"The best things come to those who Never Give Up." - Zig Ziglar 

When I saw this quote from Zig - it really got me connected to the idea of starting my week off in a very positive direction.  While I was doing some chores outside yesterday and cleaning the garage out a little - this thought hit me right in the nose and it helped me to get things done rather than putting them off until later.

It also helped having a good weekend too.  My wife and I spent some time with some good people and had a lot of fun.  This helped me to see that this quote about not giving up not only affects me, my wife and family, but also my friends and those that I don't know yet.  If I give up on things (like I have in different areas of my life) I may not get the chance to connect with people.  For me, it's been a personal battle throughout my life time - giving up on things.  I'm working hard at not doing that anymore.  Would I have liked to be like that in my past?  You bet.  But I can't go back and change that.  But I can make changes today, and that's where my focus is.  The past should serve as a history lesson for us every day.  The good and the bad.  Remember, we really learn more from the bad, negative things that happen to us compared to the good and positive things.

Have you ever checked out Zig Ziglar?  Check him out.  He's all over the place.  Even after he's gone - he still has a HUGE impact on people.  My kind of guy... that's what I would like to be for others even when I'm gone.  Any thoughts?  How have you been with this "Never Giving Up" idea?

“You are the only person on earth who can use your ability.  It’s an awesome responsibility”  ~ Zig Ziglar

Zig strikes again!  This idea I've heard from both Zig and Les Brown lately - and I'm sure many others have mentioned it too.  I guess it's finally connected with me that I wanted to get this out and have hopefully some people take it in and think deeply about how true this statement really is.  I guess getting older too helps open up my mind a little bit more to accept and think about new thoughts and ideas.  Once again, sure would be nice to have that concept earlier, but I'm very happy I have it now.

How long will it take you to read over and think about this statement as to how much truth it really holds?  As I think about it, my first thoughts about it for me tend to go towards the negative - I know, it's something I need to continue to work on.  I will tell you that I am catching onto that fact that I realize my negative thinking comes on - this is happening faster and faster recently so that I can make a change or focus as to how my thoughts are affecting me.  Now on that one. I'm proud of myself and looking to continue to get better. :-)    Getting back to that point - I sometimes look first as to how I've dropped the ball on this "awesome responsibility" as Zig puts it.  I do believe that I'm the only person that can take my abilities and use them for the good of helping others.  For so long, I've really not taken this to the full extent that I know I can.  I've done enough to be ok in many areas of teaching, coaching, being a dad, being a husband, a son, a friend, etc.  But to say that I've always tried my hardest and done my best, well... that's where I know I have dropped the ball so to speak. 

Again, I think the key is for me personally - is that I now realize that.  Many times I would feel down on myself for realizing that fact and I am having a little more success in realizing that I can still change and get better.  I am turning quicker from those feelings of sorrow on myself to knowing that I need to do something about it.  We all must realize that if we don't act and do the things with our abilities that we know we have, we are really doing an injustice to so many people that we can help.  I think the cost of us not learning about our abilities and talents that we can use to help others, is really something that will hurt us so much at the end of our lives.  It is connected again with what Les Brown has said - that the most valuable piece of land or real estate is the graveyard.  All the ideas, thoughts, plans, goals, dreams, etc,, that never were acted upon - all die with that person that had them inside of them.  The other cost, probably a greater one is that the people we were supposed to help will never ever happen.  There could be someone we help that in turn will help thousands or tens of thousands (or more) and without us doing what we should do - that person and all the ones after that will never know what they could do.

I don't know about you, but as I get started on my 25th year in education - I know that this quote among many others will help me probably more so this school year than any others in the past.  With all the negativity and uneasiness in education and in life in general, I know the more people that listen to Zig and then listen to their hearts will help make a difference in so many ways.  As I've told my students throughout the years - it's time for me to "shut up", because when I'm doing all the talking I'm not learning anything.  What are your thoughts and ideas about this quote and any other quotes that I've posted.  Me and so many others would appreciate your thoughts and ideas. I'm always interested... just let me know. 

"Don't let someone else's opinion of you become your reality." - Les Brown

When I first heard Les Brown talk about this - it really hit home with me and my students.  Many times I think we give up control to those people in our lives that will fill our heads with doubt.  Many times the critics in our lives are those that are the closest to us.  Those people that love and care for us - and we for them, will sometimes be the biggest distractors for us to get through.

I am also reminded by this statement that we also have to work on our own opinion of ourselves.  If we hear enough negative from others in our lives and add it to our own self-doubting opinion about ourselves, that is a recipe for going nowhere.  Where if we have the attitude and mental preparation to take these opinions as fuel or reasons for getting better - to use them as inspiration, well... that's another story.  When you actually sit back and think about things like this, isn't it the right thing to do - to take these critics in our lives and use their opinions to help us do more and get better?  That's an approach that I think would be great for all of us to use.  I know I need to do just that!

There are so many things that Les Brown says that really hits home for me and for my students too.  I suggest you look him up and read some of his books, listen to some of his audio recordings, and watch his videos as he's got so many messages to connect with so many different people.    Another quote he gave to us in this recent presentation - "the best revenge is massive success."  For all the doubters and critics in our lives, that is something that will help others to see our true reality for sure.

Any thoughts or ideas on this from Les Brown.  Remember, not only do your thoughts and ideas help me, they help yourself and many others too.  When you take the time to put some of these in writing - it gets you thinking about making adjustments in your life.  Might be right then when you do it, or later on sometime.  Either way, it's good to share your thoughts and ideas on these quotes... so thank you for doing just that.

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.” -- Charles Dickens

One of the things that I try and get across to my students is to be a difference maker.  I put my weekly picture on my Blackboard sites and it was that exact message.  So when I found this quote
and how much it connected with that important idea, I had to get it out there.

When we set out to make a difference with others, that can be done in so many ways.  It is something that all of us can do each and everyday with so many people.  First, would be to make a difference with yourself.  With everything going on in the world, we can make a huge difference with ourselves by working on how we think.  By watching our self-talk, making it more positive rather than negative, that can really help ourselves out.  We all have critics taking shots at us along with the everyday trials and tribulations taking shots at us too.  How we "defend" ourselves from these issues is very important in making a difference with ourselves.

Once we make a difference with ourselves, we are then able to have a huge impact with helping others.  Making a difference with others is one of the things that is most needed in today's world.  So many people need help in many different ways and you would be surprised to know that you might be the one that can do it with someone that you will see today.  So, see who you can help today along with helping yourself.  Make it a point every day you can to lighten the burden of  someone else.

The few people that have responded to these thoughts, please know you have already helped me, a great deal with your time and thoughts.  So, you've already taken care of helping someone - that someone would be me. :-)  I appreciate it very much.  Leave me your thoughts since it will not only help me, but in turn it will help others too.

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” - Maria Robinson

I think all of us at one time or another dwell on our past, for both good and not so good reasons.  I've come to realize that my past is something to learn from, get better for today and for my future from those experiences.  I heard a great thought a few days ago about the past.  It's always been said that the past is the past and that we can't go back and change anything, so it's best to move on.  This person also went on to say that our past got us to where we are today.  That's the point that stuck out to me as something to dwell on and connect with. My past, as yours too, has gotten us to where we are today.  Good, bad and indifferent; that is something that we need to accept.

Something else to think about as the quote above suggests.  The things we think about and end up doing today, will not only become our past of tomorrow; but it will lead us to our future as well.  I'm trying very hard to spend time thinking about my past and how it's gotten to me where I am today.  There are changes I'm also trying to make today from where my past has gotten me to, since I know that I have the power and control to change things today and in my future.  Here is what I think is the missing piece to think about with the quote above.  The changes that we make today, don't just affect us.   They affect the people that we care about too.  Looking back, if I knew this little nugget in high school; wow.. the changes I could have made back then to lead me to a different future.  But the important factor is I didn't know and still wound up here in my future.  Looking around where I am today, it's still pretty good.  I'm in a good place and I'm working to make it and my future better.  

Now, if you are in high school now - you need to stop and ponder this a little bit.  Do your "homework" on this thought for sure, in other words spend a few minutes thinking about learning from  your past, don't get down about it and let it keep you from doing great things today and in your future.  It really doesn't matter what age you are, the younger the better for you I guess.  Take a couple of things to work on.  Things to get better at and keep moving forward towards your goals and dreams.  There is no age limit on this fact.  No matter when you start throughout your lifetime, you can make a new ending for sure.

This teacher loves to learn from others.  Do you have any ideas or thoughts on this quote that others can learn from,especially me?  Leave me your thoughts and ideas as I'm always interested in reading what you have to say.

"If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's plan." - Jim Rohn


This is one of those things that I think most of us don't think about too often.  Maybe it's better put another way - maybe we do think about it, but we don't do anything about it.  The thinking of it and not doing anything is a major problem that we cause for ourselves. (a lot of personal experience in this area for me).

As we get older, it get's easier and easier to let the circumstances and other outside factors dictate what we do with our lives. We get to a point where we just go a long and focus on taking care of our family, paying bills, trying not to go into too much debt; or if we do, we spend many yeas focusing on getting out of it.  We keep working at our jobs that have kind of taken over our lives and we sometimes get stuck there thinking that we have too many things riding on our jobs to make a change.  It's too scary to make a change in trying to design our own life and go after the things that would make us happy, just because we are too hesitant to risk the status quo of our lives.  So most of us that hesitate like this do indeed fall into someone else's plans - our job, the government, creditors, etc.

The sooner we are able to go after our own life design, the better our lives will be.  When we don't control our own lives and give up that control to outside factors, that leads to an unsatisfactory life.  Along with a very expensive unsatisfactory one where I'm not just talking about money.  What do you think are some other areas that get "expensive" in our lives if we give up control to outside factors?  I'm always very interested to hear your thoughts and opinions because usually not only do your thoughts help me - they can help others too.

"Be careful how you are talking to yourself because you are listening." ~ Lisa M. Hayes

What a great quote to start out the week with on a Monday morning. Try and catch yourself today (and everyday) where you are battling some negative self talk.  Since we are the only ones that are with our self, 24-7, 365 days a year; we really have to watch what we say to ourselves.There is
nothing more hurtful to ourselves and what we want to do with our lives, than to have negative self-talk.  Do things that are necessary to talk positively about yourself to yourself.  That means, don't be a "poser".  You can't fake yourself out.  There is no way to think positively about yourself if you aren't living a good and positive life.If we are doing things that we know we shouldn't be doing, we can't get away from knowing about those things. 

We might be able to hide it from others, but there is no way of hiding it from ourselves.  As we get started this week, whatever you are working on, make a point to stop and think about what you are thinking about and what you are saying to yourself.  As always, I'm very interested in your thoughts, ideas and experiences.  One think I've learned a long time ago, eventhough I've been a
teacher for almost 24 years, I cand (and should) be a student when it comes to learning about things.  No matter how old you are, I know you can teach a few things to me... so thank you for any and all comments.