Thought for the Day - Don't Try Do!

"Try not. DO. Or Do Not. There is no try."

--Yoda

Thought for the Day - It's How You Make People Feel

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what
you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

--Maya Angelou

Thought For the Day - It's About the Journey

"What you get by reaching your destination is not nearly as important as what you became during the journey."

Thought for the Day - Make Someone Feel Important

"Pretend that every single person you meet has a sign around his or her neck that says, Make Me Feel Important. Not only will you succeed in sales, you will succeed in life.”

--Mary Kay Ash

Thought for the Day - Decide!!!!!

‎"The indispensible first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: decide what you want"

-- Ben Stein

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos # 2 - My Way

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos # 1 - That's Life

Saturday's Motivational Video - 5 Extraordinaries

Thought For the Day - Be a Conversationalist

"A gossip talks to you about others. A bore talks to you about himself. A brilliant conversationalist talks to you about yourself. "

--W King

Thought for the Day - Deliver More Than You Promise

"Leaders who win respect... deliver more than they promise, not promise more than they can deliver."

- -Mark A Clement

Thought For The Day - Leaders Do

"Critics talk. Leaders do."

-- Robin Sharma

Thought For The Day - Life Is About Becoming

" Leadership (and life) is not an exercise in getting but in becoming."

-- Robin Sharma

Thought For The Day - There's Greatness in You

"Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them."

... Les Brown

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos # 2 - Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos # 1 - Remember Who We Are

9/11 - Never Forget - 9 Years Ago

Sept 11, 2001, My city New York and my country America was attacked. I took it personal as I believe many of us did. It changed me profoundly forever. I came back to New York City from Los Angeles where I live today and visited Ground Zero that December and I felt the incredible loss and pain but also saw the strength and resilience of Americans and especially my fellow New Yorkers. Hard to believe it has been nine years ago......

There were a total of 2,977 deaths. The victims were distributed as follows: 246 on the four planes (from which there were no survivors), 2,606 in New York City in the towers and on the ground, and 125 at the Pentagon.

More than 90 countries lost citizens in the attacks on the World Trade Center

I personally will never forget and hope we always remember....

I have made it a habit to attend a commemoration event on Sept 11 every year since 2002.

And to be clear on this 9/11 I must say it. I have no animosity towards any race or religion and how I lived and live my life is a reflection of that but like most New Yorkers and Americans I am opposed to the Ground Zero Islamic Center/Mosque.

And the time is way overdue to Build the 9/11 Memorial and Rebuild the WTC.....

Tribute to all the victims of 9/11

Thought For the Day - Inspire People with Your Actions

"Whether you pursue your GREATNESS today, next week, or in 10 years is totally up to YOU. Do NOT attribute your lack of action to something or someone outside of yourself. YOU make it happen. So GET BUSY!"

-- Les Brown

John Duffy's Personal Ramblings - "Life's Biggest Debt"

The question posed isn't "Should you repay the debt but how do you repay the debt?'. That was the opening of a speech last nigh at my local Toastmaster's group.

The speaker was a visitor, a young man from Toastmaster's in Saudi Arabia. He went on to tell a story and touch everyone's hearts speaking about the debt we owe our parents. He talked about how our parents and parents give us life and then give us their life. He spoke about wrestling with understanding the debt we owe our parents and how do we repay it.

He shared a personal tale of discovering his young son had Asperger's Syndrome and doing everything in his power to allow his son to communicate and finally making a breakthrough. He told us how he discovered the answer to his opening question when his son was able to communicate and told him one night, "Daddy I love you." He discovered in that moment that parents need to know that their children are safe and that you appreciate what they have given you.

He ended with a call of action to reach out that night and tell your parents you are safe and you love them.

He brought a deeper message of how we are all the same all over the world and we want the same things. A powerful message of appreciation of our parents and love from a young Toastmaster from Saudi Arabia.

John Duffy

Thought For The Day - Life is a Gift

‎"Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more."

-~ Anthony Robbins

Thought For The Day - Making the Impossible Happen

"Leadership is the art of making the impossible the inevitable."

-- robin Sharma

Thought For the Day - Flexibility Is Necessary

"Flexibility in a time of great change is a vital quality of leadership."

-- Brian Tracy

Thought for the Day - Playing the Hand Dealt You

"t's worth reminding you that just because Fate doesn't deal you the right cards, it doesn't mean you should give up. It just means you have to PLAY the cards you get to their MAXIMUM potential.{"

-- Les Brown

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos # 2 - Stillness of Heart

Thanks Sharon

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos # 1 - Calling All Angels

John Duffy's Personal Ramblings - "You Got to Work"

"Life is a daring adventure or it is nothing".

-- Helen Keller

Looking back on my life I have been very creative in finding a way to survive. I was always looking for a better way and a way to improve myself. I was clearly working hard for the money.

I got my first job as a grocery clerk/delivery boy when I was fourteen years old. I quit high school a year later . It seemed like the best option at the time.

I would go on to hold many, many jobs in my life as I tried to craft a life. Here are many of the jobs I've held in a somewhat chronological order:

Grocery Store Clerk
Paint Factory Worker
Truck Driver
Cab Driver
Shipping Clerk
Telemarketer
Oral History Interviewer
Postal Worker - Mail Handler
Substitute Teacher
Research Interviewer
Youth Organizer
Community Organizer
Aerobics Instructor
Health Club Salesman
Arson Prevention Organizer
Actor
Commercial Acting Instructor
Mortgage Loan Agent
Counselor - Runaways
Mental Health Counselor
Production Mager- Rap Video Co.
Director's Rep
Motivational l Sales Rep
Line Producer
Producer


I'm still moving forward, still exploring new possibilities and opportunities and I believe my best days are still ahead of me......

Saturday's Motivational Video - Overcoming Obstacles

Thought for the Day - Time is Precious

"Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it, you can never get it back."

-Harvey Mackay

Thought for the Day - You Have to Be

"You have to be before you can do, and you have to do before you can have."

--Zig Ziglar

Thought For the Day - Don't Be Someone's Option

‎"Never allow someone to be your priority while allowing yourself to be their option”

--Alexia Melocchi

Thought For the Day - Cheer the Doer and the Achievers

‎"It is time for us all to stand and cheer for the doer, the achiever - the one who recognizes the challenges and does something about it."
~ Vince Lombardi
Thanks Jason c. Allen

Thought For the Day - Are You Feeling Lucky?

"The harder I work, the luckier I get"

--Arnold Palmer

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos # 2 - Only The Strong Survive

Another song from my youth. The Philly sound....

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos # 1 - Coney Island Baby

Songs from my youth....

Saturday's Motivational Video - Success Principles

Thought For the Day - Do You Have Passion

"The Greeks didn't write obituaries. When a man died, they asked only one question: Did he have passion? "

- John Cusak in the movie Serendipity

Thought For the Day - Dare or Not to Dare

"To dare is to lose one's footing momentarily. To not dare is to lose oneself."

-- Soren Kierkegaard

Thought For the Day - Our Resilience Makes Us Strong

"No one's life is a smooth sail; we all come into stormy weather. But it's this adversity -- and more specifically, our resilience -- that makes us strong and successful."

-- Tony Robbins

Thought For the Day - The Courage to Continue

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."

~ -Churchill

Thought For the Day - Share your stories

“There are a thousand thoughts lying within a man that he does not know till he takes up a pen to write.”

~ William Makepeace Thackeray

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos # 2 - Breath

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos # 1 - Feels So Good

Saturday's Motivational Video - Never Ever Give Up in Life

Thought For the Day - You Haven't Exhausted All Possibilities

"When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this. You haven't."

-– Thomas Edison

Thought For the Day - Rise Above the Challenges

"Despite all the adversity... We still rise above all the challenges"

Thought For the Day - Circumstances Reveal

"Circumstances don't make a man, they reveal him."

What are your circumstance revealing about you?

John Duffy's Personal Ramblings - Taking Up the Pen... Cont...

Yesterday I sat in Starbucks rereading "Writing Life Stories" for the 3rd time and writing in my journal. I observed this guy enter and this is what I wrote as I watched him....

Men and Cellphones

"He throws his book down to reserve a comfortable chair and reaches for the bathroom door. It is occupied. He immediately takes out his Blackberry and looks at it to fill the moment before the door opens. He has nothing new on it and he knew that before he took it out so he puts it back and waits for the door to open. The door opens and he immediately takes out his Blackberry again with one one hand while reaching for the open door with the other and enters the bathroom while looking down at his Blackberry. There still isn't anything new on it......"

John Duffy

Thought For the Day - Guarantees

"There are no guarantees in life. If you're looking for a guarantee buy an electrical appliance."

Thanks Pattie Villanueva

John Duffy's Personal Ramblings - Coincidence or a Message

Yesterday when i was leaving my friends pool party I saw a license plate frame that said " Winners Find a Way", today as I was getting my tires replaced a guy walked by with a t-shirt that said "I'm Resolute" and then I went in to Starbucks and a guy sat in front of me and opened his computer and the screen saver was " Dream Big" and a Eagle. The saying under it was " Your attitude not your aptitude will determine your altitude" -- Zig Ziglar.

Okay all these positive message could be coincidental or just a reflection that those are the messages I uphold in my life so I am aware of them or maybe a little message from the universe to step up even more and keep moving in the direction I am headed boldly. Or maybe all of the above but I will choose to take the most empowering explanation and run with that..... Boldly of course....'

John Duffy

Thought For the Day - Personal Initiative

You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away people’s initiative and independence.
You cannot help people permanently by doing for them,
what they could and should do for themselves.

-- Reverend William John Henry Boetcker

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos # 2 - Another Brick in the Wall

A contemporary take on Pink Floyd. A call for freedom...

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos # 1 - New York State Of Mind

John Duffy's Personal Ramblings - Take Up the Pen

There are a thousand thoughts lying within a man that he does not know till he takes up a pen to write.”

=~ William Makepeace Thackeray

I come back from my trip to Ireland inspired to take up the pen and continue writing my memoir and get busy on a screenplay that has been waiting to come out for a long time.

I was further fired up by my conversation with author James Hayes and both his philosophy and discipline of writing.

I also just checked out a blog by the author of " A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" and I like how he uses his blog to create his next book. I may borrow that technique as well.

So I begin to read memoirs again and I begin to write. There are stories to be be told and stories to be lived......

John Duffy

Saturday's Motivational Video - Inspirational Story

Thought For the Day - Too Determined to be Defeated

A friend posted this and I echo the sentiments...
Thanks Pattie

Thought For the Day - Life is a Daring Adventure

" “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. To keep our faces toward change and behave like free spirits in the presence of fate is strength undefeatable.”."

-- Helen Keller

Yes it is and I just returned from another daring adventure to Ireland. I will share in the coming days....

Sunday's Eclectic Music Video's # 2 - Film ireland

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos #1 - Danny Boy

My last day in ireland so I post a couple of final Irish songs....

Saturday's Motivation Video

Thought For the Day - Take the Chance - Become a Rose

It’s the heart afraid of breaking
That never learns to dance
It’s the dream afraid of waking
That never takes the chance
.....

Lies the seed that with the sun’s love,
In the spring, becomes a rose.

The Rose

Thought For the Day - Leaders Serve

" Remember that a leaders job is to serve.My motto is "Help Other People Every Day' (HOPE)."

--Sam Duncan

Thought For the Day - Cut the Puppet Strings

"Cut the puppet strings. Don't let circumstances control your thinking."

-- John Assaraf

Thought For the Day - Leadership

Leaders start b by getting "the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus, and the right people in the right seats... and then they figure out where to drive it."

--Jim Collins - "Good to Great"

Thought For the Day - Cleaning the Pool

"Are you cleaning the pool or pissing in the pool?"

--Unknown

How are you showing up in the your life and in the world?

Sunday's Eclectic Music Video's # 2 - U2

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos # 1 - One

I'm still travelling in Ireland so here is some U2

Saturday's Motivational Video - Irish Speakers

I'm still in Ireland on the West coast staying in Foxford, County Mayo. So today I share an irish motivational video...

Thought For the Day - Character

"Character is the result of two things: mental attitude and the way we spend our time."

--Elbert Hubbard

Thought For the Day - Be the Man You Want To Be

"A time comes when you need to stop waiting for the man you want to become and start being the man you want to be."

-- Bruce Springsten

Thought For the Day - Do It Right Now

"If you aren't doing it right now, it's probably not going to happen."

-- Marshall Goldsmith

Thought For the Day - Seize Occasions and Make Them Great

"Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great. Weak men wait for opportunities,s strong men make them."

-- Orison Swett Marden 1850-1924

Thought For the Day - Lot's of People Know What to Do

"Lots of people know what to do do, but unless you do what you know what to do, then what you know what to do won't do. So do whatever it is!!"

-- John E Regan

Sunday's Eclectic Music Video # 2 - Kíla - Tóg é go bog é

Kíla - Tóg é go bog é



Here's one in Gaelic

Sunday's Eclectic Music Video # 1 - Once

The next 2 weeks eclectic music videos will be Irish music as I travel in ireland visiting family and meeting new friends.

Saturday's Motivational Video - Irish Motivators

It's only appropriate that I post videos from Irish motivators as I will be travelling in Ireland for the next 2 weeks,

John Duffy's Personal Ramblings - Ireland Trip

We leave today for a flight to Dublin and a drive across Ireland to County Mayo on the West Coast of Ireland. I am making my 3rd trip to Ireland to visit my family in Glanduff on the West Coast of Ireland. Since I have been connected with my family I have made it a must to connect my family and daughter with her family in Ireland and around the world. I am so blessed to find my family and to be able to visit and discover my history and roots.....

Thought For the Day - What's Most Important in Life

"If you have your health and piece of dry bread life is good"

-- My Aunt Maggie O'Donnell - Age 97 - From the mountains in Rosskey, Ireland.

I repost this as I take another journey to Ireland to see my Aunt Maggie and all my relatives. I totally agree with her. What's most important in life. Your health, your survival, your family, your friends and your purpose.

Thoughts For the Day - Pursue Your Destiny

“As long as we are persistence in our pursuit of our deepest destiny, we will continue to grow. We cannot choose the day or time when we will fully bloom. It happens in its own time.”

-- Denis Waitley

Thought For the Day - Winners keep Commitments

“Losers make promises they often break. Winners make commitments they always keep.”

-- Denis Waitley

Thought For the Day - Rise Above the Challenges

‎"Despite all the adversity... We still rise above all the challenges."

--Unknown

Or maybe because of the adversity it makes us stronger and more capable. My life has been full of adversity and I don't believe I would wish for anything different. I've always liked the quote "the stronger the wind the stronger the trees." I don't look for a life without problems, challenges and adversity but use them as a well to grow stronger and overcome them.

John Duffy

Thought For the Day - Movie of Your Life

"One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure its worth watching."


-- Peter S Parker

Sunday's Eclectic Music Video # 2 - B.o.B - Airplanes ft. Hayley Williams of Paramore [Official Music Video]

Sunday's Eclectic Music Video # 1- Skies Wide Open

Saturday's Motivational Video - Daniel Pink

Thought For The Day - Write The Story of Your Life

"We all write our own life story scripts and what happens between FADE IN and FADE OUT is up to ourselves."

--Timo Koivusalo

Thought For the Day - Positive Thinking

"Positive thinking won't let you do anything. But it will help you do everything better than negative thinking will"

-- Zig Ziglar

Thought for the Day - Success Is Being in the Game

" Success isn't being ahead at the final buzzer. Success is being in the game."

-- Magic Johnson

Thought For the Day - Responsibility

"The turning point for me ... was realizing I was responsible for my own life"

-- Brian Tracy

My turning point was at a Tony Robbins seminar in 1989 when I realized the same exact thing. I was 100% responsible for my life and the results I was getting. My life changed for the better when I understood that and made the shift in how I showed up in life.

John Duffy

Thought For The Day - Personal Reinvention

"It's never too late to reinvent yourself."

John Duffy

I've done it a few times in my life and I have a couple more that I'm working on. How can you reinvent yourself?

Sunday's Eclectic Music Video # 2 - Girl Like You

Brings back memories of another time and place.....

Sunday's Eclectic Music Video's #1 - Rocky

Saturday's Motivational Video - Chris Gardner

Thought For the Day - Wish You Were Better

Don't wish it were easier . . . wish you were better

Thought For Day - You Can Always Turn It Around

"Every passing minute is another chance to turn it all around"

-- Penelope Cruz in ' 'Vanilla Sky'

Thought For The Day - What's Impossible?

"Impossible is not a fact..it's an opinion. What's impossible only remains so until someone finds a way do what others are sure can't be done".

--Tony Robbins

Thought For The Day - Time is Limited

"Time is limited, so I better wake up every morning fresh and know that I have just one chance to live this particular day right, and to string my days together into a life of action, and purpose."

- - Lance Armstrong

Thought For The Day - Courage

Courage does not always roar. Sometimes courage is that quiet voice at the end of the day that says...I will try again tomorrow."

-~Mary Anne Radmacher

Happy 4th of July

I celebrate this 4th of July appreciating the privilege of living in a free country. My parents both sailed past the Statue of Liberty on their way to Ellis Island in 1928 from Ireland. They came to America for a better life and gave their children that dream. I'm proud to be an American - not perfect by a long shot but still the greatest place in the world to live. Take a moment to reflect on all the blessings we have and rediscover the greatness of America. Our Declaration of Independence - life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness sums it up....

Happy 4th of July.

Saturday's Motivational Videos

I just had to post this again....

Thought For the Day - Step Up

"There are no classes in life for beginners: right away you are always asked to deal with what is most difficult."

--Rainer Maria Rilke

Thought for the Day - Daily Improvement

"Every day do something that will inch you closer to a better tomorrow."

-- Doug Firebaugh

I say always commit to Daily Improvement or DI.

John Duffy