The above is a quote from Art Fettig, my 80-plus year old friend who is a motivational speaker, author, philosopher and actor: www.artfetig.com. I think his quote makes an excellent point. Having something on our horizon that’s going to stretch us and make us grow is one of the things that makes getting out of bed…
In a recent blog post, minimalist Joshua Becker asserts that for far too many people, the desire to impress others is the major motivator in their life. This desire determines the cars they buy, the clothes they wear, the technology the embrace and so forth. He goes on to say that this often proves to…
My oldest daughter recently sent me an issue of an internet publication called the Purpose Fairy. This particular issue contained a list of 15 things we should give up if we want our lives to be easier and happier. One in particular caught my attention and that was the need to impress others. The article…
Last week’s Reminder on how feuds should have a time limit produced some very interesting comments. The gist of that Reminder was that if feuds had time limits, there would be no long term grudges. As it turns out, there are a number of very wise people who have imposed a time limit regarding any…
A recent Dear Abby column carried a poem titled Decide to Forgive that was written by Robert Muller, a former assistant secretary-general of the United Nations. Several lines in the poem caught my attention: To forgive is the highest, Most beautiful form of love. In return you will receive Untold peace and happiness. The column then ended with this…
Success doesn’t just happen. It’s part of a process that usually begins with a lot of hard work – the kind that most people aren’t willing to do. This is the unglamorous side of success that’s often referred to as “paying your dues.” Paying your dues is necessary because this is where you gain the…
My oldest daughter recently posted this quote on her Facebook and I think it’s one of the keys to living a happy life. Every one of us comes into the world as a unique individual–an original, if you will. It’s our originality that makes us loveable and attracts people to us. When we try to…
As George Clooney accepted the award for Best Actor at the 17th annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards for his role in the movie The Descendants, he said this was the life altering advice his father had given him. He then continued, “I have to say I am very proud of this film.” This is excellent advice to…
Early in 2007, Tom Coughlin, head coach of the New York Giants of the National Football League, was in danger of losing his job. His team had lost seven of their last nine games and was characterized by in-fighting and bickering. Coach Coughlin had always been a no-nonsense hard-nosed football coach who tried to motivate…
According to an article by Dennis Thompson of HealthDay which appeared in the Arizona Republic, a growing body of research shows that simple acts of kindness like helping someone with their groceries, writing a thank-you note or even counting your blessings can serve as a low-cost treatment for depression. The reason is that performing acts…