NIKE IS RIGHT - JUST DO IT

Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it! — Goethe

There is power in the FIRST STEP.

How many times have you had a great idea, but just let it sit in the stagnating pool of sludge in your brain, until it grows fungus, and becomes part of the sludge?

I have done that too many times to count. My journal is full of ideas gathering cobwebs.

Sometimes I feel like I don’t’ have the resources to begin something. Like I don’t have enough knowledge, talent or skill.

I heard Steve Sjogren talk about the “French Method of Teaching/Learning” one time. He was talking in terms of applying it to Evangelism, but I think it might just be applicable here too. Here is how it goes:

DO the “thing” that you want to do

Regroup and TALK about the “thing” you did

RESEARCH the reasoning behind why you did the “thing”

Here in the states, we get together and Talk about what we want to do…we research and find out all the reasoning and methods and ways to do what we want to do.

We spend a lot of time in research and talking,
AND NEVER DOING THE THING WE DESIRE TO DO.

The French folks (if the model is still in use)…

DO THE THING FIRST.

Then talk about it, and research it.

BE BOLD!

DO THING THING YOU WANT TO DO.

TAKE A STEP!

DON’T FALL INTO THE PARALYSIS OF ANALYSIS!!!!

COLOR

WHITE. A Blank Page or Canvas.

The Challenge: To bring order to the whole…

Thru Design…

Composition…

Balance…and

Harmony

• from “Sunday in the Park with George” by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine

I had that thought on my mind today as I was thinking about life.

I also remembered when I was programming a radio station. I had a mentor who came in and he talked about the radio station being the canvas – and as a programmer, you have control of the color, the paint, the feel, design of the listeners’ experience.

All done by music scheduling (the rotations of how many times a song plays), the day parting (some songs only play at night – or midday – or morning), promotions on the station (giveaways and events), and personalities (the air talent).

What are the colors I like?
How can this concept be taken even further into real life?
What is my “Color” or colors??
IS EVERYTHING I CREATE A MASTERPIECE?
How many layers of color are there in my life? In My work?

POTENTIAL

So, I have been thinking about POTENTIAL Lately.

I think my friends at work might start getting annoyed by it.

THOUGHT 1. I'm 31. I work for a guy who is turning 60. I look at his life and say - WOW! God has used him AMAZINGLY in his work and ministry.

He just recently hired back the man, and friend, he started on his journey with. They now are working together again, and having a blast.

THOUGHT 2. I am helping another friend launch a new 'JESUS MUSIC' show call Full Circle - that focuses on music that kick started the Contemporary Christian Music Scene, back in the 60's, 70's and early 80's.

I have started to think about the outpouring of God in the Jesus Movement. Lots of people were drawn back to God, and have had incredible ministries and lives because of this outpouring. Also, directly and indirectly, I have been blessed by the movement - Being a Vineyard guy.

Which leads to THOUGHT 3

POTENTIAL. Me and my friends. What are we going to be doing in 30 years that will inspire and leave a legacy to generations to come?

What are going to be doing that we love - that makes a difference for good and changes lives?

How much fun are we going to have getting to that point?

What does God have for Us, Me, New Friends, New Connections, New Possiblities, New Dreams and Visions that we can reach out for?

Sweet.

Out with the old, and a Lyric from the King

My favorite button I used to wear when I was a PD for a top 40 station in Savannah GA
(WOO HOO Give a shout to my peeps in SAV-TOWN)…was this:

BUT WE’VE ALWAYS DONE IT THIS WAY (with the big red “Ghostbusters circle and slash” right thru it.)

The mentality in the building was ‘hey we can’t break the mold, this is always how it has been’.

But the deal was, I was hired because the old way STUNK.

TO HIGH HEAVEN.

Unfortunately, the person who always said to me “we’ve always done it this way” was the youngest on the staff – I think he was just trying to get over the fact that someone new was calling the shots.

Or not. Maybe he just didn’t want to change.

Maybe he was in love with the old boss. (not literally – just figuratively)

On a related note – AT LEAST IN MY MIND….

<Do I have a BIAS TOWARD ACTION?>

This is a question raised – once again by reading TOM PETERS stuff.

Man he makes me think. Thinking. Good.

“The King” had it right:

A little less conversation, a little more action please
All this aggravation ain't satisfactioning me
A little more bite and a little less bark
A little less fight and a little more spark....

2 More Questions...

After some reading this week, I have come up with two more questions to ask myself on the journey...


How Can I Make Something Happen?

Am I being RECKLESS, but not being THOUGHTLESS?

(gathered from Reading Some Tom Peters work)

Questions to ask late at night or early in the morning

Here are some questions that I am beginning to ask myself…

Gathered from various sources…to improve my outlook on life and the potential of my life…

• Are you doing the best you can possibly do?

• Are you doing better work today than you were yesterday?

• If your relationship with God better today than yesterday?

• Are you bettering yourself (Spiritually, Physically, Mentally)?

• How are you using the 168 hours God has given you this week?

• What is your legacy that you are going to leave TODAY?

• How can I have more ________________ in my life? (fill in the blank)

Do you have questions you ask that make you think about bettering yourself and your world?

Eagles and Turkeys

I am tired of the ho-hum-hum-drum.

I don’t want to go to any more dinners with freinds where all we do is Kvetch about what we don’t like about our work and our lives.

Why don’t we go to dinners and parties and talk about our potential?

Let’s get the 50,000 foot view.

The view that is at the top of the mountain.

The BIG PICTURE!!!!!

->VISION of what Life CAN BE

People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can't find them, make them.

• George Bernard Shaw

We have to make the circumstances we want.

If all we do is talk about, act like and be around the turkeys, we can never soar with the eagles.

Shouldn’t we act, and talk about, and be around the eagles? Model them, and try to be like them.

What are the eagles doing?

What makes them eagles?

How did they get to be eagles?

What does it take to be an eagle?

Lets talk bout this stuff – the HUGE POTENTIAL of our LIVES, instead of negative stuff that gets us down.

Breakfast with Fred

Been stumbling around the Breakfast with Fred Website – I found it a couple years ago, and have always enjoyed the weekly thought.

Here are some great quotes from Fred Smith about communication

• From the joy of learning comes the joy of sharing.


• Only you can share your memories.


• Clarify your thoughts so that others may use them.


• Better to be a participant in life than a reporter.


• A perpetual learner is the best teacher.


• Speak to people about a subject, not on a subject to people.


• In 20 languages "be" and "do" are the same word.