"Men do less than they ought,unless they do all they can."
-- Thomas Carlyle
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Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Thought For the Day - We Must Do
"Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do."
--Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
--Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Monday, June 28, 2010
Thought For the Day - Inspire People with Your Actions
"If your actions inspire others to dream more,learn more, do more and become more,
you are a leader. "
--John Quincy Adams
you are a leader. "
--John Quincy Adams
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
Thought for the Day - Do All You Can
"Men do less than they ought,unless they do all they can."
-- Thomas Carlyle
-- Thomas Carlyle
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Thought for the Day - Opportunities Are Everywhere
"No great man ever complains of want of opportunities."
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Thought For The Day - A Person with a Belief
"One person with a belief is equal to a force of ninety-nine with only interests."
- ~ John Stuart Mill
- ~ John Stuart Mill
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Thought For The Day - New Endings
“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”
--Maria Robinson
--Maria Robinson
Monday, June 21, 2010
Thought For The Day - Be an Excellent Example
"Live life fully while you're here. Experience everything. Take care of yourself and your friends. Have fun, be crazy, be weird. Go out and screw up! You're going to anyway, so you might as well enjoy the process. Take the opportunity to learn from your mistakes: find the cause of your problem and eliminate it. Don't try to be perfect; just be an excellent example of being human."
- - Anthony Robbins
- - Anthony Robbins
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Friday, June 18, 2010
Thought for the Day - You Gotta Work!!!!
"Some people dream of success... while others wake up and work hard at it." ~
You gotta WORK!!!!
You gotta WORK!!!!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Thought For The Day - Challenge Your Limits
Don't limit your challenges, challenge your limit's!"
-- Thanks Sharon
-- Thanks Sharon
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Thought for the Day - A Better Way
"Just because you've been doing the same thing the same way for years, doesn't mean it's right. It just means you're too stubborn to realize there might be a better way."
-- Gary Klavans
-- Gary Klavans
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Thought for the Day - Personal Development
"Personal Development is the place to start if you want your life to work out better."
Monday, June 14, 2010
Thought for the Day - It's a Thin Line Between Success and Failure
"I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."
-- Michael Jordan
-- Michael Jordan
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Saturday, June 12, 2010
John Duffy's Personal Ramblings - The Power of Negative Thinking
I recently was forwarded an article entitled "The Power of Negative Thinking" by Barbara Ehrenreich and was amazed by her attempt to paint "positive thinking" in a simplistic and negative light. She uses loaded adjectives to denigrate positive thinking by calling it; "delusional optimism", " and deluded optimist". She starts out by linking" positive thinking" with "greed and it's crafty sibling, speculation" and blames it for the financial crisis. A pretty extreme attack and devastating if it's true but it's not true and her simplification demonstrates her own bias. She creates straw men to argue against.
She goes own to contrast Calvinist thought as one extreme and "positive thinking" as the other extreme and she offers "realism" as an alternative to both. I think her analysis of both "extremes" are off base, simplistic and hides her point of view.
Ms Ehrenreich is no fan of individualism, capitalism, entrepreneurship, American exceptionalism, success or personal development.
Ms Ehrenreich is a leader of the Democratic Socialist of America. She supports "wealth redistribution" and she doesn't support personal success and personal wealth so it is no surprise that she dislike an optimism that leads to personal success and not so called group "empowerment".
So I say what is realism? Is there a middle ground between the two outlooks of optimism or pessimism? i don't think so. Both optimist and pessimist can be realist. Take a look at an example; If you lose your job you make a realistic assessment that you lost your job. Now what? Do you take an optimistic point of view of a negative point of view about the future and do you get busy turning it around or do you give up. A realistic assessment is a given but optimism or pessimism is a choice that will determine your future results.
Ms Ehrenreich lumps all schools of "positive thinking" together everyone from Oprah, megachurches, Tony Robbins and self-help best sellers. Yet they all have different approaches and perspectives on "positive thinking". I agree with some and disagree with others.
My optimism is always based on a realistic assessment of the situation at hand and a specific plan to achieve the results I am aiming for. I recognize there are no guarantees but I believe there is a solution to every problem and if it isn't the 1st one I try I will keep trying other ones until I achieve a positive outcome.'
My perspective incoporates the good in the Calvinistic hard work ethic together with the the need to make a realistic assesment of the situation and combined with that an optimistic mindset. I prefer to see it as a Optimistic Succcess Mindset.
So Ms Ehrenreich is welcome to her "realism". I will choose optimism over pessimism and realism any day
Read her article and draw your own conclusions.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/opinion/24ehrenreich.html
She goes own to contrast Calvinist thought as one extreme and "positive thinking" as the other extreme and she offers "realism" as an alternative to both. I think her analysis of both "extremes" are off base, simplistic and hides her point of view.
Ms Ehrenreich is no fan of individualism, capitalism, entrepreneurship, American exceptionalism, success or personal development.
Ms Ehrenreich is a leader of the Democratic Socialist of America. She supports "wealth redistribution" and she doesn't support personal success and personal wealth so it is no surprise that she dislike an optimism that leads to personal success and not so called group "empowerment".
So I say what is realism? Is there a middle ground between the two outlooks of optimism or pessimism? i don't think so. Both optimist and pessimist can be realist. Take a look at an example; If you lose your job you make a realistic assessment that you lost your job. Now what? Do you take an optimistic point of view of a negative point of view about the future and do you get busy turning it around or do you give up. A realistic assessment is a given but optimism or pessimism is a choice that will determine your future results.
Ms Ehrenreich lumps all schools of "positive thinking" together everyone from Oprah, megachurches, Tony Robbins and self-help best sellers. Yet they all have different approaches and perspectives on "positive thinking". I agree with some and disagree with others.
My optimism is always based on a realistic assessment of the situation at hand and a specific plan to achieve the results I am aiming for. I recognize there are no guarantees but I believe there is a solution to every problem and if it isn't the 1st one I try I will keep trying other ones until I achieve a positive outcome.'
My perspective incoporates the good in the Calvinistic hard work ethic together with the the need to make a realistic assesment of the situation and combined with that an optimistic mindset. I prefer to see it as a Optimistic Succcess Mindset.
So Ms Ehrenreich is welcome to her "realism". I will choose optimism over pessimism and realism any day
Read her article and draw your own conclusions.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/opinion/24ehrenreich.html
Friday, June 11, 2010
Thought for the Day - Success Mantra
What's your Mantra for life? I have a few that motivate and focus me.
Make Your Life a Masterpiece
Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful
"Today is the day to bring everything you got."
-- John Duffy
Share yours.....
Make Your Life a Masterpiece
Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful
"Today is the day to bring everything you got."
-- John Duffy
Share yours.....
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Thought for the Day - Embrace the Challenges
"The events that challenge us don't decide our destiny. Our destiny is decided by how we embrace and utilize the challenges in our lives".
-- Nathaniel Williams
-- Nathaniel Williams
Wednesday, June 09, 2010
John Duffy's Personal Ramblings - Bucket List # 2 - Where I've been
JD - Life's Bucket List Done To date
This is a work in progress that I will keep updating. I did it to look back to see where I've been so I can see where elese I want to go. It's not complete but it's a snapshot of my life.
Some Highlights - Moments in my Life - A Story of who I was, who I became, turning points, forks in the road and what I've done. Cha Cha Changes.......
Growing Up - South Bronx:
Grew up in Mott Haven section of South Bronx - "One of the poorest areas in America then and now"
Almost got thrown off Willis Ave Bridge between Harlem and Bronx @ Age 13
Dropped Out of High School at age 15
Studied Kung Fu Wu Su @ age 15. became student instructor
Designed and created own pants styles @ age 15
Had a gun put to my head 5 times - never shot
Lower East Side
Lived on 4th St and Ave A in Lower East Side in the 70's
Killed a rat with a stick in my Lower East Side Apartment
Observed the Blackout in 1977 on LES
Education;
Dropped out of HS at age 15
Received GED - General Education Diploma at age 24
Graduated Empire State college with a BA
Attended two years of MA program @ CCNY
Radical Years;
Became a leader in a Maoist Party @ age 25
Led a youth tour to the People's Republic of China in 1978 at age 25
Walked on the Great Wall in 1978
Became an ex-Maoist @ age 28
Working Life:
Worked 1st job as delivery boy @ local grocery @ age 13
Worked in Paint Factory as shipping clerk in the South Bronx
Worked in Chinatown as a shipping clerk
Worked in Post office as a Mail Handler for five years
Worked as a substitute teacher in the Bronx for 3 days
Worked as an Oral History interviewer for Lehman College
Drove a gypsy cab in the Bronx for 1 week - the summer that there was a wave of murders of gypsy cab drivers in the Bronx
Drove a truck for one week
Trained as a phone installer for NY telephone company
Wrote as a Youth Organizer in the Northwest Bronx
Worked as aerobics instructor and salesman for Jack La Lanne for 1 year
Worked as anti-arson organizer with The People's Firehouse in Brooklyn
Worked as a Research interviewer
Worked as a loan office for mortgage company in LA
Worked as a counselor for runaways @ Covenant House in LA
Worked as a overnight counselor at a mental health home
Worked as a counselor at a Food Shelter in South Central LA
Acted in theater, murder mystery dinner theater and films
Worked as a production manager on rap videos
Worked as a rep for music video directors
Worked as a line producer on feature films
Worked as a producer of feature films
Oral History;
Worked as an Oral History Interviewer with Bronx Oral History Project @ Lehman College
Conducted over 12 interviews that are part of Bronx Oral History Collection
Interviewed Oral Historian Studs Terkel
Was interviewed by Studs Terkel and interview appeared in his book "The Great Divide"
Acting;
Acted in Murder Mystery Dinner Theater in LA and Palmdale
Acted in 10 Theatrical Plays in New York and LA
Performed in play based on interviews conducted entitled "The Bronx Speaks Up"
Wrote and performed autobiographical piece entitled "Goodbye My Friend" in honor of friend/girlfriend Cookie who died of AIDS @ LA theater
Acted in over 10 feature and short films
Filmmaking:
Created, Produced and Hosted 12 Public Access Show's "Take Two"
Created, Produced and Hosted 10 Public Access Show's "Bronx to Hollywood"
Filmed and directed documentary "V" about Puerto Rican female basketball player from Far Rockaway, NY
Produced/Line Produced 15 features, 4 shorts, 8 music videos, 2 commercials and training videos
Filmed feature films in South Carolina, Georgia "Who's Your Caddy?" and New Mexico "Unspeakable".
Line Produced a series of training videos with US Marine Corp @ Camp Pendelton, Beuford SC and Quantico VA
Motivation:
Walked across hot coals over a dozen times @ Tony Robbins' Fire-walks
Attended 2 week Tony Robbins Seminars in Maui 2 x
Writing:
Wrote monthly article for Bronx radical newspaper "White Lightning"
Wrote Drama Screenplay "Waiting for Fidel"
Wrote autobiographical theater piece "Goodbye my Friend"
Wrote short film "Goodbye My Friend"
Created and wrote a daily Motivational Blog - "The Glass is 3/4's Full" since 2007
Created and wrote a Irish-American Blob " Duffy Square"
Wrote 1st draft of my memoir "Black irish - Not Your Average White Boy"
Wrote and created Doc series and Non-Fiction Book "American Dreamers'
Family:
Got married in Long Island NY 17 years ago
I held my daughter in my arms and cut her cord when she was born
Attended many Mommy and me groups with my daughter
Rode horses with my 3 year old daughter on top of Hollywood sign
Vacationed with family in Maui
Vacationed with family in Santa Fe New Mexico
Had snowball fights with my daughter in Santa Fe on her first encounter with snow
Attended family reunion in Foxford Ireland St. Patrick's Day 2008
Rode horses with my daughter thru Ashford Castle and the standing sets from John Wayne's "The Quiet Man" 2 separate times.
Read to my daughter almost every night since she was little
Created and wrote in a series of Journals for my daughter that capture the Magic
Travel:
Walked on the Great Wall In PRC in 1978
Traveled and visited the following States: 1. Oregon, 2. Hawaii 3. Nevada 4. New Jersey 5. Connecticut 6. Mass 7. South Carolina 8. Colorado 9. Vermont 10, Mich. 11. Illinois 12. New Mexico 13 Georgia 14. California 15. Penn 16. Utah 17. Texas 18. Ohio 19. Florida 20. Virginia 21. Maryland 22. Indiana 23. Wisconsin 24. Washington and Wash DC and Puerto Rico
Traveled and visited the following Countries: 1. China 2. Yugoslavia 3. Dominican Republic 4. Mexico 5. France 6, Bahamas 7. Canada 8. Ireland 9. Northern Ireland 10. Malta
Visited friend in Dominican Republic and stayed at Casa del Campo Resort
Rowed a row boat in San Francisco Harbor
Vacationed with girlfriend in Puerto Rico
Vacationed with girlfriend in Quebec
Went on Helicopter ride in Maui
Went Scuba Diving in Maui
Scouted for movies in the Bahamas, Eleutria, Tijuana Mexico, Puerto Rico and Vancouver Canada
Stayed @ El Convento Hotel in Old San Juan Puerto Rico
Visited parent's country Ireland 2 times in 3 years reuniting with my Irish family from 5 countries
Stayed in Presidential Suite @ Ashford Castle, Cong, Ireland
Reading:
750 -1,000 Books on
Acting
Film
Memoirs
Fiction
Empowerment/Motivation/Success/leadership/Entrepreneurship/Business
Non-Fiction
Theater:
Saw numerous plays on Broadway and off Broadway including some of the following:
Glen Garry Glenn Ross
Cuba and His Teddy Bear starring Robert Diniro
Contribution:
Volunteered @ Anthony Robbins Foundation Youth leadership Camp
Volunteer @ Operation Gratitude
Public Speaking:
Overcame extreme shyness
Gave 1st public speech in 1970's in Chicago
Spoke of Filmmking Panel for Flash Forward
Gave warm up speeches for sales seminars for Tony Robbin's reps
Joined Toastmaster and gave 3 speeches
Like Helen Keller said "Life is a Daring Adventure or It Is Nothing". My life has been a Daring Adventure and the adventure continues as I continue to create and recreate myself
This is a work in progress that I will keep updating. I did it to look back to see where I've been so I can see where elese I want to go. It's not complete but it's a snapshot of my life.
Some Highlights - Moments in my Life - A Story of who I was, who I became, turning points, forks in the road and what I've done. Cha Cha Changes.......
Growing Up - South Bronx:
Grew up in Mott Haven section of South Bronx - "One of the poorest areas in America then and now"
Almost got thrown off Willis Ave Bridge between Harlem and Bronx @ Age 13
Dropped Out of High School at age 15
Studied Kung Fu Wu Su @ age 15. became student instructor
Designed and created own pants styles @ age 15
Had a gun put to my head 5 times - never shot
Lower East Side
Lived on 4th St and Ave A in Lower East Side in the 70's
Killed a rat with a stick in my Lower East Side Apartment
Observed the Blackout in 1977 on LES
Education;
Dropped out of HS at age 15
Received GED - General Education Diploma at age 24
Graduated Empire State college with a BA
Attended two years of MA program @ CCNY
Radical Years;
Became a leader in a Maoist Party @ age 25
Led a youth tour to the People's Republic of China in 1978 at age 25
Walked on the Great Wall in 1978
Became an ex-Maoist @ age 28
Working Life:
Worked 1st job as delivery boy @ local grocery @ age 13
Worked in Paint Factory as shipping clerk in the South Bronx
Worked in Chinatown as a shipping clerk
Worked in Post office as a Mail Handler for five years
Worked as a substitute teacher in the Bronx for 3 days
Worked as an Oral History interviewer for Lehman College
Drove a gypsy cab in the Bronx for 1 week - the summer that there was a wave of murders of gypsy cab drivers in the Bronx
Drove a truck for one week
Trained as a phone installer for NY telephone company
Wrote as a Youth Organizer in the Northwest Bronx
Worked as aerobics instructor and salesman for Jack La Lanne for 1 year
Worked as anti-arson organizer with The People's Firehouse in Brooklyn
Worked as a Research interviewer
Worked as a loan office for mortgage company in LA
Worked as a counselor for runaways @ Covenant House in LA
Worked as a overnight counselor at a mental health home
Worked as a counselor at a Food Shelter in South Central LA
Acted in theater, murder mystery dinner theater and films
Worked as a production manager on rap videos
Worked as a rep for music video directors
Worked as a line producer on feature films
Worked as a producer of feature films
Oral History;
Worked as an Oral History Interviewer with Bronx Oral History Project @ Lehman College
Conducted over 12 interviews that are part of Bronx Oral History Collection
Interviewed Oral Historian Studs Terkel
Was interviewed by Studs Terkel and interview appeared in his book "The Great Divide"
Acting;
Acted in Murder Mystery Dinner Theater in LA and Palmdale
Acted in 10 Theatrical Plays in New York and LA
Performed in play based on interviews conducted entitled "The Bronx Speaks Up"
Wrote and performed autobiographical piece entitled "Goodbye My Friend" in honor of friend/girlfriend Cookie who died of AIDS @ LA theater
Acted in over 10 feature and short films
Filmmaking:
Created, Produced and Hosted 12 Public Access Show's "Take Two"
Created, Produced and Hosted 10 Public Access Show's "Bronx to Hollywood"
Filmed and directed documentary "V" about Puerto Rican female basketball player from Far Rockaway, NY
Produced/Line Produced 15 features, 4 shorts, 8 music videos, 2 commercials and training videos
Filmed feature films in South Carolina, Georgia "Who's Your Caddy?" and New Mexico "Unspeakable".
Line Produced a series of training videos with US Marine Corp @ Camp Pendelton, Beuford SC and Quantico VA
Motivation:
Walked across hot coals over a dozen times @ Tony Robbins' Fire-walks
Attended 2 week Tony Robbins Seminars in Maui 2 x
Writing:
Wrote monthly article for Bronx radical newspaper "White Lightning"
Wrote Drama Screenplay "Waiting for Fidel"
Wrote autobiographical theater piece "Goodbye my Friend"
Wrote short film "Goodbye My Friend"
Created and wrote a daily Motivational Blog - "The Glass is 3/4's Full" since 2007
Created and wrote a Irish-American Blob " Duffy Square"
Wrote 1st draft of my memoir "Black irish - Not Your Average White Boy"
Wrote and created Doc series and Non-Fiction Book "American Dreamers'
Family:
Got married in Long Island NY 17 years ago
I held my daughter in my arms and cut her cord when she was born
Attended many Mommy and me groups with my daughter
Rode horses with my 3 year old daughter on top of Hollywood sign
Vacationed with family in Maui
Vacationed with family in Santa Fe New Mexico
Had snowball fights with my daughter in Santa Fe on her first encounter with snow
Attended family reunion in Foxford Ireland St. Patrick's Day 2008
Rode horses with my daughter thru Ashford Castle and the standing sets from John Wayne's "The Quiet Man" 2 separate times.
Read to my daughter almost every night since she was little
Created and wrote in a series of Journals for my daughter that capture the Magic
Travel:
Walked on the Great Wall In PRC in 1978
Traveled and visited the following States: 1. Oregon, 2. Hawaii 3. Nevada 4. New Jersey 5. Connecticut 6. Mass 7. South Carolina 8. Colorado 9. Vermont 10, Mich. 11. Illinois 12. New Mexico 13 Georgia 14. California 15. Penn 16. Utah 17. Texas 18. Ohio 19. Florida 20. Virginia 21. Maryland 22. Indiana 23. Wisconsin 24. Washington and Wash DC and Puerto Rico
Traveled and visited the following Countries: 1. China 2. Yugoslavia 3. Dominican Republic 4. Mexico 5. France 6, Bahamas 7. Canada 8. Ireland 9. Northern Ireland 10. Malta
Visited friend in Dominican Republic and stayed at Casa del Campo Resort
Rowed a row boat in San Francisco Harbor
Vacationed with girlfriend in Puerto Rico
Vacationed with girlfriend in Quebec
Went on Helicopter ride in Maui
Went Scuba Diving in Maui
Scouted for movies in the Bahamas, Eleutria, Tijuana Mexico, Puerto Rico and Vancouver Canada
Stayed @ El Convento Hotel in Old San Juan Puerto Rico
Visited parent's country Ireland 2 times in 3 years reuniting with my Irish family from 5 countries
Stayed in Presidential Suite @ Ashford Castle, Cong, Ireland
Reading:
750 -1,000 Books on
Acting
Film
Memoirs
Fiction
Empowerment/Motivation/Success/leadership/Entrepreneurship/Business
Non-Fiction
Theater:
Saw numerous plays on Broadway and off Broadway including some of the following:
Glen Garry Glenn Ross
Cuba and His Teddy Bear starring Robert Diniro
Contribution:
Volunteered @ Anthony Robbins Foundation Youth leadership Camp
Volunteer @ Operation Gratitude
Public Speaking:
Overcame extreme shyness
Gave 1st public speech in 1970's in Chicago
Spoke of Filmmking Panel for Flash Forward
Gave warm up speeches for sales seminars for Tony Robbin's reps
Joined Toastmaster and gave 3 speeches
Like Helen Keller said "Life is a Daring Adventure or It Is Nothing". My life has been a Daring Adventure and the adventure continues as I continue to create and recreate myself
Thought for the Day - The Measure of Greatness
"Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability."
-~ John Wooden
-~ John Wooden
Tuesday, June 08, 2010
Thought for the Day - Do Not Fear Risks
“Do not fear risk. All exploration, all growth is calculated. Without challenge people cannot reach their higher selves. Only if we are willing to walk over the edge can we become winners.”
- Unknown
- Unknown
Monday, June 07, 2010
Thought for the Day - Step to it
" When you try to dodge ownership of a problem, when you try to hide from responsibility, life will give you ownership and responsibility the hard way. "
-- Peggy Noonan
This is so true. I have experienced in my life and seen it happen too many times. It takes courage but you need to take ownership of a problem and get to work changing it....
-- Peggy Noonan
This is so true. I have experienced in my life and seen it happen too many times. It takes courage but you need to take ownership of a problem and get to work changing it....
Sunday, June 06, 2010
Saturday, June 05, 2010
Friday, June 04, 2010
Thought for the Day - It's About Character
“Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy.”
-– Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf.
-– Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf.
Thursday, June 03, 2010
Thought for the Day - Difference That Leads to Greatness
"The difference between great people and everyone else is that great people create their lives actively, while everyone else is created by their lives, passively waiting to see where life takes them next. The difference between the two is the difference between living fully and just existing."
~ - Michael E. Gerber
~ - Michael E. Gerber
Wednesday, June 02, 2010
Thought for the Day - Adversity is a Teacher
"Give advice; if people don't listen, let adversity teach them”
--Ethiopian Proverb
--Ethiopian Proverb
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
Thought for the Day - Motivation Doesn't Last
"People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing — that's why we recommend it daily."
— Zig Ziglar
— Zig Ziglar
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