guys were fantastic teachers and coaches.  
The impact they made on people was incredible.  That is why the funeral home was packed the entire time for both of these great men.

This time has got to be different for me.  It has to be different for you too.  I’ve heard this statement from another friend, “We can’t afford to play small in life.”   Wasting time in our lives is playing very small.  It does nobody any good at all.  
 
Ask yourself this right now – heck, even write these down somewhere:  What are some time wasters in your life? 
Are they getting in the way of important things? 
 
A more crucial thought for you to think about quickly right now:  are they getting in the way of your relationships with the important people in your life?  
 
Get in touch with me – I’m sure you have stories too that could help me and others with this important topic.  Leave me your thoughts here
 
© Copyright 2009   http://www.coachtoexpectsuccess.weebly.com

This is one of those quotes that you just have to put into play - check it out: 

“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.” - Dale Carnegie

This is one of those things that has been on my plate for just about my entire life.  I need to have some more action in my life for the things that are important for me to accomplish.  I've been a little bit of a chicken when it comes to doing some things that I know I have to do.  My personality type is that of a procrastinator by nature.  Still at age 45, but getting better. 

I do know this - One thing you should know is that anything from Dale Carnegie is worth so much value that you should look to study and implement it into your life.  I know that when you do get into action, good things happen.  It's true for exercise. It's true for any type of action that gets you from the place you are to a place you want to go.  So as I continue to work on my procrastination and work more on getting into action to go after my goals and dreams; I'm interested in your thoughts about Mr. Carnegie's statement?  Do you find that that statement pertains to you or not?  If not, what are your secrets for focusing on getting things done?  Give me some thoughts... let's talk about this a little bit.