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.

Categories
motivation

Teach us to Number Our Dog Days.

I had to put my dog to sleep last week. We found out she had a mass on her spleen and it was about to rupture. She was thirteen. That’s 91 in dog years. So she had a pretty good life. Today’s featured cartoon was based on our little, sassy dog. I miss that pooch!

Last Tuesday morning, things appeared fine. We took our walk and she got her treat just like any other day. When I came home that evening, I could tell something was wrong. She acted like she couldn’t move. She appeared alarmed and in discomfort. Within twenty-four hours, she was gone.

We like to make our plans. Many times, we procrastinate with those plans and put things off to another day. But we aren’t guaranteed any days. I think of that whenever I hear of the passing of someone my age, or even younger than me.

Make the most of today, my friends. Because we just don’t know how many dog days we have left. After all, the dog days of summer are gone and it is already autumn.

Categories
motivation

How to Be Authentic Without Whining

Cartoon of a runner shouting, "Just keep running!"
Copyright ©2017 Kevin Spear

We all go through stuff. We all struggle once in a while. When we do, the temptation is to put on the facade and smile. We say we’re fine when we feel like we’re dying inside. We don’t want to burden people with our problems.

As a result, we may project this image of being a super person when we struggle just like everyone else. Then when someone else has a problem, they feel they can’t come to us because we appear too perfect.

Yet no one wants to stay in the struggle, right? No one wants to announce to the world they are a hot mess. What is the right balance?

Be authentic with your weaknesses and diligent in your training.

Be Authentic

It’s okay to admit you struggle with something. Every one of us has a weakness. Each one of us is in the process of improving. It’s okay to admit you don’t have it all together. We are all human. It’s okay to admit that is the case.

Train Diligently

Keep training. Just because you’ve had a setback doesn’t mean it’s hopeless. Press on! Give yourself some grace and get back into the training. When you admit you struggle, you give yourself the grace to strive forward.

After all, if you’ve already arrived and are already perfect, what’s left? Be honest with others, and diligent with training. You’ll get there!