The Voice of Adventure

 

There is a rawness and a wonder to life.  Pursue it. Hunt for it. Sell out to get it. Don’t listen to the whining of those who have settled for a second-rate life and want you to do the same. You can build a fire in the hearth, stay inside, and stay warm and dry and safe…Or you can hear the voice of adventure. Instead of building a fire in your hearth, build a fire in your heart.  Follow God’s impulses. Adopt the child. Move overseas. Teach the class. Change careers. Run for office. Make a difference. Sure it isn’t safe, but what is.

This MMM taken from Grace for the Moment by Max Lucado.

Leadership Is Responsibility

 

All the effective leaders I have encountered – both those I worked with and those I merely watched – knew four simple things: a leader is someone who has followers; popularity is not leadership, results are; leaders are highly visible, they set examples; leadership is not rank, privilege, titles, or money, it is responsibility. Effective leaders delegate, but they do not delegate the one thing that will set the standards. They do it.

 

Point: Don’t expect to retain the respect of your employees if you completely delegate the central function of your enterprise, whether it is healing patients or selling bonds.

 

Today’s MMM was taken entirely from the thoughts of Peter Drucker in the book, “The Leader of the Future”.

Ironman

 

Ironman Texas was this past weekend in The Woodlands.  It is one of my favorite weekends of the year!  There are so many moving and powerful aspects to the weekend that I always come away motivated and fulfilled.  My two takeaways from this weekend are…

 

Inspirational - What these athletes accomplish in an Ironman is a special feat unto itself.  Many of them have special circumstances, unique stories and difficult places from which they have come.  In every single case, it is absolutely inspirational.  Seeing what people overcame, endure and push themselves to accomplish was amazing!  I knew a few first timers and several returning athletes this year.  Each had their own story and reason for this pursuit.  They have now accomplished something few others ever will.  I am just proud to know them and be inspired by them.

 

Volunteerism – Each year we are in charge of an aid station on the run.  It takes 120+ people and over 15 hours of hard work to put on what we like to think of as an event for the athletes.  We do it for them and we do it for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  It is so fulfilling!  The athletes are so appreciative.  We know that what we do for them can make the difference in when, and maybe if, they finished.  But what they did for us was just as important!

 

We were blessed to be part of such an incredible event and to support such impressive athletes!

Blessings

 

It is crazy the materialistic society we live in.  The United States is the richest country in the history of the earth and individually we are very wealthy compared to people in many parts of the world, yet we are often not happy with what we have.  That feeling is exaggerated by the barrage of advertising that promotes materialism. Think about wanting what you already have.  Most of us are truly blessed, no matter what our consumerism society would have us think.  Besides, there is a lot less stress in wanting what you have got than in not having what you want!

 

Count your Blessings, they are right in front of you!