Saturday's Motivational Videos - Richard Branson

Thought for the Day - Don't Quit

DON'T QUIT!!!!

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low, and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
when he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up though the pace seems slow,
You may succeed with another blow.

Success is failure turned inside out,
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit,
It's when things seem worst, that
You Must Not Quit.

- C. W. Longenecker

Thanks to Sahil Karanje - Positive Thinkers - Linkedin

Thought for the Day - Optimist or Pessimist

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

Winston Churchill

Thought for the Day - It's all in How You See it

"The mark of your ignorance is the depth of your belief in injustice and tragedy. What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly."

Bach

Inspirational Story - Go Cardinals

I received this as an email from a good buddy. I thought it might be a hoax and did a little checking at snopes.com and it appears to be true yet the details are not factual. The real story is even more amazing . So read this internet version below and then go check out the real one at http://www.snopes.com/glurge/warner.asp

An inspirational story worth sharing....

GO CARDINALS

This is a pretty good story line if your team did not make the super bowl, and you're looking for a reason to support one of the teams.

KURTIS THE STOCK BOY AND BRENDA THE CHECKOUT GIRL

In a supermarket, Kurtis the stock boy was busily working when a new voice came over the loud speaker asking for a carry out at register 4. Kurtis was almost finished, and wanted to get some fresh air, and decided to answer the Call. As he approached the check-out stand a distant smile caught his eye, the new check-out girl was beautiful. She was an older woman (maybe 26, and he was only 22) and he fell in love.

Later that day, after his shift was over, he waited by the punch clock to find out her name. She came into the break room, smiled softly at him, took her card and punched out, then left. He looked at her card, BRENDA. He walked out only to see her start walking up the road. Next day, he waited outside as she left the supermarket, and offered her a ride home. He looked harmless enough, and she accepted. When he dropped her off, he asked if maybe he could see her again, outside of work. She simply said it wasn't possible.

He pressed and she explained she had two children and she couldn't afford a baby-sitter, so he offered to pay for the baby-sitter. Reluctantly she accepted his offer for a date for the following Saturday. That Saturday night he arrived
at her door only to have her tell him that she was unable to go with him. The baby-sitter had called and canceled. To which Kurtis simply said, "Well,let’s take the kids with us."

She tried to explain that taking the children was not an option, but again not taking no for an answer, he pressed. Finally Brenda, brought him inside to meet her children. She had an older daughter who was just as cute as a bug, Kurtis thought, then Brenda brought out her son, in a wheelchair, he was born a paraplegic with Down Syndrome.

Kurtis asked Brenda, "I still don't understand why the kids can't come with us?" Brenda was amazed. Most men would run away from a woman with two kids, especially if one had disabilities - just like her first husband and father of her children had done. Kurtis was not ordinary - - - he had a different mindset.

That evening Kurtis and Brenda loaded up the kids, went to dinner and the movies. When her son needed anything Kurtis would take care of him. When he needed to use the restroom, he picked him up out of his wheelchair, took him and brought him back. The kids loved Kurtis. At the end of the evening, Brenda knew this was the man she was going to marry and spend the rest of her life with.

A year later, they were married and Kurtis adopted both of her children. Since then they have added two more kids.

So what happened to Kurtis the stock boy and Brenda the check-out girl? Well, Mr. & Mrs. Kurt Warner now live in Arizona , where he is currently employed as the quarterback of the National Football League Arizona Cardinals and has his Cardinals in the hunt for a possible appearance in the Super Bowl. Is this a surprise ending or could you have guessed that he was not an ordinary person.

It should be noted that he also quarterbacked the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI.
He has also been the NLF's Most Valuable Player twice and the Super Bowl's Most Valuable Player.

AND THE REST OF THE STORY:

When Kurt, his wife and 7 children go out to eat he has one of his children pick out a family eating at the restaurant. Kurt then tells the wait staff he is picking up the tab for that family's dinner annonimously. He remembers the days he was working nights In the grocery store and feeding his family on food stamps.

Makes it hard not to root for Kurt and the Cardinals IN THE SUPER BOWL

Thought for the Day - Life of Purpose

"The purpose of life is a life of purpose."

Robert Byrne: A leading chess player and newspaper columnist

Stedman Graham - You Can Make It Happen

Here is the outline from Stedman Graham's book. I met him a few years ago at a Mark Victor Hansen program. I read his book shortly after. It's worth a read....



Step 1: Check Your ID -- Who are you?
Step 2: Create Your Vision -- What is important to you?
Step 3: Develop Your Travel Plan -- How will you get there?
Step 4: Master the Rules of the Road -- How will you meet obstacles?
Step 5: Step Into the Outer Limits -- When should you take risks?
Step 6: Pilot the Seasons of Change -- How will you grow?
Step 7: Build Your Dream Team -- Who will you take along?
Step 8: Win by a Decision -- How will you make choices?
Step 9: Commit to Your Vision -- Where will you go?

Thought for the Day - Far in Life

How far you go in life depends

on your being tender with the young,

compassionate with the aged,

sympathetic with the striving

and tolerant of the weak and strong.

Because someday in life

you will have been all of these

George Washington Carver

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos 2009 #2 - All Good Things

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos 2009 # 1 - The Who - Success Story

Saturday's Motivational Video - Tony Robbins at TED

Thought for the Day - Makes You Go Hmmmm.......

"More die in the United States of too much food than of too little."
— John Kenneth Galbraith

Hmmmm.......

Obesity is a growing problem for our country and also for many other countries in the world. Things are never as simple as they seem. There's always two sides to everything....

Thought for the Day - Create Your Bucket List

I haven't seen the movie "The Bucket List" yet but I like the idea of writing up lists of things to accomplish in my life. i intend to create a list of 100 Things I want to achieve, do or become in my life.
I just created one for my eleven year old daughter of all the things she has done and accomplished already and she is filling in all the things she wants to do, be and achieve in her life. It's pretty cool to see her dreams on paper.....

Below is website that might get you started if you are interested in
stretching yourself...

http://bucketlists.wetpaint.com/

Thought for the Day - Where Are You Going?

"It doesn't matter where you are coming from.
All that matters is where you are going."
Brian Tracy

Congratulations President Obama

A historic day for President Barack Obama and a historic day for America.


Congratulations President Obama


Congratulations America

Uplifting Story - Bonnie Brae Knights March in Presidential Inauguration

Here's a an uplifting story about boys from the Bonnie Brae Residential Treatment Center in New Jersey. The boys in the home are troubled boys receiving treatment. The odds of them being picked were against them yet they were picked and will march.

Thought for the Day - Chooser or Loser

"Why do people choose to be losers instead of choosers? Answer: Because, when you make a choice, you are taking a chance. So, here we are: Choose to be a loser or choose to be a chooser—either one, it's up to you.

It is the courage to choose. You must have it. It takes a lot of nerve to make a decision. That's why many people are not choosers but losers. You make the decision either to be a chooser or a loser. "

Reverend Schuller

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos 2009 # 2 -Live Like You were Dying

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos 2009 # 1 -You Have A Friend

Saturday's Motivational Video 2009 - Steve Linder

Here is video of Steve Linder who worked as a trainer for Tony Robbins. I met and worked with him a few times on Tony Robbin programs.

Miracle on the Hudson

Everyone has heard by now of the "Miracle on the Hudson" and the heroic behaviour of the pilot. There was a lot of heroes that day and here is an interesting story /video about one of them, a passenger who is part of the Tony Robbins team/family.

http://tonyrobbinstraining.com/67/heroes/?ec=MOH

Resources - Foundation For Better Life

Just saw an excellent commercial about a group of kids in the Special Olympics crossing the finishing line together. It was made by this interesting foundation. Check them out....

http://forbetterlife.org/

Thought for the Day - The Future

"The future has several names. For the weak, it is 'impossible.' For the faint-hearted, it is the 'unknown.' For the thoughtful and valiant, it is 'ideal.' For the challenged, it is 'urgent.' The task is large. The time is now."
Victor Hugo

Martin Luther King's Birthday - I Have a Dream

MLK - A LEADER WITH A DREAM - AMERICA A COUNTRY OF DREAMS

Cutting Edge - Educational Excellence Part 2

Here are a couple of other sources to support educational improvement....

Success Foundation

http://www.successmagazine.com/Making-a-Difference/PARAMS/article/482/channel/24

The Leader in Me - Stephen R. Covey

http://www.TheLeaderInMe.org/

Thought for the Day - Challenge

Every Day is a Challenge..... Prepare for It.......

Thought for the Day - Don't Settle

'Once you say you're going to settle for second, that's what happens to you in life"
John F Kennedy

Finding Happiness - A Little Video

A little uplifting video for your day from Nightingale-Conant

http://www.ncfindingjoymovie.com/4

Thought For Day - Dreams and Anguish Bring Us Together

"Ideologies separate us. Dreams and anguish bring us together."

~ Eugene Ionesco

Monthly Success Stories -January 2009 - Colin Powell

I start off this ongoing post on Monthly Success Stories about someone who grew up in my neighborhood of the South Bronx a few years before I did. I know some of the more political readers will have strong opinions and either like him or dislike him, yet no matter what your political perspective Colin Powell's life is a story of great personal success. I know what his beginnings were because I grew up there and I just spent a day in my old neighborhood the Mott Haven section of the South Bronx over the holidays with friends who still live there. So it's been a long climb and there is a lot we can learn from his life....

Colin Powell is both a Bronx and an American Success Story.....



Books about Colin Powell:




Coincidentally Success Magazine has run a cover article about Colin Powell in it's upcoming February issue. Read it here.....

http://www.successmagazine.com/Power-and-Influence/PARAMS/article/511/channel/19

Thought for the Day - It's Not What You Know But What You Do

"Knowing is not enough, you must apply, willing is not enough, you must do"
Bruce Lee

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos 2009 # 2 - I Want It All

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos 2009 # 1 - Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Saturday's Motivational Videos - Leadership

Bill Strickland @ TED



http://www.ted.com/

Thought for the Day - Sculpt Your Life

"Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped.
And here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping. "
Contributed by Anil Gupta - Positive Thinkers Group Linkedin

Thought for the Day - You're Right...No, You're Right

"Whether you think you can or you can't, you're right!"

Hmmm. I wonder which one you will believe now......

Resource - Story Corp - Oral History

Here is an interesting resource I want to share with you.

Years ago I conducted oral history interviews for a Bronx Oral History project @ Lehman College in the Bronx. I also interviewed and was interviewed by Studs Terkel. My interview was in his book "American Dream Lost and Found".

Story Corps provides an interesting service of capturing personal histories. Check them out....

http://www.storycorps.net/

Thought for the Day - What If?

"What if I do?

What if I dont?"

Corrie Woods

Powerful questions to ask yourself to move your life forward.....

Cutting Edge - Educational Excellence

Life long learning is one of my greatest passions. I always loved reading and learning even after I dropped out of high school at the age 15. Many years later I would get my GED, attend and graduate from college. Today I have a daughter who is about to enter middle school so education remains an important issue for me.

Here are some interesting examples of what I believe are programs, institutions, administrators, and teachers who are at the cutting edge of excellence in education. If you are interested in education check them out....




http://www.ronclarkacademy.com/

http://www.kipp.org/?gclid=CIexv_CK85cCFREeDQodLQhJDQ

http://www.hcz.org/

http://www.hobartshakespeareans.org/

http://www.cristorey.net/

http://www.manchesterguild.org/About_mcg.htm

http://www.ichoosetostay.com/

Thought for the Day - Responsibility

"The only person responsible for your present reality and your future opportunities is you".
Darren Hardy

Real American Stories

I find myself visiting this site regularly to check out the new American stories. It's a great site that reminds me of the diversity and strength that makes up the American Experience.... Check out the site and some of the stories....

http://www.realamericanstories.com/

http://www.realamericanstories.com/giuliana-rancic/?curpage=0

http://www.realamericanstories.com/mathew-knowles/

Thought for the Day - Do You Keep a Journal?

Keeping a personal journal is a great way to begin recording your life-your own story, dreams, goals, victories, ideas, thoughts! Start recording your life as you ring in a New Year.

"A Life Worth Living is a Life Worth Recording! If you're serious about becoming a wealthy, powerful, sophisticated, healthy, influential, cultured and unique individual, keep a journal." — Jim Rohn

I have been keeping a journal since the late 1980's. I have also kept a few journals for my daughter. I recommend you start a journal for the New Year........

Cutting Edge - MacWorld

Here's a link with a little preview of the upcoming Macworld event for all you Mac users.....

http://www.enduserblog.com/2009/01/bites-from-the.html

Sunday's Eclectic Music Video 2009 # 2 - A Moment Like This

Sunday's Eclectic Music Video 2009 # 1 - One Moment in Time

Saturday's Motivational Videos - Leadership

"Make the Impossible Possible" - Bill Strickland



http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/17/genius.html

http://www.manchesterguild.org/bio.htm

Personal Ramblings - Commitments and No TV Viewing

I made a decision in mid November to stop watching TV. I felt I could better use the time to push my projects forward and use the time for more productive pursuits. So i have achieved my goal of not watching TV until the new year. Now I am going to extend my no TV viewing until April. I'm using the time to read and write. I might make the practise of eliminating TV viewing a more permanent habit.

Thought for the Day - Know Your Direction

“If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the corridor in the opposite direction.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer

New Year - New Goals - JD's Fifteen Rules to Master Your Life

To start off the New Year. My Fifteen Rules to Master Your Life

1. Solutions, Solutions, Solutions. Okay, I heard the problem
now what’s the solution? There’s always a way and an answer.
Your job is to find it.

2. Daily Improvement (DI) - Decide – Resolve – Act. Everyday do
just 1 more thing to improve.
What if you improved 1 thing every day?

3. Take Action and then takes some more. Get in the game.

4. Never Quit. - Promise yourself you will never give up.

5. Be A Leader. Step Up. Life needs more leaders not followers.

6. It’s all about Choices. You always have choices, make the right ones.

7. Gratitude, Gratitude, Gratitude and then some more Gratitude.
We all have so much to be thankful for.

8. You can either get Results or make Excuses. You can’t do both. Your choice.

9. Put everything in Perspective. Things can always get better and
they can always get worse. So no whining, just make it better.

10. Laugh at life, laugh at yourself. Life ain’t all that serious until it is.

11. Celebrate Success. Don’t follow the culture and knock the successful.

12. You are responsible for your life, so take responsibility.

13. Go for your Dreams. No, I mean REALLY go for them.

14. Understand Life is not Fair. So what, just more challenges
to overcome. The stronger the wind the stronger the trees.
Be Strong

15. Master the 3 F’s (Family, Fitness & Finances) and the 1 C (Career)
and you”ll get an A at Life. And life will reward your effort.
So, Just Do It!!!!!!

Happy New Year

A Happy New Year to all my family in Ireland, England, Australia, Canada, Germany and the United States, and to all my friends, colleagues and to everyone who reads my blog. Best wishes for a happy, successful, productive and prosperous New Year.....


U2 - New Year's Day



El Condor Pasa