There are always lessons to be found in everyday life.  Remember that success always leaves clues, we just have to be ready to pick up those clues.  Most of them can be found just by watching & listening.  The lessons from a gas station attendant - his name is Paul - and I have watched and listened to him for years, I've even talked to him a few times.  He is such a nice guy and the way he treats others is amazing!  Every time I get gas for our cars at our local Costco - I always hope he's working.  There are lessons every day from this guy and how he interacts with people. 

Once again, I need to learn from him so that I can be a better version of me.  We all need to be better versions of ourselves.  Life is something that always has plenty of lessons for us to learn from.  Many come from the everyday people that we meet up with.   This guy working for a living at a place where so many people come by on usually a weekly basis, is teaching life lessons for all to learn from.  My thought is I can't be the only person learning from this guy? 

Check out my podcast on this story (HERE) as there are a few other lessons here too that I share. 

Thanks for listening.  Please take a few moments to subscribe & share this with someone, also leave a 5 Star rating on ITunes or other services where you find this show.  Find me on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/coachtoexpectsuccess/   on Twitter:  @coachtosuccess   and on Instagram at:  @coachjohndaly  
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"Don't wait. The time will never be just right." — Napoleon Hill
 
As I sat down outside, with our dog on Easter morning, I had some great quiet time to do some thinking.  This thought from Napoleon Hill has been echoed inside my head for a while along with being echoed from so many other people too.

The sun was coming up over the house behind us, there was a nice little breeze along with the birds chirping and wind chimes nearby making a very majestic sound for the morning.  Great reflection time too on this special morning with a great cup of coffee. 

I needed this and I have figured out I need to do it more.  This overwhelming feeling came over me – moving me to tears – that not only do I need to do this more, but I need to put into action what I’m thinking about doing.  This blog is part of it along with my podcasting, writing my first book, doing some interviews, creating videos and speaking too.  All of these items connected to helping others, making a difference with them and adding value to their lives too.  The time must be now – it’s all I got.  Heck… it’s all any of us have when you think about it.

Of course, this has been on my mind more since I’m getting older.  Sitting at 51 is a unique perspective I think on life – but it’s also a view that does not have to be saved for this age.  One of the things I see that there are people that have these thoughts and ideas sooner in life and they act upon them sooner too.  Sooner for me is now.   For someone else, it’s the time they are at now in their life.
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I am totally amazed at those people that for years have been sharing this idea along with others, about self-improvement.  Napoleon Hill was one of many doing this a long time ago.  He has helped to change so many lives in the past, present and even future too; as his teachings will live on forever.  I listen to podcasts and read books that continue to mention what a profound difference that he and others have made on life for so many people.   To me that’s what our lives should be all about – making a difference with others along with adding value to their lives too.  Whatever you find yourself doing throughout your life – these ideas should be part of it.  Starting now, don’t wait.  I’m working on doing that. I hope you are too.

“Empathy is about standing in someone else's shoes, feeling with his or her heart, seeing with his or her eyes. Not only is empathy hard to outsource and automate, but it makes the world a better place.” - Daniel H. Pink
 
If there is one thing, out of the many that are missing in the world today – it would have to be empathy.  There is a HUGE need for this to be more visible in the world today.  It would make decisions made, more on what they can do for others instead of what they can do for ourselves.

If decisions would be looked at from the eyes of those that it will most greatly affect, things would be better.  If government officials could always take a step back and look at laws & policies being put into place from their constituent’s points of views, rather than the political implications that it will have; again, this world would be a better place.

I know this one for sure is out there.  If people (namely me) could see things from their spouse’s point of view along with things from their kid’s point of view, again this would be a much better place. There could be so many arguments, miscommunications, misunderstandings, etc., that would be replaced with caring, thinking of the other person’s feelings, thoughts, and listening to their ideas.  This really goes for anyone in our lives that are important to us.  Also in a general sense, anyone we come into contact with, having a little empathy can go a long way.

Businesses could put more empathy into their decisions, from their customers along with their employees.  There is such a big need for businesses to treat others right.  To put people first instead of profits all the time.   What many companies don’t realize is that you take care of those people that you are connected to as a company, those people will make things work and improve for your company.  So much so, that profits will be healthy and growing.
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Look at somewhere you can add empathy to in your life.  Watch the great things that can come from it.  Mainly, look at the difference it can make in your life with the way you see things, think about things and your reactions to others.  This is the main way that you affect others in a positive way by your actions.  You do not have to tell anyone about this. They will see it in the things you say and do. Try it and let me know how it goes. ​

"Success depends less on strength of body than upon strength of mind and character." -- Arnold Palmer

We all lost a great American on Sunday September 25.  Arnold Palmer of course meant a lot to the golfing world, but it should really go way beyond that.  He was really the first one that tied in sports to the business world.  Every professional athlete no matter the sport can point to him as being the reason why there are the business connections to athletics today. 

Arnold also made a difference with people in general with his charities, connections to hospitals, etc., he was really one for the common working men and women in our country and around the world.  He came from a working class family and it showed in everything he did.  This quote of his is directly connected to why I think he was so successful throughout life and not just in golf.
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Our state of mind is one of the foundation blocks of whatever success we want to have in our lives.  I’ve told my students over the years along with trying to remember it myself: The most valuable space in the world is the space between our ears.  We have to guard what goes in it along with what we think about too.  We are what we think – we’ve heard that over and over again throughout our lives.  Mr. Palmer was there as proof.  He worked very hard at thinking about the right things to do in life and then he went out and did them.  I think #1 on his list was how he treated people.  Looking them in the eyes, being honest, spending his time with others, etc.

Character is also a huge building block in success.  He was a great model for how important character comes into play.  I think the game of golf, played the right way of course, helps with showing us all about character in life.  Who better to show us about character and golf than “the King” himself.  Without character, it’s been said, nothing great happens.   If things do happen without it, it probably won’t last too long. What Arnold Palmer built in his lifetime, won’t easily be knocked over. There’s too much character and a positive mindset behind it all.
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"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle." — Plato
 
This thought has been with me for years as I have this sign posted in my classroom.  I see it every day.  It’s an idea that I think we all need to remember and realize the validity that Plato made with this statement. 

I’ll be the first to admit when I get down in the dumps about things being difficult or that I’m not doing the things I know I need to do in order to be successful, I tend to forget the countless others that have it far worse than me.  I know plenty of people personally that have it worse off, yet they seem to be happier than most people.  I am working hard to keep this thought in my mind as I deal with people every day.

To hear the stories from people that share them, not only does it draw me closer to them as far as having empathy for them and their situation, it also inspires me to move forward to actually doing something about the issues and problems that I have – seeing others dealing with theirs really helps.  This is one of many things that I think we need to focus on more – having empathy for others.  Not so much sympathy, but empathy.  That ability to take the point of view of others, to see things through their eyes, to imagine walking in their shoes; what a powerful opportunity we all have to learn so many valuable lessons that it can bring.

Our country got some good lessons in humbleness when Pope Francis came for a visit recently.  Just watching the news stories about his visit were uplifting.  The stories got me thinking about making changes in my life to include more of making a difference with others.   Knowing that we are all fighting things in our lives that get in the way, it makes sense to try and do more to not only help others, but to also improve and help ourselves with what we can do in our own lives too. 
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Good reflections for this week and beyond.  Any thoughts?

"You can make startling changes you can’t even conceive of right now, if you just give yourself half a chance." -- Jim Rohn

As I was looking through some quote ideas another one from the great Jim Rohn jumped out at me.  I think so many times in our lives, if we give ourselves a chance to do great things, we will indeed do just that.

You know, before we are able to do really do anything in life we have to tell ourselves to do it.  Just getting up on time in the morning, making breakfast, filling the car up with gas, taking a shower, etc.  Now with other things, it’s a lot more difficult than simply telling ourselves to do it.  We have to convince ourselves for the really important and life changing things that we need to do.  Those items such as going after your dreams and goals, stepping up to push yourself to get rid of bad habits and replace them with good ones, to reach out to help others that maybe not too many others are willing to help out, along with looking to make a difference with others throughout your lifetime.

It’s about being continually inspired throughout life.  We need to have those inspirational reminders just about on a daily basis I think.  Those stories that we can relate to that helps us believe that we too can do great things.  To get us to understand that we don’t have to settle.   We simply need to give ourselves a chance, an opportunity to do them.  Jim Rohn went onto say “The real value in setting goals is not in their achievement. The acquisition of the things you want is strictly secondary. The major reason for setting goals is to compel you to become the person it takes to achieve them.”

When we look back on the great moments in our lives, they usually come from overcoming difficulties, maybe a long time in working hard and then something wonderful happens along with the fact that we can look back at all the great people that came into our lives along with the new things we learned during that time period.  It’s also a time to see the people that aren’t in our lives anymore.  Our journey throughout life takes us into different directions that others won’t follow us through.  They have their own journeys to go on and even though it’s sad to lose friends, it’s necessary for us to become who we want to and need to become.

Part of this equation is to figure it out sooner than later as some of our many journeys through life take time.  The sooner we realize this, the more things we can go through to get us to become the person we want to be.  Another key, maybe even a more important one is to realize that it’s never too late to start on any of these possible journeys.  You know, I’ve been learning a lot lately and much of it is dealing with the person that I know I need to become in order for things to happen.  Much of it are things that I’d rather not face, not talk about, and not have to go through.  I know I need to go through them and face them in order for things to get better for me but more importantly for those that are around me.  My wife and kids, my other family members, my students, my basketball players, fellow teachers, coaches, friends and neighbors along with the countless people that I haven’t even met yet.  I’ve been playing small most of my life.  That time has to end, and end now.  What are some of the things you need to give yourself permission to do?  Just give yourself a chance, something little, just one thing.  Then just look for those little things each and every day that can help you.  When you find them, please let me know and others too, since I know that we are all looking for those little things to help us in our journeys through life.