The Liars

 

The Liars

Great new song out by the Red Clay Strays, “Demons in Your Choir”.  Check it out. One of my favorite lines is . . .

“You know the devil keeps us company with all his bright and shiny things.”

Think about it. How true is that. But there is a higher meaning to the song as well. It is about the liars we all have in our lives. As the song title suggests, there are demons in places we don’t expect. Maybe the bigger point is that people and places are not always what they say they are!

Think about it and give a listen to “Demons in Your Choir”.

Be blessed.

Impact

 

Impact

Do you think about the impact you have on those around you? Do you seek ways to positively impact others? Are people whose lives cross paths with you better off for having met you? Challenging questions, no doubt.

What does impact really mean? What does it look like? How do you know if you have made an impact? There are lots of ways to serve and volunteer our time and talents. Great causes benefit from that. But we should want to make sure we are making an impact.

Not long ago, I heard a great statement about the concept of service and impact. I was at the graduation ceremony for Leadership Montgomery County, and a graduate included a very wise comment in her talk.  

           Service makes someone’s day better

           Impact makes someone’s life better

-       Rikki Wiggs, LMC Class of 2026

Go make an impact!

Character

 

Character

Our world is quick to praise people and accomplishments. Athletes are praised. Accomplished executives are praised. Leaders are praised. We praise talent, and there is nothing wrong with that. But what about character? Is it overlooked? Does it receive the same amount of attention and praise? I suggest not. Consider…

In a world quick to praise talent, don’t forget to honor character.

What are you telling yourself?

 

What are you telling yourself?

 

-       Your inner monologue determines your outer actions.

 

-       The most powerful story in the world is the one you tell yourself.

 

(I am not good at this)

 

We are halfway through 2026. Can you believe it? I really cannot. But it is a great time for a pulse check on where we stand for the year. What have we accomplished? What is left to be done? What should we change? Are there things we need to stop doing? Interesting questions for us personally and professionally, and critical for our businesses. Consider this …

 

“If you want something different, do and think something different.”

-       Chad Patterson

 

Change does not happen without action. There is still time to change 2026.

Who am I?

 

Who am I?

 

I lost my dad way too early,

Who am I to doubt it was part of God’s plan?

 

His mother lived to age 98, why couldn’t he?

Who am I to question God’s timing?

 

He loved my mom and all of us so dearly,

Who am I to ask God why we don’t have him anymore?

 

He was married for 50 years, had nine grandchildren and a great grandchild,

Who am I to not thank God for the time we did have?

 

He had wood to carve, golf to play and trips to take,

Who am I to ask God why not?

 

He was kind, loved and respected,

Who am I to ask God why him?

 

For his disease there were no more options,

Who am I to ask God why no cure?

 

There were things I had not done or said,

Who am I to ask God for more time with him?

 

I never heard a bad word spoken towards him,

Who am I to ask God why not someone else?

 

He deserved so much more,

Who am I to question that God knows what he truly deserved?

 

I lost my dad far too soon,

Who am I to question God’s plan?

           

Barry D. Blanton

In loving memory of Don Blanton

January 6, 1935 – June 23, 2007

 

This MMM was originally written in 2007. I will repeat it as long as I write MMM’s on a Monday near the anniversary of the passing of my father.

What are you known for?

 

What are you known for?

Certain cities are known for specific things, like food, culture, and architecture. Celebrities and politicians are often famous for specific good deeds, or maybe more often, certain indiscretions. Years in history are known for what happened during that year. What are you know for?

It is a question often discussed in real time about public figures, but for a lot of us it does not come up until someone leaves this earth. We tend to discuss legacies only once someone passes away. But we are known for who we are now, and what we do while we are alive! Our regular daily behavior leads us to have a certain reputation. Our legacy is being built daily as we speak and act. It can be changed before we die!

How will you be remembered for “the dash” of your life? What will you be known for during the years between your birth and death? If you don’t like the answer, get to work on how to change it while you still can!

Consistency

 

Consistency

I have long supported the concept of consistency. It is important in what I do for a living, but it is important in our personal lives and relationships as well. Don’t you know people whose lives seem to be a roller coaster of their own making? Consider this…

Intensity makes for a good story. Consistency makes for good results.

Word Power!

 

Word Power!

The spoken word is so much more powerful than we know. Words can both hurt and heal. They can destroy but also build up. What we say can educate or simply berate. Words can sting but they can also soothe. We can use our words to encourage or deflate. Our words can make someone’s day or…

The problem is that we are often too quick to spout something without thinking of its impact. As the saying goes, we speak before we think. This often results in our words coming out on the negative side of the above options. That means we can leave a trail of anger, disappointment, and hurt feelings around us.

Consider the power of your words. Choose them carefully. More to the point, consciously choose to be positive with what you say.

Freedom Is Not Free

 

Happy Memorial Day!

Freedom is not free. It may be an overused statement, but it is totally true and so appropriate to remember on Memorial Day. Don’t forget the meaning of the holiday and make sure that your kids and grandkids are aware of it as well. We live in a great country, but a lot of lives have been lost for our freedom. Just remember that while you enjoy the day and welcome the summer!

Have a blessed holiday…

Argue But Listen

 

In our increasingly polarized world, where opinions clash and echo chambers thrive, it has become more crucial than ever to embrace and encourage intellectual humility. That means constructive dialogue while maintaining an open mind. Consider this quote…

 

“Argue like you’re right and listen like you’re wrong.”

 

To “argue like you’re right” is to express your beliefs and opinions with conviction and confidence. We also need to do so in a respectful manner, and it means listening and allowing another person the opportunity to express their beliefs and opinions.

Strengths as Weaknesses?

 

Strengths to an extreme can become a weakness.  It is an interesting concept, right?  Think about what we consider strong character traits, and then consider how those same traits to an excess can be negative.  This is true in leadership roles as well as our personal lives.  When using your core strengths, you risk becoming blinded by your own success.  Consider some examples…

 

• A driven and results-oriented person taken to an extreme can be a jerk who walks all over people.
• If you are laid back and easygoing, in the extreme you’re a wimp who lets people walk all over you.
• Outgoing and expressive people can become flakes who can’t get any real work done and talk too much.
• If you are detailed and precise, taken to an extreme, you become an anal-retentive perfectionist.

 

Be careful to monitor how you use your strengths.  They have clearly gotten you where you are, but to an extent they can be a risk.  Ask yourself if you unknowingly overplay a strong suit to the detriment of a bigger goal. 

Words Are Powerful

 

Wise is the man, wise is the woman, who speaks words that breathe life and build up and encourage and affirm.  Wise is the person who is forever alert to speak words of life, to a child, a spouse, a friend, a student, a neighbor, a co-worker, a stranger, a store clerk, someone who looks troubled.
 
Life-giving words!  We can change lives forever!  Words like these:

·         I love you. 

·         I respect you. 

·         I believe in you. 

·         I am so proud of you! 

·         You can do this! 

·         You are so good at painting! 

·         I love the way you shared your toys with your brother. 

·         Could I pray for you right now? 

·         You are going to get through this, for God will see you through. 

·         I have been praying for you every day. 

·         I am so sorry; will you forgive me? 

·         Thank you so much for that gift.

When words like these are spoken from the heart, they breathe life into people.

Borrowed from:

Jeff Wells

Senior Pastor

WoodsEdge Community Church

Life Is Not Calm

The world we live in is chaotic. There is a lot going on. The same is true for our lives and our businesses. We face challenges. We have hurdles. Rough patches happen. Nothing worth accomplishing is easy. Good things are likely to be difficult and messy, but that is life. Smooth sailing is a myth.

Remember…nobody's success story sounded calm while they were creating it.

Extra Gear

 

Do you have an extra gear? Can you summon up more strength when needed? Can you work at a faster pace when facing a deadline? Do you really step up your game in times of crisis or under pressure? I think most of us can, and do!

Everyone discovers an extra gear under pressure. The rare skill is accessing that extra gear without being under pressure.

Change

 

We humans are not great at change. Our basic nature resists it. But change is a part of life. It is necessary for personal and professional growth. Our inability to change and adapt is often a roadblock to solutions. We seldom see ourselves as the problem. We think others need to change, not us!

The only controllable variable in many situations is you! Oddly, it is the last thing we want to change or adjust. You, may be the problem.

Reliability

  

“Reliability is magnetic because humans are hardwired to avoid risk.  Once you prove yourself trustworthy and reliable, you become the default choice for opportunities without ever asking for them.”

-          Shane Parrish

 

Think about it…

Listen

 

If you have followed the MMM for long, you know this is a big topic for me. Today’s thought on listening has to do with people who have varying viewpoints and different opinions. The art of respectfully listening to another person’s point of view seems to be lost these days. Listening does not mean you have to agree with the point being made. It simply means care enough to allow them to be heard. It is a matter of respect. If you want to share your opinion, be prepared to listen to others. Consider this…

“It is the mark of an educated man to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”

-       Aristotle

Focus

That is my word for 2026. I am not good at it. I am easily distracted and try to do too many things at one time. But I recently came across another way to think about focus.

Focus means choosing what does not matter.

Think about that. We think focus allows us to do more. Maybe we focus on the wrong things. What you choose not to do determines what you can do. Perhaps focus is meant for us to be able to do less better?

Maybe I have been looking at it all wrong. Maybe I need to decide NOT to do something!

Focus

Reputation

 

How do you define your reputation? What does that word mean? It seems intangible to me. Do you see people who try to flaunt a reputation? Maybe even market a curated reputation?

Your reputation is not your decision. You certainly influence it by your behavior and actions. But I don’t think you get to say what your reputation is. I don’t think we get to talk about our own reputation.  Your reputation is determined by others. It is talked about by others. Consider this…

Your reputation is not what you shout, it is what others whisper.