JFK, to the Florida Chamber of Commerce, November 18th, 1963:
I realize that there are some businessmen who feel only they want to be left alone, that Government and politics are none of their affairs, that the balance sheet and profit rate of their own corporation are of more importance than the worldwide balance of power or the Nationwide rate of unemployment. But I hope it is not rushing the season to recall to you the passage from Dickens' "Christmas Carol" in which Ebenezer Scrooge is terrified by the ghosts of his former partner, Jacob Marley, and Scrooge, appalled by Marley's story of ceaseless wandering, cries out, "But you were always a good man of business, Jacob." And the ghost of Marley, his legs bound by a chain of ledger books and cash boxes, replied, "Business? Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business. Charity, mercy, forbearance and benevolence were all my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!
Members and guests of the Florida State Chamber of Commerce, whether we work in the White House or the State House or in a house of industry or commerce, mankind is our business. And if we work in harmony, if we understand the problems of each other and the responsibilities that each of us bears, then surely the business of mankind will prosper. And your children and mine will move ahead in a securer world, and one in which there is opportunity for them all.
See more JFK quotes here.
Life. The Art of Sneezing. Linked as ridiculous concepts from which one can find joy.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Gratitude Journal
Recently I began trading 6 Advisors Coaching with Conrad Toner. Basically, one hour a week I spend coaching him through the practicum, one hour a week he coaches me through the practicum.
The way things are going, the question I ask is "Why didn't I do this SOONER?"
Seriously, this investment has already been an amazing blessing in my life and we've only just started.
The thing that has really been helping me, thanks to Conrad's suggestion, is writing a gratitude journal. Actually, more than a suggestion, Conrad actually is holding me accountable each week to this activity (and more). My shameless plug for coaching...
Anyhow, I have been finding this activity every day to be paying dividends I never expected. For example, somehow my relationship with my kids seems to be working better. Have I changed my parenting style? No, I can still be a curmudgeon. But somehow, my 8 year old son and I aren't butting heads every minute of the day. Now it's only a few minutes out of the day. Now I don't get annoyed by my 6 year old daughter singing and dancing at the most inopportune moments. I'm learning to let it go.
It doesn't stop with my kids. How's this: I actually started JOGGING. Yes, me, Mr. "I can't see myself running unless it's back and forth on a basketball court." Yeah, actually playing basketball. Now, I'm hoping it sticks, so I'm not making any big promises, but I'm pretty sure before I started this gratitude journal, jogging would be the LAST thing I'd choose to do after my kids are in bed.
What about my general outlook on life? Well, I just spent about 3 hours of my day yesterday helping my wife clean the house, kind of a "fall" cleaning thing. Why? Well, we had a cleaning inspection yesterday. How did I feel about it? I think for the first time in my LIFE I didn't feel resentful about helping my wife clean the house. Yeah, sad, I know, but hey, I own it, I admit it, I used to be a real potlicker when it came to sharing the load in housekeeping duties. Not that I wouldn't do any, but that my attitude sucked. Again, what's the one big difference maker? Gotta be the gratitude, yea verily even Earth, Wind & Fire Gratitude.
Anyhow, for more on the power of gratitude, check out this list of 10 Grateful Steps to Happiness (gratitude journal is #1!).
Life. The Art of Sneezing. Linked as ridiculous concepts from which one can find joy.
The way things are going, the question I ask is "Why didn't I do this SOONER?"
Seriously, this investment has already been an amazing blessing in my life and we've only just started.
The thing that has really been helping me, thanks to Conrad's suggestion, is writing a gratitude journal. Actually, more than a suggestion, Conrad actually is holding me accountable each week to this activity (and more). My shameless plug for coaching...
Anyhow, I have been finding this activity every day to be paying dividends I never expected. For example, somehow my relationship with my kids seems to be working better. Have I changed my parenting style? No, I can still be a curmudgeon. But somehow, my 8 year old son and I aren't butting heads every minute of the day. Now it's only a few minutes out of the day. Now I don't get annoyed by my 6 year old daughter singing and dancing at the most inopportune moments. I'm learning to let it go.
It doesn't stop with my kids. How's this: I actually started JOGGING. Yes, me, Mr. "I can't see myself running unless it's back and forth on a basketball court." Yeah, actually playing basketball. Now, I'm hoping it sticks, so I'm not making any big promises, but I'm pretty sure before I started this gratitude journal, jogging would be the LAST thing I'd choose to do after my kids are in bed.
What about my general outlook on life? Well, I just spent about 3 hours of my day yesterday helping my wife clean the house, kind of a "fall" cleaning thing. Why? Well, we had a cleaning inspection yesterday. How did I feel about it? I think for the first time in my LIFE I didn't feel resentful about helping my wife clean the house. Yeah, sad, I know, but hey, I own it, I admit it, I used to be a real potlicker when it came to sharing the load in housekeeping duties. Not that I wouldn't do any, but that my attitude sucked. Again, what's the one big difference maker? Gotta be the gratitude, yea verily even Earth, Wind & Fire Gratitude.
Anyhow, for more on the power of gratitude, check out this list of 10 Grateful Steps to Happiness (gratitude journal is #1!).
Life. The Art of Sneezing. Linked as ridiculous concepts from which one can find joy.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
6 years ago today
6 years ago today Rebecca woke me up to show me something on television. By chance, she had turned the TV on to work out to a video, and the TV was on a channel that happened to have the morning news.
One of the Twin Towers was burning. Apparently, a plane had crashed into it.
Accident?
The resounding NO came as a second plane came into the screen, crashing into the other tower.
We sat there stunned. It was like watching some poorly budgeted B-movie about aliens invading the earth or something, over-the-top special effects that actually detract from the quality of the show which wasn't good to start with. And watching this poor B-movie asking myself morality questions like "What if this were really happening? What about the people in the building? What about the people on the plane?"
We couldn't tear ourselves away until the buildings crumbled, clouds of dust spreading through the streets of New York. I looked up at the clock and realized I would miss my BART train into San Francisco. What was I thinking?!?!? I don't want to be on the BART under the bay and get stuck there if there was another "accident." So I called the boss and he too wasn't about to get on a BART train that morning.
6 years later and I still wonder what to make of that day, those events. It's hard to know who to believe anymore, jihadist act or inside job? I don't have all the answers.
The one thing I do know, though not as comforting as the child in me would like, is the understanding that all I can control is my choice. How do I choose to react, to respond to such mind-numbing acts of violence half a world away from my peaceful little suburb in Provo, Utah? All I can do is CHOOSE, THIS DAY, to live. I can choose to have resolve, to refuse to allow fear to dictate to me what I can or cannot do with my life, my gifts.
Life. The Art of Sneezing. Linked as ridiculous concepts from which one can find joy.
One of the Twin Towers was burning. Apparently, a plane had crashed into it.
Accident?
The resounding NO came as a second plane came into the screen, crashing into the other tower.
We sat there stunned. It was like watching some poorly budgeted B-movie about aliens invading the earth or something, over-the-top special effects that actually detract from the quality of the show which wasn't good to start with. And watching this poor B-movie asking myself morality questions like "What if this were really happening? What about the people in the building? What about the people on the plane?"
We couldn't tear ourselves away until the buildings crumbled, clouds of dust spreading through the streets of New York. I looked up at the clock and realized I would miss my BART train into San Francisco. What was I thinking?!?!? I don't want to be on the BART under the bay and get stuck there if there was another "accident." So I called the boss and he too wasn't about to get on a BART train that morning.
6 years later and I still wonder what to make of that day, those events. It's hard to know who to believe anymore, jihadist act or inside job? I don't have all the answers.
The one thing I do know, though not as comforting as the child in me would like, is the understanding that all I can control is my choice. How do I choose to react, to respond to such mind-numbing acts of violence half a world away from my peaceful little suburb in Provo, Utah? All I can do is CHOOSE, THIS DAY, to live. I can choose to have resolve, to refuse to allow fear to dictate to me what I can or cannot do with my life, my gifts.
Life. The Art of Sneezing. Linked as ridiculous concepts from which one can find joy.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Peter Drucker insights
Check out a cool list of 20 Druckerisms here.
What I find interesting is that the more things change, the more they stay the same. I imagine that 50 years ago, there was perhaps a similar list somewhere. The beauty of today's information society is that we have almost immediate access to these ideas.
The challenge for us, then, is what do we implement in our own lives. These insights to leadership from one of the great leadership minds of our time remain useless unless used.
Which one will you apply today?
Life. The Art of Sneezing. Linked as ridiculous concepts from which one can find joy.
What I find interesting is that the more things change, the more they stay the same. I imagine that 50 years ago, there was perhaps a similar list somewhere. The beauty of today's information society is that we have almost immediate access to these ideas.
The challenge for us, then, is what do we implement in our own lives. These insights to leadership from one of the great leadership minds of our time remain useless unless used.
Which one will you apply today?
Life. The Art of Sneezing. Linked as ridiculous concepts from which one can find joy.
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