Did You Know? The world is changing faster than it ever has in history. If you want to stay relevant, there is more reason now than ever before to stay true to your mission while constantly challenging your methods?
Check your agenda at the door
When you are asked to join a task force, coalition or alliance there is usually an assumption made on the part of the organizers that you will leave your personal agenda at the door and apply your skills and experiences toward achieving the goals of the group.
Unfortunately far too often this is an implicit assumption instead of being explicitly stated and agreed to by all the participants.
Ideally the agenda and goals of the group will be similar to your personal ones but they will almost never be identical. If they are not close enough that you can fully support them you are better off not joining in the first place than frustrating the process and work of the group by constantly trying to make their agenda your agenda.
Unfortunately far too often this is an implicit assumption instead of being explicitly stated and agreed to by all the participants.
Ideally the agenda and goals of the group will be similar to your personal ones but they will almost never be identical. If they are not close enough that you can fully support them you are better off not joining in the first place than frustrating the process and work of the group by constantly trying to make their agenda your agenda.
Agreeing on definitions
When you work with a group of people on a project it is critical that you agree on a set of common definitions (preferably at the beginning if you don't want to waste a lot of time). It is amazing how often people use the same words but mean totally different things.
The Week in Review
- I finished my third full week of training for the Ocean Drive 10 Miler and the Long Branch Half Marathon. Got to do my long run outside for the first time in 4 weeks which was wonderful. Next week is a light week of training which my body is looking forward to.
- I started reading The Shack.
- The blood drive last Sunday was fantastic. 47 pints were donated. You can see the pictures here.
- I think Tuesday was a good day for our country.
- The restructuring process I am part of at work is getting really interesting.
- Went to see Chris Tomlin in concert last night. He shared about a neat cause called One Million Can.. It is built on a similar concept to how we hope to fund the ongoing operations of Connor's House so it really resonated with me.
Go Back to the Beginning
When you loose your way, when you hit a major roadblock, when you make a huge mistake and you think your dream has been lost, don't give up.
Go back to the beginning. Remind yourself what your dream was and why it is so important. Take a deep breath. Refocus yourself and your team. Take stock in what you have accomplished and what you have learned. Then start again.
The Wright brothers first plane did not fly. Apollo 1 happened before Apollo 11. Edison discovered at least 1,000 ways not to make a light bulb before discovering 1 way to do it. The first (and still only) children's respite and end of life care facility in the United States took over 10 years to develop.
Go back to the beginning. Remind yourself what your dream was and why it is so important. Take a deep breath. Refocus yourself and your team. Take stock in what you have accomplished and what you have learned. Then start again.
The Wright brothers first plane did not fly. Apollo 1 happened before Apollo 11. Edison discovered at least 1,000 ways not to make a light bulb before discovering 1 way to do it. The first (and still only) children's respite and end of life care facility in the United States took over 10 years to develop.
Because You Matter
This quote describes so simply, yet elegantly, one of the primary goals for building Connor's House and what we hope to accomplish.
"You matter because you are you. You matter to the last moment of your life, and we will do all we can not only to help you die peacefully, but also to help you live until you die." Cicely Saunders, M.D. St. Christopher's Hospice
A Good Day
Today was a good day for our country. It showcased everything that is good about the United States of America. We witnessed the peaceful transfer of power between two men who by most accounts do not agree on to many things other than their love for, and desire to serve, this country. Today, unlike any other day I can remember in my life, our country came together to celebrate and to hope. Today we put aside our differences, no matter how large or small, because we recognized something historic was taking place and we all wanted to be part of it, together. Only history will tell us for sure, but today may well be a day that defines a generation. For the greatest generation there was Pearl Harbor. For the baby boomers there was John F. Kennedy's assassination, Martin Luther Kings I have a dream speech, and the first moon landing. For my generation there was Ronald Reagan being shot, the Challenger and the Berlin Wall coming down. For the current generation, today just might be another one of those days...either way, today was a good day for our country.
Quotes from the Inauguration
Some quotes from today's inauguration speech that I think are worth considering for any person or group of people seeking to make a difference in the lives of the poor, the sick, the widow, the orphan, or the downtrodden (or for that matter anyone chasing a dream).
"On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the fainthearted -- for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things -- some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor -- who have carried us up the long, rugged path toward prosperity and freedom.
(we must remember) what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
...(they knew) our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
...the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends -- hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism -- these things are old. These things are true.
This is the source of our confidence -- the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested, we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back, nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations."
Barack Obama
"On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the fainthearted -- for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things -- some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor -- who have carried us up the long, rugged path toward prosperity and freedom.
(we must remember) what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
...(they knew) our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
...the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends -- hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism -- these things are old. These things are true.
This is the source of our confidence -- the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested, we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back, nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations."
Barack Obama
Blood Drive Results
47 pints of blood were donated at the blood drive today! We exceeded the goal by almost 20%! Thanks to everyone that donated and to the great staff from NJ Blood Services.
The Week in Review
- I finished my second full week of training for the Ocean Drive 10 Miler and the Long Branch Half Marathon. It was a good week of training but I'm happy I have a day off tomorrow.
- I started a really interesting book on running: Run Less Run Faster. I built my current training plan largely based on the authors FIRST method but the book is causing me to rethink some things (I will keep you posted on that).
- The second Connor's House blood drive is tomorrow, January 18, 2009. We currently 46 slots filled. Our goal is 40 donors so if we get a few walk ins and not to many donors are rejected we should come pretty close. I'm feeling much better about this than I was last week.
- Finished the new Connor's House brochure.
- I'm even more tired of ice and snow than I was last week.
- Did not get as many blog posts done as I would like this week because work was extremely busy and I was spending most of my evenings working on the new Connor's House brochure.
How many doors have you knocked on?
I was sharing some of the plans for Connor's House with a friend today. As we were discussing the issue of procuring property he commented that we should be able to find someone (person, town, city, state, university, company, etc..) to donate the property but we will probably have to knock on at least 100 doors before someone says 'YES'. That means hearing 'NO' at least 99 times. If you have a vision you really believe in are you willing to hear 'NO' 99 times and still knock on the 100th door? Are you getting discouraged even thinking about the 99 no's or are you getting excited thinking about the 1 yes?
If you have 3-5 acres of property in the greater Philadelphia area (within 30 miles of center city) and want to say NO please let me know and I will ask you. Every one of you that says NO makes us one more NO closer to YES. And if you want to be our one YES, you can let me know that too...
If you have 3-5 acres of property in the greater Philadelphia area (within 30 miles of center city) and want to say NO please let me know and I will ask you. Every one of you that says NO makes us one more NO closer to YES. And if you want to be our one YES, you can let me know that too...
The Week in Review
- I finished my first full week of training for the Ocean Drive 10 Miler and the Long Branch Half Marathon. It went really well. Still nursing a nagging hip injury but it seems to be holding up OK.
- Really good meeting with the planning team for Connor's House. Our founding board is taking shape and we are starting to make progress on the incorporation process.
- The second Connor's House blood drive is on January 18, 2009. We currently only have 16 of 40 slots filled which is a little discouraging.
- I'm constantly amazed by my wife. She is a great networker. That is not really new this week but I watched her do it again this morning and was once again impressed. That is only one of her amazing qualities. Everyone should be as lucky as I am.
- I'm tired of ice and snow.
- It was hard to blog this week. Work was extremely busy plus I was in a funk most of the week. When I am in a funk it is hard to find the mental energy to write.
Growth
"Growth means change and change involves risk, stepping from the known to the unknown." Author Unkown
One of those days
Today is one of those days. I have no motivation, don't feel like doing anything and just have an overall feeling of malaise. I have learned as you journey through the grief process that these days pop up. The aggravating thing is there is typically no rhyme or reason for when they do. I have also learned that the best way (for me at least) to combat it is not to give into the malaise but to keep putting one foot in front of the other and do whatever is supposed to come next. Pick up some little thing off the desk that needs to be done and do it. So that is what I will do today.
Focus
"People think focus means saying yes to the thing you've got to focus on. But that's not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully." Steve Jobs
Choosing to appreciate the good in people
I recently had to spend time with someone who for years I have had a fairly negative view of. During our time together I noticed they had a tremendous dedication and focus on the task at hand, despite a number of distractions around them. As I watched, I found myself appreciating this persons dedication and focus (which I had never previously noticed) and it reminded me that all people are a combination of good and bad characteristics. Certainly, from our own perspective some people seem to be more bad than good but everyone has some good. Our choice is which we choose to focus on, the good or the bad. When we focus on the bad, it blinds us from seeing the good. But, if we choose to find, and then focus on, the good it will change our entire view of the person and perhaps the bad will not seem so bad anymore.
The worst month of the year at the gym
Beginning tomorrow morning gyms around the country will be flooded with people who have made a New Years Resolution related to their health. Unfortunately, New Years Resolutions related to health are almost always doomed for failure from day 1 (so are most resolutions for similar reasons):
- The goals are typically too vague (I'm going to start working out, I want to loose weight, etc...)
- People have unrealistic expectations about how quickly they will see results.
- Enough thought is not given to creating a plan that will create the desired results.
- Most people have an aversion to hard work and an unwillingness to make the necessary long term lifestyle changes.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
