Lighten Up and Toughen Up

 " We should realize how relatively easy our lives are, and rejoice in the blessings God has provided."

     There are two attitudes toward life that I think are paramount for Leaders, especially in our modern, pampered times, The are ;  

1. Lighten up
2. Toughen up. 

     There is nothing more off-putting then a person who takes him or herself too seriously.   One of my favorite phrases is, "Take everything seriously except yourself." People can easily get a little to "heavy" with the bearing of their burdens. Remember: everyone has problems. No body's health is perfect. No body's relationships are all perfect. Nobody has it made. You shouldn't be surprised when you don't, either. So lighten up a little bit, and work on your attitude. Become more fun to be around. Look at the bright side of things. Find the silver lining in every storm cloud. Trust me: you will be remembered for how well or poorly you do this. People flock to those who are positive, full of enthusiasm, and large on life. They run from the dour, sour, complaining, serious, "realistic" types. So make your choice to lighten up.

    Also, there are few sights More pathetic than a person having a pity party. For the most part, the people walking the earth today have more blessings, better health care, better nutrition, better shelter, longer life expectancy, more opportunities, easier travel, more time-saving devices, etc., then anybody has ever had before, including kings of the highest power. (This is not to downplay the condition of those who are truly suffering from the absence of even the basic necessities of life. But most people reading this are not of that category, but rather, are blessed beyond description.) We should realize how relatively easy our lives are, and rejoice in the blessings God has provided. This out to toughen us through our challenges, give us the proper perspective, and make us stronger. Nobody likes a wimp.

     There you have it: two of my favorite admonishments. As you make your way through your day today, ask yourself, "How Can I both lighten up and toughen up?"  

Chris Brady in LIFE Book.  

Here is a great example of Lightening up.

• We should realize how relatively easy our lives are, and rejoice in the blessings God has provided. 

Who is your worst critic? Is it you?

Don't be your own worst critic; there are plenty of other people willing to fill that position."

     Maybe you aren't the best at what you do. Don't let that get you down, only one person can be the best at any endeavor. The real question is, "Are you getting better?"   The key is to keep growing, striving to become better, personally and professionally, at whatever God has called you to do. Many people become their own worst critics, beating themselves up mentally, anguishing over lost opportunities; but you cannot change the past. Stop looking in the rear-view mirror while attempting to move forward. Leaders learn from the past, act in the present, and accomplish in the future. Most people suffer from analysis paralysis, dwelling on the past, but not acting in the present. Remember, it's called the Book of Acts in the Bible because the apostles acted on the message, not just thought about it. You cannot seize your future until you are willing to let go of your past. Examine your past, looking at the good, the bad , and the ugly, pondering what better choices could have been made, learning the lessons, but then moving on. When you stop being your own worst critic, leaving the past in the past, achieving successes like never before, someone else will volunteer to fill the critic's position. Like the old saying goes, "The higher you climb the ladder of success, the more your butt is exposed."

• Once someone loses belief in his ability to achieve something, he loses the drive to attempt it."
• All people respond to challenges creatively- some think up solutions, others think up excuses."
• Most people wear themselves out thinking about doing the work instead of just doing it."
• If you want to move on in life, replace bad habits that hold you back with better ones that propel you forward- Give up to go up!"

From the LIFE Book. 

How important to success is focus?

 SUCCESS IS THE PRODUCT OF MANY COMPONENTS, OF WHICH ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT IS FOCUS. 

      We can do many things in our lives, but we can't do everything. We can have wide interests, and to a certain extent that is good and healthy, but we shouldn't dissipate our true well of talent on too many endeavors. If genius like that of a Leonardo is wasted by too broad a stroke, then what happens to those of us who are less well endowed? As Leonardo himself wrote, "As a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand, so every mind divided among different studies is confused and weakened."
   I would posit that the less talented we are, the more focused we must be. Even the least talented can accomplish grandiose achievements if applying themselves ferociously, consistently, and with enough focus over time. In fact, it seems that often the greatest accomplishments go to those who actually aren't all that talented, but retain just this one last shred of talent: the ability to focus intensely and over the long term. 

Quotes; 

•  You can tell the size of a person by the way he treats people who cannot help him.
• You must be willing to give up what you are, to become what you want to be.
• Encouragement is the grease in the wheels of a Team.
• Champions do consistently what others do sporadically.

Taken From LIFE Book

Focus by Curtis Spolar. 

Today's Leadership quotes,

• "But is the word used before you rationalize why the situation is not your fault nor responsibility."
• Everyone deals with the problems of life, but remember the goal is to solve them to get new ones."
• Discipline is a given; the choice is whether it is applied internally or externally."
• The ability to focus is the key separation point between those who move ahead and those who fall behind."
• There are many shortcuts to failure, but there are no shortcuts to true success."
• Great leaders are hard on themselves and easy on others."
• Success is on the other side of your comfort zone."

Taken From LIFE Book

How much does a bad attitude cost?

 Negative Attitude ... Workplace stress costs U.S. employers an estimated $200 billion per year in absen teeism, lower productivity, staff turnover, workers' compensation, medical insur ance and other stress-related expenses. Considering this, stress management may be business's most important challenge of the 21st century.

      When it comes down to it, people with bad attitudes just don't have a proper perspective on things. Wisdom comes from examined experience, reading the scriptures, prayer, and study. Unfortunately, most people partake in none of these. They assign blame to others for their failures instead of learning the lessons those failures have to teach. They don't pray, they don;t read god books and they certainly don't read the Bible. Being uninformed, they see fit to take only their own counsel on matters in life, and amplify their incorrect conclusions through their bad attitude. At this point, the rest of us are allowed to share in it!

 From the book Leadership & Liberty.

Leadership & Liberty: Pieces of the Puzzle by Chris Brady and Orrin Woodward

This book is designed to build upon Launching a Leadership Revolution and Leadership Tidbits and Treasures by not only reviewing timeless leadership principles, but by focusing them upon leadership as applied by the concepts of liberty and freedom, and specifically to winning back much of what has been lost in our lands.  Our intent is that this book will not only inform and educate, but equip leaders both new and experienced alike, to make an increasing difference in the fight for the first principles of freedom.  As Thomas Jefferson wrote, "If a nation expects to be ignorant and free...it expects what never was and will never be.

 

     "Attitude is re framing the thinking about the events in your life to empower you towards victory, instead of dis empowering you towards defeat." Orrin Woodward. 

Don't make a habit of quiting.

Quitting is a permenent solution to a temporary problem.

Do You know your purpose?

Without God, Life has no purpose, and without purpose, life has no meaning. Without meaning, life has no significance or hope. 

The Greatest tragedy is not death, but life without purpose.