Reading will change your life.
Writing will change it even more.
The best leaders I know are “do-ers” – they take action. They also read and they write
When you write you discover who you really are.
When we write we learn. We learn from our experiences. We learn about ourselves. We learn how we process information. We learn how we react to others. We learn what is deepest inside of our souls. Writing is when we finalize who we are and want to be.
Writing is when we find ourselves.
Writing is when we learn from a higher source.
On December 31st 2016 – I decided that I was going to become a better writer.
In order to do that I followed Glenn Leibowitz’s challenge and decided to write and post more, I decided to write everyday (I posted to my personal blog). Since January 1, 2017 I have posted at least one message every single day to my blog. It has been hard. But not as hard as I thought it would be.
Instead of writing for a specific purpose or article – I decided I would just reflect on the experiences of the last day and ask myself:
What lesson(s) did I learn today?
Here is what July 2019 taught me:
Humble Progress – JULY 1, 2019
If you always think you are right, you will never learn. Humility is the catalyst for growth.
Show vs Tell – JULY 2, 2019
If we need to tell others we are humble, we are not.
If we need to tell others we are kind, we are not.
If we need to tell others we are honest, we are not.
We need to show, not tell.
Substance First – JULY 3, 2019
Nothing replaces meaningful connections / solid relationships. If the choice is ever between your deepest relationships and anything else, choose your relationships. Your ultimate happiness, joy, productivity, and fulfillment starts with those closest to you. Everything else is filler.
…Not Proud – JULY 4, 2019
Be thankful, not proud.
Be honored, not proud.
Pride is always wrong.
Appreciation and respect are always right.
Purpose & Commitment – JULY 5, 2019
As we realize our purpose, our direction and needed actions will make more sense. If our purpose is inward we will never find fulfillment and feel lost. Purpose creates clarity. Commitment produces results. When we focus on ourselves, our motivation can weaken. When we focus on other people, our motivation gets stronger.
Positive Change – JULY 6, 2019
Everything that is worth changing can be. You can change your mind. You can change your attitude. You can change your relationships. Positive change takes hard work.
Live, More – JULY 7, 2019
Living means to have ideas, opinions, feelings, thoughts, and emotions. When you don’t feel, you don’t truly live. Living includes the good and the bad. Accept both but only embrace what you want more of. As our focus changes from denial to acceptance to love, we find we are stronger than we think and life is better than we thought.
Your Story – JULY 8, 2019
Everything you say, write, and do is your own autobiography. Is the story you are telling the one you want others to read?
Feel Better – JULY 9, 2019
Becoming more of who you really are is the way you get better. You don’t get better by trying to be something you are not. You don’t get better by diminishing your light. Share your abilities, share your passion, and watch yourself grow. The more you embrace yourself, the better you will become and the better you will feel.
Believe In Them – JULY 10, 2019
The real difference between achieving your potential and coming up short is belief. You need to believe in yourself. More importantly, though is to believe in others. If others feel inspired and motivated because of your presence, you will always be welcome, you will always be wanted and your potential will be maximized. When you look at people (including yourself) through the lens of ability rather than limitations you will be able to create breakthroughs in everyone’s performance. When you believe in someone you are showing trust. Trust creates security and power. We all perform better when others believe in us more than we initially believe in ourselves, we rise to that belief. Belief can turn into faith as the skills, desire, and passion increase.
Build Trust & Courage – JULY 11, 2019
Connecting with people 1-on-1 is the key to successful relationships. Real relationships need personalized time together. Something that groups cannot offer. When you build deeper connections strong, resilient trust is created. With trust comes courage. Relationships need each side to display courage to succeed.
You Are… – JULY 12, 2019
You are already more than good enough.
You are important.
You are needed.
You are loved.
Happy Birthday Eva – I love you. We love you.
Positive People – JULY 13, 2019
Positive people are the peacemakers, they unite others. Positive people are leaders because others want to be like them and trust them. If you are positive you increase your chance to help others. You increase your potential. You increase your own personal joy.
Love To Care – JULY 14, 2019
Love is the greatest gift. Love is also the greatest tool. You can accomplish anything with the power of love. Your love is proven by how much you show care.
False Needs – JULY 15, 2019
The ego provides illusions. Unless we are actively searching to identify these illusions, we will not notice them. Ego creates false needs, these false needs are illusions. The ego also creates misinterpretations of the actions of others based on the main false need to be validated. When we let go of the ego, we can find the illusions that have been hurting our growth. Once we find them, we can eliminate them. The first step to eliminating false needs is to stop believing the need is real. When we deny the need we reject the power that the need pretends to hold over us.
Search For Hope – JULY 16, 2019
If we understand who we are, we will search out those things that are uplifting and positive. Letting go of negative beliefs helps us embrace the power of hope. When we hope for the right things our actions will match our beliefs and our new futures will be created.
Learn To Change – JULY 17, 2019
Learning without change is pointless and worse it is also wasteful. If learning does not bring about change, no real learning is taking place. If the change you are making is not the one you are happy with, learn something else. Change what you learn and you will change your life.
Peace Comes After We Let Go – JULY 18, 2019
Letting go of anger allows us to experience peace, comfort, joy, gratitude, and positive energy. As we break the bands of contention and pride, our anger will leave and our hearts can be healed. Anger hurts us mentally and physically. Once we allow our anger to leave by not holding on to it, we can experience gratitude which then kick starts every other positive emotion, including love.
Love Magnifies – JULY 19, 2019
The difference between being good vs. being great always comes down to the person who cares the most. That care is driven by love. All your skills and abilities are magnified if you love the people you are serving and helping.
Benefits of Courage – JULY 20, 2019
When you act with courage you are happier. Courage creates confidence even though to act in courage you first must face fear or grief or pain. Courage brings passion and energy. With courage we also become more capable, we are able to care more, to give more, and want to see others succeed as well. With courage, we are more creative. Courage helps us to be better and do better.
Commitment Enables Freedom – JULY 21, 2019
Confusion is created when we choose not to decide. Once we commit, we are clear. Once we make a decision, we gain clarity and eliminate confusion. Once we have clarity we know what we must do. Commitment allows us the freedom to act.
Give Courage – JULY 22, 2019
We all need encouragement. Since I need it, and you need it, we should also give it. What we give always comes back to us.
Where We Need To Be – JULY 23, 2019
True empathy exists, but not by us. God is the only one with the power to know and experience what we have gone through. For all of us, we must practice empathy. We must try to understand others, try to put ourselves in their shoes. Shared experiences help. The act of wanting to know, wanting to understand is the act of practicing empathy. Once we have the desire to have empathy, then we are already where we need to be.
Accountability Not Blame – JULY 24, 2019
If you hold yourself accountable, you will always find a way to accomplish your purpose. Blame creates guilt or creates excuses. Blame is about regret, blame is about the past, blame is wrong. Blame is not accountability. Accountability is when the standard is set you the commitment is made sure and short term obstacles and challenges do not alter the long-term goal. Accountability means taking ownership for your own actions and then focusing on the future.
Prove It With Care – JULY 25, 2019
The more you care, the better your creations will be. What you care about is always proven in your actions. If you want to create a masterpiece, then care more. If you want to serve others, then care more. If you want to influence others, then care more.
Connect & Embrace – JULY 26, 2019
Your physical health is tied to your mental state. If you allow anxiety to rule, you will not be healthy. If you allow anger to win, you will not be healthy. To overcome our emotional pain we need to let go of negative thoughts and embrace human connection. Nothing helps humans heal better than connecting with others and feeling needed, welcomed, and accepted.
Fear Gives Us What We Don’t Want – JULY 27, 2019
Fear brings us everything we don’t want. Fear of love creates a disconnect. Fear of guilt creates discontent. Fear of failure creates laziness. Fear of belief creates a lack of faith. Overcome fear with courage. By taking action toward what is actually wanted, the fear leaves and the actions create results which create future confidence.
Not Special – JULY 28, 2019
You are important, you are unique, but not special as the world defines it. Typically, special means better than. Special is about comparison with competition as the focus. Focus on using your unique gifts without comparing yourself to others and their journey.
Don’t Avoid Don’t Ignore – JULY 29, 2019
Avoiding pain will never work. There will always be pain. Ignoring pain only lasts so long. The pain is a signal that something is wrong, and when left unattended, that something will grow and create more pain later. Either get stronger or get healed, either way, you need to take action. Pain is only overcome with action.
Refuel More – JULY 30, 2019
If we are empty inside, we cannot care for others. The good thing is, caring for others, if done right, can refill our own soul. Personal self-care must be a priority. Do what you need to do to refuel (prayer, exercise, food, sleep, human connection, reading, etc…)
Humility loves simplicity.
When you write, you feel better. You learn about yourself and you process your world better. Writing helps start the process of putting our thoughts into action. Action is what creates reality and changes lives.
Reading helps you write.
Besides reading for enjoyment and for business growth, I read to expand my thinking. These are 7 books that impacted me recently and I feel everyone should read:
- The Healing Organization by Raj Sisodia, Michael J. Gelb
- The Courage To Be Happy by Ichiro Kishimi, Fumitake Koga
- Do The Work by Steven Pressfield
- The Book of Mistakes by Skip Prichard
- Success Equations by Sherrie Campbell
- Shareology by Bryan Kramer
- Synchronicity: The Inner Path of Leadership by Joseph Jaworski
Write so you can become a truer version of yourself, the best version possible. You are good enough. You are strong enough. Keep going.
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