Happy Memorial Day!

 

If it were not for the armed services protecting the liberties, we have in this country I might not have the freedom to write the MMM!  I try to remind myself of that, but we tend to take our freedoms for granted.  We are truly blessed in this country and should be thankful for the independence that we enjoy.  Our freedom and liberties are, and always have been, protected by those that serve in the US military.

 

I hope the BBQ is juicy, the fireworks are spectacular, and the sun is shining wherever you spend this Memorial Day holiday!

Super Bowl of Life?

The Big game played yesterday is a big deal in the football world and certainly entertaining to watch.  Granted, this year was a little different, as our lives have been for the last eleven months. If we are not actually part of an NFL team, we cannot aspire to make it to that game.  However, there are Super Bowls of life that we can aspire to, even hope to be named MVP. There are others that we should try to avoid. Consider…

·         There is the Super Bowl of a meaningful life

…or the one for materialistic success

·         What about the Super Bowl of positive impact

… as opposed to the one of self focus

·         There is a Super Bowl for giving back

…but also, one of selfishness

·         A Super Bowl of Faith

…or the one of stubborn independence

·         The Super Bowl for being a positive spouse, parent, or friend

…but also one for never developing meaning relationships

 What Super Bowl of Life (or Bowls) are you training for?

Happy Independence Day!

We live in a great country!  Sure, we are currently facing some challenges, but freedom, independence, and opportunity abound in the United States of America.  This past weekend we celebrated independence.  What does independence mean to you?  Obviously, we were not around when this country was under the rule of the British.  So, what does it mean to us to have independence today?  Consider the ability to speak your mind freely.  What about our freedom to worship as we choose?  We can also live, work and travel wherever we want in this great land.  These are fundamental liberties that we often take for granted.  You do not have to spend much time in other parts of the world to truly understand the meaning of independence and more specifically freedom.  The few freedoms that I mentioned above, are not available in many parts of the world and those are just a few that we enjoy.  We are free because of the foresight of our founding fathers 240 years ago, and because of the protection provided by our armed services for all those years.

I hope you enjoyed your Independence Day! Do not forget what it really means.   

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!

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.  God Bless America!