Primms Attitude

Tears of Joy

2013-05-24T01:00:00.000-05:00

"The day which we fear as our last is but the birthday of eternity." -Lucius Annaeus Seneca

It is much harder to say good bye when you don't exactly know when someone is leaving. The words never seem to say the right thing nor do they even truly comfort the soul. For me, I have been trying to figure out how to say these words to a friend that is on that path to eternity. She is a close friend to my wife. I love her as a sister. I love her husband like a brother.

And there is nothing I can do about it.

Her faith in God is greater than most and I truly admire the courage with which she faces each remaining moment. God can perform miracles and this is one I would truly love and pray to see happen. Yet it is not for me to demand that of my God. So we wait patiently and in expectation of the plan that is Belinda.

There have been tears cried by her family and friends. There will be more to be shed for sure. Our hope is that they are tears of joy for recovery, but we also know they will be tears of joy for her place in eternity. As I told one of her daughters, those tears will water the seeds of something new. The lessons learned, the life given by Belinda will sprout into great things for her children, her grand children, her husband Mark and mother Charlene.

I have no way of knowing what those great things will be, but I do know they will be birthed in the love that Belinda has shown all of us. Yes, I understand it is strange and odd to talk of someone as if they are no longer with us. In my heart I truly hope we can sit at a table in years to come and laugh about my words written here. But I want Belinda to know how much I love her, her husband and entire family.

And to tell her that I am a better person for having known her.

Safe travels to you Belinda and brighten a star for us when you are gone.

Life Enjoyed

2013-05-23T01:00:00.000-05:00

"Simply enjoy life and the great pleasures that come with it." -Karolina Kurkova

I do believe that life is meant to be lived with enjoyment. Sometimes you just need to let loose a little bit. Life needs to be fun and enjoyed.

I have heard it said that "People should feel free to be expressive more often. If they did, life would be more fun."

Enjoy your life a little more and stay inspired my friends!

Summer Reads

2013-05-22T10:16:00.000-05:00

"A truly good book teaches me better than to read it. I must soon lay it down, and commence living on its hint. What I began by reading, I must finish by acting."
-Henry David Thoreau

Summer is (in my mind) essentially here and there will be plans for vacations and other get away events. During this time, reading is normally a big part or should be on your list of things to do. But what to read is the question.

Why not try reading a book written by Andy Andrews called The Noticer. Once again, Andy gives us new perspective on living life.

There are others such as Cup 'O Jo, written by Joseph Kerr. All of us know there are great ways to start our morning and this book gives us a new and different way to start each morning, a fresh cup of coffee for the soul.

There are several other books that might interest you from Dr. David Spell, such as Street Cop, and Street Cop II: Reloaded. His newest eBook is called "Leading into the 21st Century and Beyond" which is a short read but full of great advice. You can also check out his blog at davidspell.com.

Other blogs of interest to keep your life and your business moving forward, check out the following sites;

Michael Hyatt’s blog is one of the most widely read leadership blogs on the internet.

C3 Journey Warrior's blog or better known as the Warrior’s Blog, caters primarily to men but the ladies will benefit as well. A friend named Jim Crumbley and his team write about personal development, relationships, and overcoming obstacles.

TED: Ideas Worth Spreading is a place where you will find remarkable discussions, ideas and new ways of thinking about many different subjects.

Finally, I would not want to end without promoting myself.

If you are reading this blog article, then you have found your way to Primms Attitude or primmsplace.blogspot.com. Here I write articles to help you lift the BAR in your life, motivating, encouraging and inspiring you to your best life.

Additionally I have written books such as "Changed Lives", "Live the Journey" and "Love Is" that will stir your soul to greater achievement. These books and others can be found on Amazon at Amazon: Joseph Primm

There are a lot of great writers out there and the list above is woefully incomplete. But I encourage you to read, read, read. Keep reading and expand yourself. Keep reading to lift your life. And stay inspired my friends.

Power of the Journey

2013-05-21T09:00:00.002-05:00

The Hero's Journey and the Five Rhythms"

"We are made to persist. That's how we find out who we are." -Tobias Wolff

Anything we do in life is going to have some level of resistance. This resistance will come in many forms that place obstacles to completing that which we want to accomplish.

Think of the mundane things we do such as driving to work each morning. The varying traffic can be an obstacle to overcome in getting to your place of business. Or possibly the check out line at the grocery store with a long slow moving line.

There are also much larger or more important things in life in which we work to overcome. A job advancement goal that you might be struggling to grab hold of. In all of these things we do, persistence is your greatest ally.

In a book I wrote, I went out looking for stories of 'change' from people in all levels of life. Average everyday people to the famous and powerful people have been contacted. This can present a problem in that you are asking people to open up to someone they do not know. My persistence was in knowing there are people who really want to tell their story.

There were of course some that did not wish to participate and I can fully respect those decisions. The varying letters of rejection were sometimes amusing, while some were very blunt. There were of course letters that provided me with great encouragement for success. And each of those letters, regardless of the response, told me that I was connecting with people.

It is this connection that gives me the encouragement to persevere in my efforts. It is a strong belief in connection that can cause influence in their lives. It provides me with motivation to keep me pursuing my goal. The same can be done by you in the journey you are on.

Obstacles represent opportunities to assess and find new paths to those goals. Motivation is the culmination of things or reasons why you are on your particular journey. Perseverance is key to continuing on that journey and never give up; once again, never give up.

The journey may change, just don't give up on the journey. Stay inspired my friends.

Ask, Seek, Knock

2013-05-17T06:34:00.000-05:00

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." -Matthew 7:7

It is a simple verse that needs no explanation. Our friends Annie and Dave Spell are wrapping up their final week here in the Atlanta area. A new door has opened and through it they will find themselves in Curitiba, Brazil. An adventure exists for them through that door.

We on this side of the door only see Dave and Annie waving goodbye. Our sadness in seeing them go is hard to wash away as the door closes behind them. Yet I find solace in the fact that people on the other side of that door are excited in welcoming them. Those people have been awaiting their entrance and have open arms to greet their arrival.

I also know that there are other people on the other side of that door who are going to have the opportunity to meet Annie and Dave Spell. The lives of those people, unbeknownst to them right now, are going to be changed. There is going to be a shift towards a better life for them, all because Annie and Dave Spell walked through that door.

So to our friends, adeus, contanto, and viagem segura. But always know that the "porta permanece desbloqueada para você" - "the door remains unlocked for you" - where ever your adventure leads you.

Stay inspired everyone!

If you would like to step out of the ordinary in your life to be a part of Dave and Annie's mission adventure in Brazil, click on the link below...your donation is tax deductible.

Annie & Dave Spell - Brazil Missions

Adventure In Life

2013-05-16T07:28:00.000-05:00

"Every man can transform the world from one of monotony and drabness to one of excitement and adventure." -Irving Wallace

What are these folks getting themselves into?

I happen to be talking about friends Dave and Annie Spell. These are the folks moving to Brazil that I have been talking about this week. It is a week talking about them as they embark on a new adventure in Brazil; Curitiba, Brazil to be exact. Yes, they've sold everything, prepared as much as they can and the Visa paperwork is all in order. A plane will carry them south of the equator to a country that is large, vibrant and waiting for them.

To acquaint you with Brazil, here are some facts found laying about on the internet;

- Brazil is the largest country in South America and the world’s fifth largest.

- Brazil is formed by 26 states and a Federal District; the capital being Brasilia.

- The official language is Portuguese.

- There are 6 climatic regions in Brazil: equatorial, tropical, semi-arid, highland tropical, atlantic tropical and subtropical

- The population of Brazil is 201,009,622 with a couple of large cities; Sao Paulo 19.96 million and Rio de Janeiro 11.836 million

I look forward to visiting the Spells in Brazil and many of the friends I have made previously on visits to Brazil. You may even consider visiting Brazil during the upcoming 2014 World Cup or the 2016 Olympics. I encourage you to expand your horizon and visit some far off destination in your life time.

And while you are thinking about your next great adventure, consider supporting Annie and Dave Spell in their mission to help the people of Brazil. Use your tax deductible donation and click on the following link; Annie & Dave Spell - Brazil Missions. Consider a few dollars a month or one larger donation. The welcome mat is ready and all you have to do is ring the door bell.

For more information about what Annie and Dave are doing, check out DavidSpell.com, follow their progress, follow their adventure. It just might inspire you to do something that others may ask, "what are you getting yourself into?"

Stay inspired my friends.

Something Unexpected

2013-05-15T06:23:00.000-05:00

"We are never prepared for what we expect." -James A. Michener

Today, Ps Ronald Berg arrives in Atlanta from Curitiba, Brazil. He will be speaking at our local C3 Atlanta Church this coming Sunday and I know it will be a great one to listen to. But somehow it feels like he is coming to take away friends of ours, Dave and Annie Spell. I know in fact this is not the case, but the human part of me hates to see them go.

You see, Dave and Annie are moving to Brazil in order to help build the C3 Church not only in Curitiba but also throughout Brazil and South America. Ps Ronald Berg has a great vision to help other people live a great life; to give them new hope and opportunity. As I have said before, this isn't about religion, it is about connecting with other people and lifting them up.

I have visited Curitiba, seen the church, spent time with Ronald and others in the community. My impressions are the same as anywhere I have been. It is a great city, great people, but the same issues exist for them as do for you and me. All are working to have the best life possible, raising families, and dealing with all of the mess that goes on in a normal, everyday life.

There are also people struggling to survive. There are addictions, poverty, abuse, and social strain just like those that exist in your own hometown. The same things we want to lift people out of are the same things they face in Curitiba and every other part of the world. So it really is not strange that two people from Georgia should go to Brazil to do the same thing.

If you would like to hear more and you are in the Atlanta area this Sunday, May 19th, come on over to the C3 Church in Lawrenceville, GA. Dave and Annie will be sharing their vision and Pastor Ronald Berg, of C3 Curitiba, will be speaking. It will be your last chance to see them as the Spells fly to Curitiba that same night.

We are never fully prepared for what we expect and you might be surprised by your own expectations in life as well. If you would like to help out the Spells with your tax deductible donation, click on the following link; Annie & Dave Spell - Brazil Missions.

Step out of the ordinary in your life and find something new.

And for those that know the Spells, they are fitness fanatics and here is a short video of the place I'm sure they will be working out at while in Curitiba. Stay inspired my friends.

Change of Latitude

2013-05-14T07:17:00.001-05:00

“It’s not enough to have lived. We should be determined to live for something. May I suggest that it be creating joy for others, sharing what we have for the betterment of person-kind, bringing hope to the lost and love to the lonely.”
-Leo Buscaglia

From 34.1169° N, 83.9986° W to 25.4687° S, 49.2535° W, the coordinates of where and to our friends the Spells will be moving. They are moving from Buford, GA (in the United States) to Curitiba, Brazil. This is a straight line distance of roughly 4708 miles.

This move was not a whim but driven by a vision they have to help with a church and the people of Brazil. The church is C3 Curitiba and they will be working with Pastor Ronald Berg and his team in Brazil. You could almost call them "southern" missionaries going "south" on a mission.

But this is not strictly about church or even religion. This is about connecting with people and helping them raise up their lives. It is about sharing lives together and helping other people live their best life. And that is something all of us could use, whether it be in Curitiba, Brazil or Buford, Georgia or any place you want to name. All of us are trying to live the best life we can.

You can be a part of their adventure as well, at least in part by helping support them. Annie and Dave could still use a few more monthly partners. If you could make a commitment of $20, $30, or more (or less) a month, it would go a long way. Or you could make a one time donation of $250, $500 or $1000 towards connection and helping others achieve something more in life.

Step out of the ordinary in your life and click on the link below; it is tax deductible.

Annie & Dave Spell - Brazil Missions

Muito Obrigado for your donation. And to our good friends Annie and Dave Spell, happy trails to you!

Stay inspired my friends.

What Stays In Vegas Doesn't

2013-05-13T09:38:00.002-05:00

"It takes less time to do a thing right than to explain why you did it wrong." —Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Here we are, home from a week long convention in Las Vegas called EMCWorld 2013. There were nearly 15,000 people in attendance and it really was a great week filled with technical presentations, product demonstrations and some really good people connections.

This completes the third year in a row that this event has been held in Las Vegas. In saying so, I am always amused at the Las Vegas tourism catch-phrase "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." It is meant to convey a free-spirited notion that you can let loose a bit, that anything goes while you are in Las Vegas. You can spend your money (which is really want any tourism board wants), have any and all kinds of fun and that when you leave, no one else will know what you did.

Another way of putting it would be to say "mum's the word" because everyone will keep quiet about what you did. So let loose, do as you want, no consequences. But that really isn't what happens in real life, outside of the commercials you may see on television.

In one respect, I really do hope that everyone in attendance to EMCWorld learned something about our company, our products and what we can do to help your business. I also really do hope you do not leave that learned experience in Las Vegas. We want you to take home that information to your colleagues, so please don't leave that piece of it in Vegas.

But on a broader look, beyond just Las Vegas, we do many things that we would just as soon stay there. The point being that everything we do in life has consequence of one sort or another. You can binge on drinking, gambling, eating and playing in Las Vegas, but you really can't leave those things behind. What we do, how we act, the impressions we leave with other people will last a very long time.

When you have the opportunity to choose between doing something that might not be the correct or proper thing to do, choose the right thing. Make your choice as if your wife, children, boss or grandmother will get a front page story about the choice made.

Stay inspired my friends and please don't leave that behind in Vegas.

Crisis Averted: EMCWorld 2013 - Day Three

2013-05-08T12:14:00.000-05:00

"When written in Chinese, the word 'crisis' is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity." -John F. Kennedy

For each of the attendees to this year's EMCWorld, at some point in the day, week, month or year, a crisis will likely occur. While each of us in attendance are enjoying meeting new people, learning of new technologies and getting to test the newest gadgets, the business of our life continues.

There will be those issues back at work which draw you away from your temporary enjoyment of the conference. For me, there are those things that come up and I thoroughly enjoy jumping into the fire with my customers to help them get it resolved. This gives them the opportunity to get back to the conference and the enjoyment of it. I have had my share this week and to in the larger crowd of people the crisis may not seem such a big deal, but to the individual it is.

Your crisis might be deemed small or huge. It might involve keeping or losing your job. It might be a relationship or possibly mean life and death. Whatever the case, crisis will enter your life. How you deal with it determines your outcome on the other side. Some people do not handle it well and end up in worse condition while others are stronger and much better for the experience.

As you walk the convention halls of EMCWorld or even the halls of your life back home, know that there is hope, opportunity and greatness to be achieved through crisis. Come out on the other side renewed and greater for the experience.

Stay inspired my friends.

Connected Dots: EMCWorld 2013 - Day Two

2013-05-07T02:00:00.000-05:00

"Make it a habit to tell people thank you. To express your appreciation, sincerely and without the expectation of anything in return. Truly appreciate those around you, and you'll soon find many others around you. Truly appreciate life, and you'll find that you have more of it." -Ralph Marston

An impressive first day that truly didn't disappoint myself or any one of the nearly 15,000 people in attendance. I always develop certain expectations of what these days are going to be like. Am I going to run into someone that I haven't seen in a long time? Will I remember their name? Will they remember me?

What I have come to the conclusion is that of all those connections made over the years are lasting if I have committed to the relationship without expectation of something in return.

That means if we develop friendships, help other people and do all of this without a requirement of getting something in return, the connection is much stronger. This is what happens in the business world and can work for you in your own life. At EMCWorld and in our every day business, EMC personnel work hard at developing the relationship. If we build a business trust with each other first, the rest is rather easy.

You can attain the same type of relationships in your own business and personal life. When you approach life with a serving attitude, the connections become strong and lasting. In fact, your day is filled with serving others and you may not even realize it. Allowing someone in line as you drive to work, opening the door for someone or simply doing your job. You help your spouse with the dishes, the kids with homework or a neighbor move a desk.

Most everything you do throughout your day is comprised of serving others. And this elaborate intertwining of peoples lives means that you are served as well through out the day. What you receive in return is directly proportional to the level of servitude you extend to others.

It can be humbling but you need to have confidence in yourself and a positive attitude that you can change other peoples lives through small acts of kindness. Serve with a joyful heart and with the knowledge that you will receive in kind the same. You have nothing to lose and all the world to gain. We are never too young or too old to ask, "Can I hold open that door for you?"

Stay inspired my friends.

Viva Las Vegas: EMCWorld 2013 - Day One

2013-05-06T01:00:00.000-05:00

"In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit." -Albert Schweitzer

Are you one of the thousands of people attending this year's EMCWorld Conference in Las Vegas? If not, it starts today and the crowds of people roaming the halls of the Venetian Conference Center are proof of what you might be missing out on. From my perspective in the Unified Storage Division, the large amount of events associated with just our division is quite big...Big Data!

• USD Keynote: Rich Napolitano, Wednesday May 8th 8:30-9:30am, SVP Unified Storage Division
• Technical Breakout Sessions: 32 sessions repeated twice
• Birds of a Feather Sessions; Hands-on Labs; Unified Storage Booth; Meet the Experts Whiteboard area
• Demonstration stations covering several topics including Applications, Management, Virtualization/VDI, FLASH 1st
• Theatre Presentations in Partner booths: VCE, VMware, Avnet/Metalogix

Wow, it is big.

But what is even bigger are the people in attendance, the interaction, the conversations and the collective human connection. It reminds me of what we can do when we come together. This week I look forward to meeting new people and renewing old acquaintances. When each of us leave at the end of this week, we'll be better prepared to solve challenges in front of us and see new possibilities.

All of this will happen because we connected with each other. You might be at @EMCWorld 2013 or at home; just keep on connecting with people you meet. You're going to learn, enjoy and live a better life. And above all, don't forget to stay inspired my friends.

New You

2013-05-03T06:45:00.000-05:00

“How would your life be different if…You stopped allowing other people to dilute or poison your day with their words or opinions? Let today be the day…You stand strong in the truth of your beauty and journey through your day without attachment to the validation of others” ―Steve Maraboli

I do it.

You do it.

All of us do it.

Each and everyone of us self evaluate our own worth and value as humans. Researchers say this has to do with the various parts of our human make-up; self-esteem, self-image and simply knowing that we exist.

In an article by Leon Pomeroy, Ph.D., George Mason University, he asks the question, "Must we be habitual self-evaluators? Cultural conditioning makes it likely! However, we have a choice! We can choose to go through life striving to be a success for all the wrong reasons; or we can accept that we are unconditionally worthwhile, and strive for success for all the right reasons."

The hardest part for many is to simply accept we are worthwhile in and of ourselves. We struggle with a constant inner voice berating and putting us down. For each of us to overcome is to find out the reason for the voice and destroy it. Maybe it was a very poor parent, teacher or person of authority in their life that engrained it so much the voice lives on. Those with this voice feed it daily and keep it strong in their life.

One needs to learn how to choke off the life of that negative voice and find a new inner voice to feed. But just how does one do that? In several articles I have read over the years, it tends to boil down to these basic ideas to turn your world around

1. Take inventory of yourself: It is said, "You can’t fix what you don’t know." Take a piece of paper, draw a line down the middle and on one side write: “Strengths” and on the other write: “Weaknesses.” Make a list of ten items in each column. Now you know what things you have to change and those you need to work on. Just make sure you do something with the list; strengthen the strengths and weaken the weaknesses.

2. Explore Yourself: You may know about yourself due to step one above, but you must also open yourself to new opportunities, new thoughts, a new way of doing things. This could be new opinions, new friendships or new vision of where you want to be in life.

3. Set Realistic Expectations: Nothing harm your self-esteem more than setting unrealistic expectations. Setting attainable and stretch goals will help you end negative thinking about yourself that reinforces negative self-esteem.

4. Stop Comparing Yourself to Others: Nothing hurts our self-esteem more than unfair comparisons. this can be difficult to do, but stop comparing yourself to others. You are them and they are not you. Challenge yourself to be the best you can be by raising a BAR of expectation in your life.

5. Set Aside Perfection, Grab a Hold of Accomplishments: Perfection is not attainable despite all of the air-brushed models in advertisements or perfection of families on television may seem. None of us are ever going to be perfect. Take those accomplishments (large or small) and revel in each one of them as you achieve them.

6. Be Willing to Adjust: Self-esteem is useless if it’s based upon an older version of you that no longer exists. Keep adjusting your self-image and self-esteem to match your current abilities and skills, not those of your past.

For me, there is a God factor in all of this as well. Yet it is for you to find that aspect of your existence. Additionally, all of this is going to take time. There will be points of great strides forth and times of falling backwards. The point is to move in a positive direct and over time you will find yourself like yourself a lot more.

Stay inspired my friends.

Shifting Sand

2013-05-02T06:19:00.000-05:00

"You cannot tailor-make the situations in life, but you can tailor-make the attitudes to fit those situations." - Zig Ziglar

In the throes of all your plans being washed away, what would you do? The circumstances we find ourselves in can ruin a pretty good day for sure. But in the bigger scheme of your life, you should not let it have an overbearing impact on your attitude.

Take for instance a wedding planned to be held beach side. What was to be a great sunset ceremony along the beautiful Pacific ocean is over run by a coming storm. All hope and happiness could be lost.

Yet to keep your life moving forward, maintain the best attitude possible and in the last minutes think through your options. You know someone that may know someone that is able to get you a banquet room overlooking the ocean. It happens, the guests arrive and a beautiful view of the Pacific ocean is still a reality.

One could have wallowed in despair over the lost opportunity. It might have been a missed chance to stand on the beach to exchange wedding vows. Staying frozen in that despair would have left you with no ability to take advantage of other opportunity. Your energy would have been consumed by thinking what could have been instead of what can be.

Did one miss out on something wished for? Sure, but keeping a great attitude about the situation a new opportunity opened up and you were able to see it. By keeping your eyes and mind open even when things are not going the way you want, other things will open up in front of you.

Opportunity is there for you to see if you keep looking forward. Eventually you will get to walk along the beach with the sand between your toes. Your life will have leaped forward beyond your original expectations.

Stay inspired my friends.

Tell a Story

2013-04-30T01:00:00.000-05:00

"Human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives." -William James

Many times we go through life believing that the path we are on was pre-chosen for us. All we can see is one narrow vision of a road that leads off in a direction that we simply are not happy with. So we try to adapt to the road, to the scenery and make the best of our travel.

We may pass an intersection along our way and wonder. We stop at this crossroads and see something different on the horizon of the other path. Our interest is heightened but the Garmin in our mind tells us to 'stay on our own path'. So we continue down the same path, but with a growing sense that this isn't the correct one.

The feeling grows until one day you are standing at another 'crossroads of life' and make that decision to make a change in life. It is this change that I want to hear about. I want to hear your story of change in attitude, in personal revelation or change in direction.

These stories of change can impact other people and that's what we can do together. We will impact others with our stories of what we did to change the course of our lives. I have heard some say things such as, "no one would want to hear my story", or "it was such a small and insignificant thing." Those are precisely the stories I want to hear about. They are precisely the stories that other people need to hear.

Leave a lasting impact for all of time for others to hear. Send me your story of change, the thing that happened which changed it all for you. Share with those that might be standing at their own crossroads and are unsure.

Send your story to me at josephprimm@bellsouth.net. You will find yourself helping others with something as simple as your own story. If you are unsure, then guess what...you may very well be standing at your own crossroads looking down the path at a new horizon.

Make a difference, make a change, tell your story.

Planting Seed

2013-04-29T05:46:00.000-05:00

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." -John Maxwell

In many of the books I have read and the speakers I have listened to, each speak of "sowing seeds for the future." And it occurs to me that the by-product of having a positive attitude is the planting of hope and goodness. What starts out as a 'me' adventure turns into a 'for others' epic.

John Maxwell says there is an essential part of your success journey and that is in helping others. Without this, your journey will be lonely and quite a shallow experience. The joy you will receive is hard to describe. Albert Schweitzer said, "...the purpose of human life is to serve and to show compassion and the will to help others."

All of this means is that you begin right where you are; doing the little things. That can mean spending more time at home watching television with your kids, spending more quality time with your spouse, encouraging someone at work or volunteering to do something for your community or church. Every little thing you do is the planting of another seed.

And while you are pursuing what your own purpose is, you help others along the way. Danny Thomas (for those of us that go back far enough) would say that "...all of us are born for a reason, but all of us don't discover why. Success in life has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It's what you do for others."

Continue the journey for me, for you and more importantly for others. Stay inspired my friends.

Raise the BAR

2013-04-26T14:07:00.000-05:00

"No one determines vision for you; vision is yours to see, believe in and grab hold of." -Me

This morning I had the opportunity to speak at a business breakfast called Pathfinders. I was invited to talk about "Raising the BAR" in your personal and business life. If you have not heard about it, check back next week to this blog as I talk more about it. In fact I will be putting out an eBook - free for a limited time - that you can get by subscribing to my blog.

Getting up and speaking to the folks this morning was an absolute joy. After the meeting, I was able to talk to some of the attendees and found their stories amazing. You see each of us has a story to tell or experience to share. Every one of those stories can provide us with a new idea, a new way or new hope that we can overcome any obstacle in our life.

The BAR gets set in your life that must be cleared before the next one is attempted. So each time we accomplish one thing, the BAR lifts higher. Staying connected, networking with other people, being strong in belief of your vision will give you the ability to get over any BAR that is set in your life.

Raise the B-elief A-ction R-ealization of expectation in your life and stay inspired my friends.

Stand and Speak

2013-04-25T08:28:00.000-05:00

Have you ever considered what your body language might be saying when you are speaking to others?

When you are speaking to others, the content of what you are saying may seem very good and potentially very informative. But the way you move and gesture accounts for so much more. It is said that our words account for only 7 percent of your effectiveness when speak according to Albert Mehrabian. In his 1971 book, Silent Messages, Mehrabian set three elements of communication or importance to giving a presentation. These are also considered in the "7%-38%-55% Rule".

1. Verbal ability (7%) - this is your content or knowledge of the subject at hand. The percentage is what the listener's perception is of you.

2. Vocal ability (35%) - how well you speak, including tone, pitch and inflection. Again, the percentage is what the listener's perception is of you.

3. Visual presence (55%) - how you physically look while presenting is a large percentage of the listener's perception of you.

What this basically means is that listeners make a quick judgment about your credibility and level of expertise based upon how you look and sound. Certainly goes against the old adage of not to 'judge a book by its cover'. But human nature is what it is. So working on both your visual and vocal ability will get you much further.

Some of the basic guidelines I've found are as follows. These guidelines assume you will be standing, but you can modify them if in a sitting position. For more detail on these items, see Sheri Jeavons article in Executive Travel magazine, July, 2007.

- Look at one person when you make an important statement. Then slowly move your eyes to each of the people you are speaking to. Slow, decisive eye contact communicates confidence. It also help you think more clearly and slows your speaking pace.

- As you look at someone, physically address that person by turning your entire body towards that person. This will send a message that you're confident, strong and in control.

- Stand tall with your weight evenly distributed between your feet. Slouching or shifting your weight from leg to leg indicates uncertainty. By standing tall, it says you believe in what you are saying. It will also help your upper body stay relaxed and open.

- Avoid leaning on things such as a table, wall or lectern. Also avoid any behaviors that could be perceived as distracting such as playing with change in your pocket or such.

- Keep your hands free of objects (notes, pens, etc.).

- If you walk around while talking or presenting, stop at times and directly face someone to address them (and others) for a few sentences. There should only be three reasons to walk around during a presentation. a.) Walk to a computer to change slides; b.) Walk to the screen to point at something important; c.) Walk to a listener to address that person directly.

- Vocal projection also demonstrates enthusiasm and knowledge. Your voice should be strong and with "an element of variety". Use first names, telling stories and possibly reliving moments that relate to the subject.

Be confident in delivering your message or in speaking to others. It will increase your ability to get your message across. People will be more drawn to your message as well. Enjoy and have fun with your speaking.

And above all, stay inspired my friends.

What Leaders Do

2013-04-24T06:22:00.000-05:00

"A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way." -John C. Maxwell

In the past few months I have been transitioning from being an "individual contributor" to managing people. Managing people is not something that I would say is my strong suit. Management involves administrative paperwork, charts and numbers to obtain.

What I do like is leading people and not because I believe I am a great leader. Leading people is a challenge for which I enjoy the scary nature of it. You are at the front of the line with a vast and dark forest in front of you. There is no light to guide or tell you which way is safest.

To be further back in the line is important for all that needs to be done. But safety exists when you have someone to follow. The path is being cleared in front of you and you must trust the knowledge and instinct of that one person leading the pack.

So it begs the question, what do leaders really do? And in his book What Leaders Really Do - John P. Kotter says that a difference has to be drawn between what a leader does and what management does. This isn't to say that one is more important then the other, but to help us understand that they are different.

He states; management is about coping with complexity; it brings order and predictability to a situation. Leadership, is about learning how to cope with rapid change. And how does this distinction play out?

Management involves planning and budgeting. Leadership involves setting direction.

Management involves organizing and staffing. Leadership involves aligning people.

Management provides control and solves problems. Leadership provides motivation.

It is an interesting book that helps dispel some notions about why leaders do what they do...and of course why they don't do what they don't do. I hear people at times bemoan the fact of why the top leader of an organization gets paid to do that particular job. Many fail to realize what exactly it is those leaders do.

Sure, there does seem to be a disparity of compensation but that isn't the point. If you have anxiety or jealousy over your compensation versus a leader's compensation, get over it. And then get up and make those changes needed to become a leader yourself. What is important here is to help you understand that being a leader involves different skills.

You may say that you don't possess those skills and I'm here to say that each of us do have those skills. Albeit at different levels of skill, we have them. As you read again the bullet points above, compare what you already do in life similar to what a leader does.

Set direction, align people and motivate...think planning a family outing to go Christmas shopping. You provide direction as to the what is going to be accomplished (get the Christmas shopping done), assign the right people to look for the gifts (maybe the kids shopping for similarly aged cousins, etc.) and then motivate them (we get this done we all go out to eat).

It does not just mean running a large corporation or even a small one...it is what you do in every day life which shows that the skills are there. You just have to believe in yourself first and then hone those skills. And how do you hone those skills? You read, you take classes, get a degree, practice, you keep faith in yourself and others, while maintaining a great attitude about it.

What you will find is that accepting a position at church or with the local school will occur. Other people will start to notice and acknowledge your leadership qualities. That is why you are being asked to lead them. Once you have a position of leadership, don't squander the opportunity. Use your leadership to better those around you, lead them to greatness.

Be bold, be a leader....and as always, stay inspired my friends.

Find the Flower

2013-04-23T07:23:00.000-05:00

“There are always flowers for those who want to see them.” -Henri Matisse

If you look at a situation or person, there will normally be some level of goodness to be gained from the experience. Not every bad situation or bad encounter with another person is wasted. There is possibility for learning something positive.

There will be times when you have to look hard to see the goodness and there are times when you fail to find any level of goodness at all. The point to be made is that you should first look. Find something positive to take from every encounter in life.

Stay inspired my friends.

Try Persistence

2013-04-22T07:06:00.001-05:00

"Knowing trees, I understand the meaning of patience. Knowing grass, I can appreciate persistence." -Hal Borland

Persistence is something that can be found most any where in this life. In example, take a look at the picture shown above. It happens to be a cage that I built around a bird feeder in my back yard. This was my fourth version of my attempts to thwart the squirrels. Needless to say, the squirrels stayed persistent and figured this one out as well.

Yet I am persistent as well and finally found a simple solution, cayenne pepper. If I sprinkle this in the bird seed, the squirrels dislike it and will leave the bird seed alone. The cayenne pepper does not bother the birds due to some type of biological thing that I can not explain.

You do have to stay vigilant with the cayenne pepper as the squirrels will keep checking the feeder. And I must say that I do admire the persistence of these squirrels. It can be frustrating for me that turned into a strange contest between man and animal. The squirrels continually tried to get the prize that awaited them.

It is a lesson we can learn as humans; to succeed we must continually keep trying. Some times we will encounter an obstacle (cayenne pepper) that does not seem worth the effort. But like the squirrels that would repeatedly test to see if I had forgotten the cayenne pepper, we must keep trying. Another thought is to move on to something else for a while. You can always come back to the bird feeder later.

See what works in your life and know that the prize is much bigger then just bird seed. Stay inspired my friends.

Squirrel Obstacle Course

Don't Hold Back

2013-04-19T08:25:00.004-05:00

"Don't hold back - jump in every day with a great attitude. Now is the time." -Travis Brown

Not everyone has to go through traumatic or large life changing issues to get to a point of choosing a better life. For many people though it surely seems that way. I have no figures or colorful graphs to illustrate my point. But the human mind is such that it tends to take a very large knock in the head to make change.

I would tend to believe it has to do with our 'hard-headed' mindset when it comes to staying with one particular way of doing things. I was one that went through life with a single thought on how things worked and my path through it. I felt that positive attitude was the only thing I needed along with working hard. Just keep doing what I'm doing and it will all work out.

The thing we forget is that things change. Ways of getting through life need to constantly be evaluated, adjusted and different paths adopted. When we wear blinders, so much opportunity and possibility get missed.

Having a great and positive attitude is important. It also means looking for new ways, seeing potential in new ways. Being open to change will give you new opportunity for keeping your life on track. You adjust and change when finding life going the wrong way. Allow yourself to see new ways of doing things. Change causes movement and with movement the possibility of a better life.

Stay inspired my friends.

Overcoming Obstacles

2013-04-18T07:14:00.000-05:00

Benjamin Franklin by RadmanRB

"Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it." -Helen Keller

Benjamin Franklin left us with many great things that have endured and remain relevant even today. Many see him as one born into greatness and a life of ease. But this is far from the truth of the obstacles he had to overcome.

One of the things he did was serve as an apprentice in a print shop to his older brother. Now you have to understand the time and place this occurred. This would be in Boston back in 1718 and was basically indentured to perform the menial tasks while learning the trade. His brother who was much older and would take out his frustrations on Benjamin by beating him.

He persevered and was able to see that there was another way. During these times it would mean trying to gain his freedom from his apprenticeship only to find that no one would hire him as his brother had put the word out. So it was through various means he set off for New York, nearly penniless and no letter of recommendation in order to get hired.

To read of the obstacles or 'rocks within his wagon' is quite astounding to read. But I will not say that his trials and tribulations were any more then what someone else may have endured. As I have said before, tell me your sad story and I'll tell you a hundred sadder stories.

As I read about Benjamin Franklin, he didn't let these issues deter him or lessen his enthusiasm to better himself in life. Much like you need to do in life, continue with a positive attitude to overcome whatever confronts you. Benjamin Franklin said when writing his autobiography, "as I reflect on my current happiness, I can honestly say that if I were given the opportunity to live my life over again from the beginning I would do so."

He goes on to say that he would like to correct certain things in life...but knowing if he could not he goes on to say, "nonetheless, even if both requests were denied, I would still accept the offer." Make what you can of life in such a manner so that you can say without pause that you would accept the offer to live it all over again.

Stay inspired my friends.

Your Integrity

2013-04-17T01:00:00.000-05:00

"Character is doing the right thing when nobody's looking. There are too many people who think that the only thing that's right is to get by, and the only thing that's wrong is to get caught." -J.C. Watts

Here is a favorite article from JLM and Associates called "The Importance of Integrity" which I present to you today.

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The Importance of Integrity

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The single most important quality you can ever develop that will enhance every part of your life, is the value of integrity. Integrity is the core quality of a successful and happy life. Having integrity means being totally honest and truthful in every part of your life. By making the commitment to become a totally honest person, you will be doing more to ensure your success and happiness in life than anything else you can ever do.

Integrity is a value, like persistence, courage, and intelligence. It is your choice of values and resolution to live by those values that form your character and personality. And it is integrity that enhances all your other values. The quality of person you are is determined by how well you live up to the values that are most important to you. Integrity is the quality that locks in your values and causes you to live consistent with them.

Integrity is the foundation of character. A person who has integrity also has an unblemished character in every area of his or her life. One of the most important activities you can engage in, is developing your character. And one of the best ways to develop your character is by consistently doing the same things that a thoroughly honest person would do in every area of his or her life.

To be totally honest with others, you first have to be totally honest with yourself. You have to be true to yourself. You have to be true to the very best that is in you. Only a person who is consistently living a life with the highest values and virtues is a person truly living a life of integrity. If you are always honest and true to yourself you cannot be false to anyone else.

The mark of people who have high integrity is, they always do the highest quality of work in everything they do. They are the people who are always totally honest with themselves in everything they do, and strive to excellent work on every occasion. People with high integrity realize that everything they do is a statement about who they are as a person.

The Universal Law of Attraction says that you inevitably attract into your life the people and circumstances that are in harmony with your dominant thoughts and values. This means that everything in your life you have attracted, because of the person you are. If there is anything in your life, your relationships, or your work that you are not happy with, you need to begin changing the person you are, so that you stop attracting those people and situations into your life.

Your integrity is manifested in your willingness to adhere to the values that are most important to your. It's easy to make promises but often very hard to keep them. But every time you keep a promise that you've made, it is an act of integrity, which in turn strengthens your character. As you act with integrity in everything you do, you will find that every part of your life will improve. You will begin to attract the best people and situations into your life. You will become an outstanding person as well as a success in everything you do.

Joe Love draws on his 25 years of experience helping both individuals and companies build their businesses, increase profits, and achieve total success. A former ad agency executive and marketing consultant, Joe's work in personal development focuses on helping his clients identify hidden marketable assets that create windfall opportunities and profits, as well as sound personal happiness and peace.

For Joe, success in life is the comprehensive product of greater wealth and income, better personal relationships, and productive attitudes and environments. He started his personal development services because he sensed a strong need for caring, personalized, and flexible mentoring to individuals from all backgrounds and professions.

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Live your life with integrity; in your personal and business life. And stay inspired my friends.

Boston Marathon Thoughts

2013-04-16T04:42:00.000-05:00

"We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light." -Plato

There is a sense of wondering this morning about the terrible bombings during the Boston Marathon on Monday, April 15. A sense of pain and bewilderment exists for those scarred from injuries to horrible suffering. And a deep grief has fallen over the relatives of those who died.

In a world that experiences tragedy on a daily basis, we must not allow that tragedy to bind us in fear and sorrow. The time for mourning and healing exists and must be taken. Never should we allow darkness to win the battle. There will be judgment in time but for now we must help heal the wounded and grieve for those that lost their lives.

Stay strong my friends, grieve for the lost and pray for the wounded but emerge into the light of day standing confident.