There is no key to happiness, but the door is always open…

We live in a fast paced world, especially in this country.  To go along with that pace we tend to be a bit impatient.  We expect quick service, easy answers, and immediate solutions.  We believe, happiness should be constant and easy.  We look for a pill or a doctor to fix our woes.  We seek diets or lifestyles that will improve our health and state of mind.  We grab onto fads and trends to make us feel good about ourselves.   It seems to be all about finding the easy answer, the key to happiness.

There is no “key” to happiness.  There is no one thing that will make you happy and keep you happy.  Life is comprised of challenges and struggles.  I do not believe that we were meant to be happy all the time, but we can be happier by choice.  We can be more positive by choice.  We can live a better life by choice.  It takes a little determination and hard work.  It is not a quick fix.  There are certain things that can help us be happy in life; faith, family and health. However, each of those have challenges as well.  Happiness is a process, a door to walk thru again and again every day. Happiness is a choice to make.

Stop looking for a key to happiness and walk thru the door, by choice, each and every day! 

Problems

Problems, we all have them.  Anyone who tells you they have no problems is lying.  How we deal with our problems is the challenge.  It is often a natural reaction to want to avoid and ignore the obstacles in our lives.  Unfortunately, most of them don’t simply disappear when ignored.  That would be nice right?  So we have to face our challenges.  We must tackle our challenges.  We need to overcome our obstacles.  Understandably, it is easier said than done, but there is no benefit to avoiding them!  Consider this quote…

Avoid problems, and you'll never be the one who overcame them.

-       Richard Bach

Man up!  Go tackle a problem…

Listening

Listening is a favorite topic of the MMM.  People can listen at a rate of 600 words per minute, but they can only talk only at 100 to 150 words per minute.  As a result listeners are easily distracted, they can process more information than a person speaking to them can deliver.  The challenge is to use the extra time, the extra processing capacity, to listen more productively.  Unfortunately, most people start planning what they are going to say next instead of listening to the speaker’s concluding words.  Ironically, the last sentence, which usually contains the meat or most important point, is totally missed by most listeners.  Think about it, how often are you planning a response and not listening to someone speaking to you?

Slow down and listen...

Integrity

What does it mean to have integrity?  How would you describe people that you believe have integrity?  The first thought that comes to my mind about integrity is...  Do the right thing even when nobody is looking.  Integrity is not about doing the right thing for someone else.  It is about doing the right thing because it is the right thing to do! 

What is the right thing?  Two things to consider when making decision about the right thing to do...

- What would your mother think if you told her your decision?

- Make your decision as if it will be on the front page tomorrow.

Keep those thoughts in mind and you will know the right thing to do.  Strive to do the right thing all the time, especially when nobody is looking.

Leadership - Foresight

Several years ago my wife, Fran, and I spent the 4th of July in the birthplace of this great country.  We were in Philadelphia and toured Independence Hall and visited the Liberty Bell.  It was really special to actually be there on the 4th!  It is hard to fathom that we were in the same building where our founding fathers literally crafted our independence over 200 years ago. 

Their story is one of incredible courage and unbelievable foresight.  At the time no country in the world was ruled “by the people” the way they conceived this country to be.  They had to be courageous to stand up against the British.  They had to have foresight to see the great potential of a free country ruled by its’ people.  They also had to have an understanding of the potential impact of what they were doing. 

Leaders who do not see their potential impact may actually miss leadership opportunities altogether.  I am thankful for, and actually in awe of, how our forefathers made thoughtful, courageous and impactful decisions.  Those decisions have served this country well over the years.  While our own individual impact may not be quite so far reaching (although you never know) we certainly can impact the world around us.  To do so we have to be courageous.  We must think and act with foresight.  Most of all, we need to grasp the potential impact of our leadership decisions. 

Our founding fathers took decisive action in the face of a leadership opportunity over 200 years ago.  Today we live in the greatest country in the world as a result of their actions. 

Happy Birthday USA!  Have a great 4^th of July holiday and may God bless America!