Categories
motivation

Start Small to Achieve Big Things

Cartoon of two babies. One says, "My first birthday is next week. Talk about pressure!"

My featured cartoon reminds me that one person’s challenge is a cinch to another. After a few decades of birthdays, I have no problem with facing another. But I remember how overwhelming that first birthday party was for my kids. It was quite the big deal! They acted as if it was their first debut to the entire world!

If you are doing anything of value, if you are working with people, things or ideas today, if you are growing at all, you will be under some pressure. How do you build yourself up so that when the big pressures come you are ready?

I began to write this blog daily because I wanted to hone my writing skills. I enjoy writing. If I want to tackle larger projects later, it’s good to keep writing daily and consistently.

I learned to do this when I trained for half-marathons and my first marathon. In order to run 26.2 miles, you need to start small and work your miles up. Eventually, I worked up to the goal.

You may have a goal or a challenge that is facing you today. It may seem too insurmountable to conquer. Start out by taking on the small challenge. Work yourself up to the larger one. One day, you may be surprised how far you have come.

Categories
motivation wisdom

Getting Wisdom and Understanding

There is a big difference between believing you’ve gotten wisdom, and continually seeking wisdom. The minute you think you’ve arrived, that you’ve learned all you need to learn, then you become less and less wise.

Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.

Proverbs 4:7 NLT

There is always something new to learn. I have discovered I may have to relearn the same lesson from weeks, or even years ago. There may be a subtle insight to that lesson. Because I can never fully know every angle of a lesson, new understanding can transform what I thought was rock-solid truth.

Preconceived notions can backfire if you aren’t always willing to learn. Make sure you are getting wisdom and not believe you got wisdom a long time ago. You never know what new insight will transform the way you see and do things.

Categories
motivation

How to Succeed by Disappointing Someone

Cartoon of a man pointing his finger at a cat. He says, "Why must your species be so perfidious?" When is saw this on the word of the day for dictionary.com, I thought of cats. Not my cat, mind you. But everyone has seen a deceitful, treacherous cat. Thank heavens my cat thinks he's a dog.

Over the years, I have owned cats and dogs. Dogs can be easier to handle because all they want to do is please their owner. However, I have admired cats over the years because of their determination. If they want to climb the drapes, they are going to do it, by golly! If you don’t want a cat on the table, just watch them try to get up there. They’ll find a creative way to sneak up there. Dogs are people pleasers. But cats are goal-setters.

There are times when we need to do both. However, if you have a goal that is going to ruffle some feathers, you will disappoint someone. Some people don’t like change no matter how beneficial it could be. Others are simply not going to see things your way.

In order to make effective change, you are going to disappoint someone. There is no need to be perfidious, but there will be a need to hold your ground when you have a goal or initiative that will bring great results in the long run.

Be like a dog when you need to be friendly and social. Be like a cat when you have a goal that you know must be attained.

Categories
education motivation

Feeding on Trash

Illustration of man about to empty a box of trash. He looks overwhelmed by a huge, full trash can.

We hear all the time about physical nutrition. We are told to avoid junk food if we want our bodies to be strong and to fight off disease. But we don’t hear near enough about mental nutrition. 

A wise person is hungry for knowledge, while the fool feeds on trash.

Proverbs 15:14

What we put into our minds is every bit as important as what we feed our bodies. In fact, our mental well-being can also affect our physical health.

Let’s be sure we are feeding ourselves good knowledge and encouraging information. Beware of mental junk food!

Categories
Attitude motivation

Each Heart Knows Its Own Bitterness

Cartoon of a woman and guy with a turtle shell in a restaurant

Empathy is hard. Nobody truly knows what another person is going through. We can’t fully know a person’s past. We can’t fully know what a person is going through at home and what events have shaped their view of the world.

Yet, empathy is so crucial because it gives us a moment to consider the other person isn’t exactly like you. Otherwise, it is tempting to write off a person. If we don’t consider the other person’s point of view, we can think they’re being unreasonable and silly.

Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can fully share its joy.

Proverbs 14:10

No person is truly like me. I come from a small hometown. Only three other people grew up in the same household as me. None of them went to the same college, lived in the same places and worked at the same workplaces. Nobody else has had the same lovely wife and kids. My life and experiences are unique, and so are yours. So how can I expect you to see things exactly the way I do?

Empathy is difficult. But it is so key in getting a glimpse of how the other person sees and reacts to the world.