This morning was a wonderful morning because first of all I woke rested and refreshed. After morning meditation and prayer I went straight into working out. I spoke to my children about throwing your “net on the right side of the ship and ye shall find”. John 21v6 And my daughter said “that’s like getting up on the right side of the bed”. So they were off to school and I showered and dressed. While drinking my coffee I realized I needed a hat. The navy shirt and pullover was a perfect outfit for my Detroit Tigers Hat. This is no ordinary hat; I searched for hours for the right one. It is the “on the field” model with the white piping fitted with the breathable performance material. I purchased this hat on a recent trip to Detroit for which the occasion was to bury an Uncle. So I am sentimentally attached and as hats go this hat is superb. I go to the closet to retrieve the perfect topping for my outfit and it is gone. The search is on. Clear the entire closet, look in my son’s room, go check all the cars; go back to the closet, and still no hat. Now I must interrupt my wife’s beautiful morning and she starts to help me. She questions my memory and then stands on something in the closet to get a better look. When I saw her up there and I felt my heart rate increase I knew the enemy had me looking on the wrong side of the boat and it had nothing to do with the hat. I was doominating the morning and had plans to dominate the entire day, now this hiccup was ruining my attitude. So I asked my wife to terminate the search and continue on her wonderful day. I placed my navy blue Callaway hat with the white rim on my head and said, “God is perfect” and proceeded enjoying the day. Throughout the day the thought of where the Tigers hat may be crossed my mind but, I put it out of my mind and did not allow it to determine the course of my day. So If you lose your hat do not lose your cool.
The Golden Leader: Marty Scorsese
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I was reading an article in Fast Company the magazine about Martin Scorsese that was about his creative side and how he used it to inspire the world. As I read it dawned on me that he had extraordinary leadership skills. These skills could translate in to leaders in any arena. The first skill that was immediately evident was the question he asked before they got started taping.
Project your best image
The question he asked the interviewer was, “Do I look like Quasimodo? Am I sitting too far down in the chair?” Not only did he consider his dress, which was his classic black blazer and slacks with his immaculately pressed crisp dress shirt on which he never buttons the top button to add a hint of flamboyance to his all business demeanor but he considered how he sat. I noticed this in his photo shoot and I noticed it his acceptance speech at the Golden Globe Awards. From now on decide the image you desire to project and work hard to enhance it.
Never let money dictate your passion
The article mentions films that Scorsese did that were well-funded and did not perform well at the box office and others that were sparsely funded and that he had a wonderful time making. Money greases the wheels but creativity and passion are the wheels and the engine so do not let the money or those who possess it control your passion. Part of the article deals with Scorsese’s unwillingness to deal with the Hollywood executives versus his need to support his family a balancing act all people who call themselves creative must rationalize in their own mind. In the end the right balance leads to freedom.
Leaders drive the bus
The article opened my eyes to just how many different parts and team members were involved in creating a film but it also highlighted the importance of the director’s vision being the driving force. He commented on how his team directed him to the perfect location in one film, though still driving he made the suggested turn. And then there is the length of his films which on average is 2 hours on which he generally stays the course even when the team is screaming – turn now. He said “But sometimes something needs time to work on a viewer.” Leaders must realize this same fact with their vision and stay patient and be the standard bearer for their organization.
Be relentless for your creative vision
A major part of why Martin Scorsese is considered great in his profession is that he understands the spiritual side of the battle.
He said “there is an essence to the project that you must protect. You cannot make concessions on that, the story cannot be tampered with past that point; you have to fight off every power or force around you.”
He understands that is not the people that he is fighting, but a spirit of apathy, commercialism and lack of imagination. These are areas that every leader has to war against. They show their ugly heads in a myriad of places and people. When you know your core values and vision do not allow them to be tampered with by anyone. Go be relentlessly creative.
Here’s the link. http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/161/martin-scorsese
Do you like what is in the mirror?
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• Looking at yourself meticulously takes a calm spirit so that you do not get overwhelmed
• Improvements are easy if you are honest about the image in the mirror
• As long as you are alive you can change
The mirror is a terrific place for growth and analysis. Take an honest look at your habits and actions to determine what areas need work. Once the areas of improvement are identified then you must be methodical in improving or upgrading them. While it is terrific to discover challenges it is easy to become overwhelmed with how to fix them or even if they can be fixed. First calm your spirit and lay out a short term plan that gets the ball rolling. Some steps that you take to improve your organizations may not have immediately visible results. It is still okay to look in the mirror because now you have an expectancy of change. Hope coupled with the work necessary increases faith. As long as you are alive, you can change. Old ways, old habits or even current organizational cultures do not hamper future appearances. Take the vital steps to morph into the picture of success. The Patient one welcomes true analysis and uses the findings for the good of all.
What do you see in your mirror?
Drive past your problems
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There are some levels you will not get to if you do not use your passing gear.
Queen Janetta
When traveling on the road of life there are many people who use the expression, “I am just holding it in the road.” This means that they are ignoring distractions and doing their part to operate efficiently. In this mode they will not get noticed for doing bad but they also will not get noticed for doing good. They will achieve their goal which is to get go around in circles without getting noticed. For all achievers this is a dangerous attitude that opens the door for apathy. If we are driving a car on the Freeway of Life then at some point to get around the bad drivers or large vehicles slowing the process for everyone then we need to step on the gas and make it around these obstacles. One of my vehicles does not have an extra gear for this purpose and the other has one that is superior. This just shows me if I am truly interested in competing at the next level I should choose the right equipment. So map your strategy, step on the gas and get back on the open road.
Big Results in small steps
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Confidence can be added through small successful steps. Progress of any kind extends your patience. All marathons began with one step forward. Some dreams are lofty but with a good plan and a lot of small steps you can reach the apex. Humans constantly search for the fast immediate cure to appear but leave off the fact that most significant contributions need lots of patient processes. Beauty in the journey becomes evident when you pay attention to the details. Details like going to obscure gatherings that will educate you on how to perfect your craft. Details shore up cracks in your thinking that could side track momentum. It takes a calm mind to enjoy the miniscule thoughts and pleasures knowing that all things benefit greater goals. One solid way to add confidence is to improve responses to nagging issues. Your response determines your character. Daily monitor physical and oral responses because these are little actions that promote big feelings. Change habits to mimic who you want to become. If your desires are royal then your habits should reflect this. There are no vacations from improvements. Once a goal or dream is achieved immediate recalculation is necessary. Slipping back into old habits or thought processes can make victories fleeting. Enjoy the progress and add more expectations. There is no limit, one step at a time.
Stay focused for Breakthrough
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When a hungry lion is on the plain it has one goal, to eat. The lion can not be distracted by the cubs (kids) crying because the cries are primarily hunger pains. If there is no suitable food in the territory it must travel outside its area. Once he identifies the desired target he must study and stalk it until an opportunity arises. Sometimes the prey is illusive. At times very defensive. Unaffected, the lion continues to pursue. If it is not successful, does he give up? No, he sleeps hungry and wakes again to pursue his goal.
Constant focused pressure will produce breakthrough.
We all possess enough resources and fortitude to accomplish our goals. The relentless person continues until the goal is accomplished. Relentless punctuates the Patience to Dominate because patience is the path and domination the victory.
What breakthrough will you relentlessly pursue?
Grow your faith
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On 8-26-2009 a friend of mine called me in the midst of dealing with a lot of challenges and the anecdotes from the word of God. To this day, one of my great accomplishments is being an aide to the kingdom of God by helping this friend find Christ. Adding souls to the kingdom of God is noble work. I urge all people to reach out to others and invite them to have a personal relationship with the Father. My friend always says that I help him, but I know that most of the time he is helping me. He said the following:
“Your patience is a testimony to your faith.”
There are a few scriptures that give witness to what my friend stated. One is found in Hebrews 6:12, “That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises .” Many have gone before us on the faith walk to obtain their God-given assignment. Through patience, they inherited the promises of God. In any endeavor, faith and patience must be employed. To develop our patient ability, we must picture developing the perfect lawn. All yards have the potential to win the city’s beatification award. In order to even be considered good, the yard has to be cultivated. The challenge is to prune consistently, weed out, and mow while no one is watching. The lawn also requires funds by way of fertilizer and weed control products. If we develop the landscaping and grass area, when it is show time, we will be ready to perform.
Another scripture that captures a different angle on what my friend said is recorded in 2 Thessalonians 1:3-6:
We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith grows exceedingly, and charity of every one of you all toward each other abounds. So that we glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure: Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer: Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you…
God and mankind take notice as your faith grows, and your faith grows in your tribulations if you stay focused on the goal and do not quit. When you have faith and patience in God and increase your ability, the Bible says that you will be “counted worthy of the kingdom of God.” For me, this is a great and precious reward. Once again, here is a reference to our royal heritage. Just in case it seems as if your enemies are getting the upper hand, this scripture states that God deems it righteous to return trouble to those who trouble you. If God is handling the retribution, then you are free to focus on the rightful ascension to a life of glory. How will you grow your faith today?
How can the Detroit Lions help you?
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12/5/11
Detroit Lions
The talent and enthusiasm of the current Detroit Lions is evident at every position and the football field coaching is displayed each Sunday and in every situation. So what causes them to lose big games against championship caliber teams?
The answer is not between the lines but between the ears. These Lions are a mirror of the philosophy of those in normal society who say, “I can be a leader”, and the boss or organization says your are not quite ready. All of the school training and physical attributes in the world can not substitute for the heart of a champion.
• A champion gives his all on every play
• A champion does not display emotion when his opponent gets a temporary edge
• A champion knows that weak minds equal weak results
• A champion looks for advantages and exploits them no matter how subtle they seem
• A champion embraces adversity as an opportunity to excel
All of these traits will help the Lions excel and reach their goals this year if they truly want to be a champion. And they will work in everyone else’s life if they are willing to do the mental work.
A champion practices a patient mind in the middle of fight.
How are you practicing a patient mind?
5:43AM
Get Ready
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Patience Repels Loneliness
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Many days on the path of patience are filled with monotonous tasks that seem to have no effects on your goals. These times are made for champions because champions see every step as beneficial to growth and accomplishment. Taking the actions necessary to propel you to the next stage is critical. Some activities may bore you but without them your mission could be derailed. Belief in a mission is evident in prepatory action. The world will know your beliefs and possibly give you help when you fight the fight with no evidence of progress.
Mission objectives can meander when pressure is applied but consistent action reminds us of our goal. Tough decisions may move your comfort zone but they do not change the mission.
Do the difficult today.