LeBron James's Five Keys to Marketing Success

"King James" as he's called by the media is one of the greatest players of all time, and there's a method behind his madness. When his natural ability reaches its limit, LeBron continues to improve, using a few simple but effective life principles that can be directly applied to your marketing efforts. Here they are...

 

by Josh Haynam

1. Have a practice schedule (and stick to it) Not every day is great. Sometimes, we wake up and don't feel the motivation to get work done. But a schedule will help ensure that even on those days what needs to get done gets done. Having a schedule and sticking to it actually makes us feel good because checking things off of a to-do list releases serotonin—a chemical stimulant produced by our bodies. In 2010, Lebron James was already established as force in the league, but he had a problem shooting three pointers: Just 33% of his long-range shots were going in. Knowing an improvement had to be made; he hit the gym—hard. Increasing his daily shooting dramatically and jacking up hundreds of threes every day, he stuck with an intense shooting schedule for two years as the results trickled in... slowly. Click Here! In the first year, he showed an improvement of three percentage points to his shot percentage; in the second, an improvement of four percentage points. We have yet to see how far he can go. The improvements were slow, but stacked together the results were drastic. LeBron and his team have won two championships since 2010, and he's been the MVP of the finals both times. To follow LeBron's method for improvement with your marketing, set up a calendar and make sure every member of your team is involved with the schedule. (You can try using CoSchedule or a similar tool) Just as with LeBron's practice schedule, there's a drastic difference between marketing routinely versus sporadically, the following chart shows just how big that difference is.

 

2. Have a short memory Start fresh every single morning, and don't let any level of success go to your head. "It's very easy to do that, especially in our league, because you're paid so much money." James told Men's Health magazine. "Those mornings I say to myself, A lot of people do that. But the ones who say 'I don't feel like doing it' and still go do it become the best. I want to be the best, so I go out and do the work. It's a responsibility. I have my name to uphold." Whether your marketing is going well and you feel like an all-star marketer, or your marketing is faltering and you feel as if you're treading water, there's a temptation to get stagnant and falter from your schedule. But remember that you have a name to uphold and there are a thousand other marketers who would love to steal your customer base away.

 

3. Don't give in to distractions "I laugh and joke, but I don't get distracted very easily," Lebron told Men's Health. Nothing kills progress like distractions. The ability to "plug in" and pound out work is a trait of the successful. James ascribes his success to commitment: "Commitment is a big part of what I am and what I believe. How committed are you to winning? How committed are you to being a good friend? To being trustworthy? To being successful? How committed are you to being a good father, a good teammate, a good role model? There's that moment every morning when you look in the mirror: Are you committed, or are you not?" (Monitor your distractions using RescueTime, which will keep track of how much of your time is productive, and FocusBooster, which will block out 25-minute segments for hyper-productivity.)

 

4. Be a networker LeBron James's goal in life has been to be the greatest basketball player he can possibly be. That doesn't mean he's ignored how to be a networker. Lebron understands the importance of networking and takes advantage of it. "Basketball was my life—I just wanted to play and make a career," he told Men's Health. "It was never like I went to work every day and said, 'Hey, I'm going to use this to make other business opportunities.' But now that they've come, I've embraced them." What opportunities have you ignored? Squandered? Every day there are opportunities for creating lasting connections if we'd only slow down and take time to explore them. Pursue new partnerships for your business in verticals that aren't traditional; think outside the box. Try keeping an "interesting people fund," money set aside specifically to be spent on expanding your network. Use it to take people to lunch or build out a partnership just for the fun of it.

 

5. Make others better "In our sport, if you don't have your teammates, you don't have anything," James says. Marketing isn't basketball (unfortunately), but the same principle applies. The best ideas and greatest accomplishments are often the result of many smart people working together. Use your skills to improve the people you work with. In game seven of the 2013 NBA finals, LeBron James offered to take his teammate Dwayne Wade's place guarding the opponent's best player, Paul George. Essentially, LeBron was taking on a tougher role in the game so Dwayne Wade would be freed up to score more points. James was putting his own ego aside to help his teammate be better. The result? A decisive victory and an NBA finals win. In your marketing team, people have projects they are best at. Make it your job to keep each member on the tasks that are best suited to their strengths. If there is an impediment, a "defender" that is preventing optimal work, take it on yourself. (A practical way to discover what each member is best at is to take a Myers-Briggs personality test and compare your strengths within the team. If you're a team of one, take the test to better understand where you can personally excel.) * * * If LeBron James lives up to his own expectations to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time, it'll be for good reason. He has set up a system for improving himself that's taken his natural talent and propelled his career into stuff of legend. Take a page from his book and watch your marketing efforts reach new heights.

CHALLENGES: A Minute With John Maxwell, Free Coaching Video

Challenges are opportunities for lessons and those are simply delayed blessings. #faith #focus #godfirst

COURAGE: A Minute With John Maxwell, Free Coaching Video

TRANSFORMATION: A Minute With John Maxwell, Free Coaching Video

Have you ever seen a construction site? It's not pretty - there is dirt, debris, nails and tools everywhere.
It might be your own house under construction but you cannot LIVE there yet. The construction is not complete. 

A Caterpillar is a Butterfly under construction. People may have looked down on that poor little crawling worm. People may have written you off as a worthless, useless worm that won't amount to much in life. Little do people know that the greatest transformation starts inside where no one can see.
When God is done with him that crawling worm will fly in the sky with beautiful wings for the while world to admire. 
Transformation is change on the inside. Don't underestimate the importance of small changes in your life. Don't despise small victories in your life. One day all of the change inside will be manifested outside.

Transformation is God revealing to the world what he was doing under the covers.
All the change, all the lessons, all the failures, all the pain, all the joys, all the ups and all the down will one day be weaved into a beautiful tapestry of butterfly wings that will amaze this World.

So be patient as God is weaving a beautiful wing for you . Ignore the naysayers and the world that despises and rejects you. Don't try to win their approval as the best worm in town. Focus on the change inside.

Butterflies, Babies, Diamonds, Gold and Pearls have one thing in common- they were all formed and shaped in secret,away from the human eyes.
So focus on the change inside and wait for the completed work of transformation inside.

The most important part of any building is its foundation that's under ground. If a foundation is cracked the building in condemned.

The most important part of a man is the character inside not the exterior.
If the character is flawed all the decorations outside is meaningless.

Have a great day : )

FINISHING: A Minute With John Maxwell, Free Coaching Video

FINISHING is what WINNERS do!

FINISHING what you BEGIN, or DISCHARGING DUTIES until COMPLETELY CONCLUDED, is the DISCIPLINE of DETERMINATION.

The GREATEST example of FINISHING that I know of is found in John 19:30. 
JESUS said... "It is finished." 

These are POWERFUL words, when you consider that they were His very last words.

He ACCOMPLISHED ALL that He was divinely appointed to FULFILL. He left nothing undone.

But note something IMPORTANT here... His words are those of VICTORY... not of DEFEAT.

Having a VICTORY MINDSET is the key to FINISHING.

FINISHING is the CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT.

Finishing is what separates the WINNERS from the losers.

Here are 11 SIMPLE STRATEGIES for FINISHING:

1. COMMIT COMPLETELY. HALF HEARTED HANDIWORK HAMPERS HAPPY HARVESTS.
2. DECREE DEADLINES. This INCREASES INCENTIVES to OBTAIN OBJECTIVES.
3. FIRM FOCUS. AVERTING ATTENTION and ALLOWING ABSTRACTION is what SERIOUSLY STIFLES SUCCESS.
4. MAXIMIZE MOMENTUM. This is the way you GAIN GREATER GROUND. Keep the BALL BOUNCING.
5. ORGANIZE OBJECTIVES. What OUTCOMES do you EVENTUALLY EXPECT? What TIME TABLE are you operating?
6. PATIENTLY PERSIST. As you've undoubtedly heard since childhood... SLOW and STEADY WINS the RACE. Ecclesiastes 7:8 tells us, "Better is the end of a thing than the beginning, and the PATIENT in spirit is better than the proud in spirit."
7. REMAIN REALISTIC. Biting off more than you can chew will only leave you choking on regret.
8. SEEK SOLUTIONS. An OBJECTIVE ORIENTED mindset is SUPERIOR to wasting time on a FAULT FINDING FRENZY.
9. SET SCHEDULE. STICK to your REGULAR ROUTINES. You're likely to OVERLOOK OBJECTIVES if you're playing HOPSCOTCH with your TIME TABLE.
10. STAY SHARP. Keep your ENERGY ELEVATED by EXERCISING EVERYDAY and RESTING REGULARLY.
11. WORK WISELY... DILIGENTLY DIVIDING DUTIES into ACHIEVABLE ASSIGNMENTS.

KEEP your EYES on the PRIZE.
If you follow these PRINCIPLES, you'll be able to CLAIM your VICTORY.
You'll be able to say, "I've FINALLY FINISHED."

FINISHING means...
Finalizing Initiatives Now I Successfully Harness Inwardly Nurtured Gumption.

Place FINISHING STRONG on the TOP of your list of PRIORITIES.

Make TODAY your day to SOAR... Spiritually Overcome All Roadblocks.

SOLUTION: A Minute With John Maxwell, Free Coaching Video

EUREKA! I have the SOLUTION!

Today, I would like to talk about the SOLUTION to a PROBLEM that is PERSISTENT and PREVALENT for many people, that of NEGATIVE THINKING. In fact, I have DISCOVERED the SOLUTION to any NEGATIVE situation, which I will reveal shortly.

Many people are predisposed to NEGATIVE THINKING. Some people have a very narrow FOCUS and cannot see or IMAGINE their LIFE BEING anything DIFFERENT than what they already know and experience.

I recently watched a program about a woman with Munchausen Syndrome. She was in the Emergency room of a hospital, insisting that she had a litany of ailments. While her complaints were imaginary, the illness of the syndrome was real. She did this to have ATTENTION lavished upon her.

The main PROBLEM with NEGATIVE THINKING is that you put your HEALTH at RISK. By brooding, dwelling, ruminating on the deficiencies, imperfections and weaknesses in your life, you continually allow harmful chemicals into your bloodstream.

Another problem with NEGATIVE THINKING is that it generates more NEGATIVE THINKING. It is a downward spiral. This further decreases and diminishes one's already low self-esteem. NEGATIVE THINKING literally causes you physical illness.

WHAT is the SOLUTION to any NEGATIVE situation?
The ANSWER lies in the acronym I have created for the word ANSWER:

~ A Negative Situation Wisely Experiencing Reversal ~.

Here are 7 SIMPLE SOLUTIONS to help you OVERCOME all NEGATIVE THINKING:

1. BE CREATIVE. Find ways to turn negatives into POSITIVES. Making a game of it not only brings an element of FUN, it also helps you to REALIZE just how silly some of your paradigms and preconceived notions are. Once you poke fun at them, it is easier to undergo CHANGE.

2. CHANGE your FOCUS. Ask yourself this: What REWARDS will I receive if I FOCUS on the POSITIVE? For starters... you will likely gain a POSITIVE ATTITUDE, have greater APPROACHABILITY, and possess greater CONFIDENCE. DELIBERATELY FOCUS on things that are GOOD, NOBLE, PURE and WORTHY.

3. CHANGE your OUTLOOK. INTENTIONALLY look to the POSITIVE side of a situation. EXPECT a POSITIVE OUTCOME. FOCUS on SOLUTIONS. Look to your own ADEQUACY, ABILITIES and STRENGTHS.

4. CHANGE your PARADIGMS. UNDERSTAND WHY you BELIEVE as you do. You may have accepted things into your belief system that are holding you back.

5. CHANGE your VOCABULARY. Pay close ATTENTION to your self-talk. REMOVE words of negativity and REPLACE them with healthier, more POSITIVE words. If you say, "I can't"... replace CANT with Cancel All Negative Thinking.

6. REMEMBER to BE PATIENT: All CHANGE in your life is a PROCESS. BEING PATIENT with yourself is conducive to PERSONAL GROWTH.

7. RESOLVE to BE POSITIVE. Without a SOLUTION, there is no RESOLUTION. You have the ANSWER.

CHANGING your MINDSET can literally CHANGE your LIFE!

SOLUTION is...
Strategically Overcoming Life's Uncertainties Through Inverting Our Negativity.

BE the SOLUTION!
Have a WORK-to-WIN Wednesday, friends.

WE: A Minute With Maxwell From the John Maxwell Live Training Event

WE is the first word in WELCOME.

WE INVITES relationship, it say's I can't do this alone, I need you.

Without WE, there would be extremes but nothing betWEen, questions but no ansWErs... LEADERS with no empoWErment, and no folloWErs.

WE adds a whole lot of BEAUTY to LIFE. Without WE there would be no aWE, no sWEethearts, no wildfloWErs.

If WE were a number, it would represent anywhere from 2 to over 7 billion.

WE is both EXCLUSIVE and INCLUSIVE.

It is BOTH of us, PRIVATELY and PERSONALLY... AND it is ALL of us TOGETHER.

LEADERS know that WE stands for WHAT ELSE?

WHAT ELSE can you do to:

~ ADD VALUE to OTHERS?
~ BE more EFFECTIVE?
~ MAKE a REAL DIFFERENCE?
~ SERVE others?

LEADERS also know that WE means... WINNING EFFECTIVELY

WE is... Welcoming Everyone

WE are amazing TOGETHER. Have a Wonderfully Welcoming Wednesday, friends!

INVESTMENT: A Minute With John Maxwell, Free Coaching Video

When making a FINANCIAL INVESTMENT, you need to CONSIDER such questions as:

~ What kind of RISK is INVOLVED?
~ What kind of ROI (RETURN on INVESTMENT) do you EXPECT?
~ What are your GOALS?
~ How much TIME is REQUIRED?

In my post a few days ago about MONEY… I related that you cannot buy HAPPINESS because it is a state of BEING.

I BELIEVE there is a far SUPERIOR INVESTMENT to MONEY that REQUIRES equal CONSIDERATION. The answer: RELATIONSHIP BUILDING!

Let’s look at the ANSWERS those same questions from that PERSPECTIVE:

~ What kind of RISK is INVOLVED? 
The kind of RISK that says…R)EAL I)NTIMACY S)EEKS K)INSHIP.

~ What kind of ROI do you EXPECT?
It always pays GREAT INTEREST to BE LOVE TO OTHERS. The ROI is different too.
ROI means R)ADIUS O)F I)MPACT… and that is IMMEASURABLE.

~ What are your GOALS? To answer that, first ask “What are GOALS?”.
G)odly O)bjectives A)ssure L)asting S)uccess.

~ How much TIME do you NEED? ALL day, EVERY day because LOVE is TIMELESS.
NEED means… N)icely E)xceed E)xpectations D)aily.

Therefore, LOVE is the GREATEST INVESTMENT!

INVESTMENT…
Intimacy Nicely Values Exchange Such That Measurements Exceed Noticing Time.

BUILD your PORTFOLIO. Keep INVESTING TIME and DEPOSITING LOVE!
Have a TREMENDOUS Tuesday, friends!

HARMONY: A Minute With John Maxwell, Free Coaching Video

Dalai Lama XIV said, "Because we all share this planet earth, we have to learn to live in HARMONY and PEACE with each other and with nature. This is not just a dream, but a necessity."

This, of course, begins with inner HARMONY. 

Those who promote HARMONY are interested in:
~ being LOVE to others.
~ being SELFLESS.
~ CIRCUMVENTING contentions.
~ community consideration.
~ DIFFUSING dissensions.
~ EFFECTING reconciliation.
~ ENACTING peace.
~ EXTENDING mercy.

~ every kind of GOOD.
~ MUTUAL love, respect and support.
~ OPENNESS
~ REPAIRING relationships.
~ RESOLVING conflict.
~ showing KINDNESS to all people.
~ the WELFARE of others.
~ turning confrontation into COOPERATION.
~ working TOGETHER.

We all fulfill our personal potential when we enact HARMONY and PEACE.

HARMONY is... Having A Rapport Made Of Neighborly Yearning.

Have a MENDING Monday, friends!

DARING: A Minute With John Maxwell, Free Coaching Video

I'm DARING you... to call on your INNER WINNER!

~ to SQUEEZE the most out of your LIFE.
~ to LIVE... absolutely on PURPOSE... right here, right NOW... every minute!
~ to BE more than you ever dreamed of... to BE all that you CAN be.
~ to TAP into your full POTENTIAL.
~ to EXPLORE who you are at your CORE.
~ to LEAVE 'Nominal' to BE PHENOMENAL!
~ to PUT the EXTRA before 'Ordinary'.
~ to ADOPT an AWESOME ATTITUDE and act accordingly.
~ to FACE life's miles of trials with SMILES.
~ to ALWAYS do what's RIGHT... to KEEP SHINING your light.
~ to BE GRATEFUL, not hateful.
~ to REACH out to OTHERS in need.
~ to MAKE a real DIFFERENCE in this world.

~ to GIVE all the LOVE one heart can receive... BE LOVE TO OTHERS.

DARING is...
Deliberately Accepting Risk Involves Nervy Gamble.

Life is risky. Focus on the payoff!
DARE to BE decidedly different.
Have a FEARLESS FRIDAY, friends!

EXERCISE: A Minute With John Maxwell, Free Coaching Video

The best EXERCISE for every heart is: BE LOVE TO OTHERS.

Physical EXERCISE is necessary and GREAT for combating STRESS, sharpening mental acuity, and boosting your mood by ELEVATING your heart rate, but you NEED to look after your SPIRITUAL health as well.

Here are 12 points to maintaining SPIRITUAL health:

1. AWARENESS of being in God’s presence wherever you are.
2. EXERCISE your FAITH through meditation and prayer.
3. BE continually GRATEFUL for all things.
4. CONTROL your attitude, thoughts, actions and reactions.
5. MAINTAIN your BALANCE through life’s ups and downs.
6. ALIGN yourself with all that is BEAUTIFUL, GOOD and TRUE.
7. PROMOTE PEACE that comes from inner harmony.
8. ACTIVELY LISTEN to others is key to UNDERSTANDING.
9. STRETCH your UNDERSTANDING of others by REMAINING OPEN.

10. REMAIN open to LEARNING and GROWING from all people and experiences.
11. LOVE and NURTURE yourself.
12. BE LOVE TO OTHERS. This is absolutely VITAL.

STRENGTH of spirit will maintain you through the years.

EXERCISE…
Enough eXertion Everywhere Regularly Constantly Improves Spiritual Expression.

Go beyond yourself. Have a TRANSCENDING Tuesday, friends.

REJUVENATE: A Minute With John Maxwell, Free Coaching Video

REJUVENATE: A Minute With John Maxwell, Free Coaching Video (by johnmaxwellteam)

Not seen on JEOPARDY:

How much are you willing to wager?

I'll bet my life on it.

For a true DAILY DOUBLE, here is the ANSWER... 
"INTERIOR DECORATING of the soul."

What is REJUVENATE?

YOU are CORRECT! It's not just about the SKIN. It's the route to WITHIN.

To REJUVENATE is to add JUICE to the SPRUCE and LUSTER to the MUSTER.
It's the MIX in your FIX, the PEP in your STEP and the WEALTH in your HEALTH.

It's FRESH in the FLESH and RELIEF to your GRIEF.
When you RELIEVE, you RE-LIVE. Find FREEING by simply BEING.

REJUVENATE...

Renewal Experienced Juicing Up Valuable Energy Now And Thriving Everywhere.

Are you going to MAKE NEW or are you just going to 'make do'?

RECLAIM your HEALTH. RESTORE your BALANCE. REJUVENATE!
Have a STIMULATING Monday, friends!

http://appsolutelyphx.com/

NUTRITION: A Minute With John Maxwell, Free Coaching Video

SPIRITUAL NUTRITION is the key to a rewarding life.

In the same way that proper foods are necessary to keeping our body healthy and strong, maintaining our intake of SPIRITUAL NUTRITION is just as vital.

Here are 29 minimum daily ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS for SPIRITUAL VIBRANCY:

1. DEEPEN your FAITH. BELIEVE you deserve the BEST life possible.
2. EMPLOY your God-given GIFTS. ENRICH the lives of others.
3. DEEPEN your UNDERSTANDING of others. Take time to know them better.
4. HEIGHTEN your level of AWARENESS. INTENTIONALLY notice everything.
5. WIDEN your INTERESTS. COMMIT to LEARNING something new every day.
6. LENGTHEN your VOCABULARY. Refresh your memory and learn new words.
7. SAVOR every moment by LIVING in the PRESENT. Leave nothing to regret.
8. VIEW all of life as SACRED. Deeply CARE about the welfare of e

veryone.
9. INCREASE your level of EMPATHY. Exercise COMPASSION where needed.
10. EXPAND your MIND. Continually FEED on POSITIVE materials.
11. SURROUND yourself with QUALITY people. ENJOY their company.
12. ABSORB BEAUTY. Spend time APPRECIATING the wonders of Nature.
13. MAINTAIN your child-like sense of AWE. Remain CURIOUS.
14. EXPLORE your DREAMS. Engage your CREATIVE IMAGINATION.
15. MEDITATE in a pristine place. Shut out all distractions.
16. PRACTICE GRATITUDE. In all things, BE THANKFUL.
17. SERVE others to the BEST of your ABILITY. GIVE more than required.
18. REMAIN OPEN to new OPPORTUNITIES.INVEST in personal GROWTH.
19. Make the WISEST use of your TIME. LIVE FULLY.
20. VOLUNTEER. Make a DIFFERENCE in your life as you do in others.
21. LISTEN to your favorite MUSIC. De-stress
22. CONTROL your THOUGHTS. DISCIPLINE your mind.
23. EXAMINE your BELIEFS. Leave nothing to conjecture.
24. Wherever possible, ALLEVIATE suffering. Show KINDNESS to everyone.
25. MONITOR your ATTITUDE. BE CAREFUL to BE PLEASANT.
26. FOSTER PEACE everywhere you go. RESOLVE issues immediately.
27. FIND every reason to BE HAPPY. Employ LAUGHTER and HUMOR.
28. Remain HUNGRY for the TRUTH. It answers life's deepest questions.
29. LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY and without limits. BE LOVE TO OTHERS.

INCORPORATING these things on a daily basis NURTURES your spirit.

What is NUTRITION?
Necessities Used To Revitalize, Ingesting These Items Offers Nourishment.

Look after yourself, friends. You matter!
Have a Fabulous Friday.

BUOYANCY: A Minute With John Maxwell, Free Coaching Video

BUOYANCY is SPUNK with a SPARKLE. It is the BRILLIANCE of your RESILIENCE.

BUOYANCY is the FORTITUDE that allows you to FLOAT. It is COURAGE in the face of CALAMITY. It is the MOXIE that keeps you MOTIVATED. It is DETERMINATION that keeps you from DROWNING. BUOYANCY is being UNSINKABLE in SPIRIT.

When life’s horizon looks dark, dreary, dull, and dismal… HOPE comes SHINING through to HAUL you up.Don’t just SURVIVE the stormy Sea of Change… THRIVE!

HOPE are the water wings that keep you afloat in the in the midst of DESPAIR.
Claim your wings and REFUSE to be HOPELESS.

BUOYANCY is… Be Upbeat Otherwise You Allow Negativity Conquer You.

Remember: You can BE a BEACON of HOPE to others by reaching out with LOVING ENCOURAGEMENT.

May your burdens be light and your blessings heavy!
Have a Moxie Monday, friends.

EXECUTION: A Minute With John Maxwell, Free Coaching Video

EXECUTION is the antidote to PROCRASTINATION.

Nothing EXCELLENT ever happens without EXECUTION. No masterpiece has ever been created by INTENTION alone. EXECUTION takes INITIATIVE and INTELLIGENCE.

Aristotle said,

“EXCELLENCE is never an accident. It is always the result of high INTENTION, sincere EFFORT, and intelligent EXECUTION; it represents the WISE choice of many alternatives ~ CHOICE, not chance, determines your destiny.”.

Setting clear GOALS and PRIORITIES leads to ACCOMPLISHMENT, rather than frustration. FOLLOWING through sharpens SKILLS and promotes personal GROWTH in exploring POTENTIAL and honing CAPABILITIES.

We all know how good it feels to ACCOMPLISH our GOALS. But we never see them materialize without first having the DECISIVENESS, the DISCIPLINE and the DETERMINATION to SUCCEED.

EXECUTION… Efforts eXploits

 Enacted Challenge Us To Improve Over Negativity.

If, for any reason, you’re telling yourself you CANT, then look at CANT this way….
Cancel All Negative Thinking! Turn that roadblock into a milestone!
FOLLOW through to FULFILLMENT and EXECUTE your plan!

Enjoy your day, friends!

Bible Inspiration Quotes: (Romans 3:3, NIV)

Bible Inspiration Quotes: (Romans 3:3, NIV): “What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness?”

Chris Rock - Message for White Voters

The American Dream: Election Day

The red, white and blue; what does that really mean? Election Day has come and in view of all matters at hand, it appears that our country is at a crossroad. Do we become the better than every other country that we know that we as a body are or do we become the status quo country that everyone expects us to be. Some may say that’s one in the same but it truly isn’t. Many will say that we are voting our values or our conscience but what many do not stop to think about is you are actually voting your generation or your lifetime. First of all, no president, can fix do what he says in four years when you have congressman who have unlimited term limits who most likely will “sit out” their term on voting on policy if they don’t like the boss, such as the do nothing congress did when either party was in control. From my vantage point at least the democrat’s enacted policy, whether you agree or not, some which may help and some which may hurt. The republicans seem to think waiting on the sidelines until they get their way works until a natural disaster comes along which reminds them that God is truly in control. They seem to botch those pretty much because they seem to think these things will never occur so they are never prepared except for Chris Christie who seems to be a moderate republican with conservative values but that’s not allowed anymore( because that’s really an independent). Our country was built on opinion, values and disagreement but most of all what bound us was compromise. From neighbors, to schools, to work, to living, to faith we all have opinions, values, disagreements and compromise. Who we are as a people has never changed but times have changed. Our climate has changed. How we live has changed. What we must do has changed. As the world evolves, so should we. We have moral obligations to humanity to be caretakers of each other and find common ground and yet we are at a crossroad where we might actually elect someone by silencing others. If Obama wins, the right will claim the game was rigged and cry “Chicago Politics”, if Romney wins, everyone else will point out the states push for voter ID laws, countless acts of ballots being tossed and the “race card”. But in reality when is America going to win. We lose when we condone sore losers crying over spilled milk. The true sign of leadership is when you can accept defeat as a gain to learn from your mistakes and not as an opportunity to show your fear. When we go back to being the fearless country that helped each other, loved our neighbors, supported our communities, raised our children, built our schools, worshiped in our churches and supported our city then perhaps we could move the needle forward for the next generation. We are the gatekeepers of our future and we hold the keys and yet we use our vote to think that when we let someone else drive the car, they will drive better than the people that know the directions. We the people need to remain the pulse of those who are selected to lead us and when we let them determine our fate we are simply letting down our generation by propping one candidate up as if they are the solution when the problems are older than most of us. Manufacturing has been sinking since the late 80’s. Infrastructure has been deteriorating for 30 years now. Education has been at least a decade old problem. China has been pilfering us since the first Bush took office. The economy hasn’t been our friend since the Clinton years. These are old problems with new “spin cycles” called elections. Wake UP and smell what these parties are cooking. Vote for people and hold them accountable within reason meaning the president can’t save your school or your job but your state senator or house rep can. The president can’t fix your bridges or feed your homeless but your governor and your churches can. The president can’t educate your children or prepare them for life but your parents, your neighbors, your teachers, your educators and your professors can. The ecosystem is bigger than one man or philosophy and why we run to a color as if we’re a gang or a mob, we run from helping a fellow brother or sister because it’s either not relevant or politically correct. Our moral compass is being challenged by this election because at the end of the day the only thing any president can do is move the needle slightly but WE THE PEOPLE have the collective ability to move the mountain if we simply vote our will, respect our leaders, hold them accountable and compromise within our own communities on how to build lives instead of destroying until 4 years later when we are at it again. WAKE UP, Get to know your neighbors, love others as you would want you or your family members loved and work to make a difference in one person’s life and then you will see change.

ETHICS: A Minute With John Maxwell, Free Coaching Video

*To ADD VALUE to others, we must first possess VALUES worth emulating.*.

You understand ETHICS when you put these PRINCIPLES into PRACTICE:

1. Personify INTEGRITY. The only shortcut to HONESTY is the TRUTH.
2. Live the GOLDEN RULE. Treat everyone with the utmost DIGNITY and RESPECT.
3. SPEAK words that UPLIFT, ENCOURAGE, MOTIVATE and INSPIRE... words that HEAL.
4. Make SOCIAL JUSTICE your chief PRIORITY. Stand against the wrongs of the world.
5. INVEST your time in worthy causes that SERVE the needs of others.
6. Continually STRENGTHEN all your RELATIONSHIPS by lending your STRENGTH to others.
7. Last, but never least... LOVE is your HIGHEST STANDARD.

ETHICS is... Everyone's Total Honesty In Conduct Standards.

Enjoy your days, friends. I appreciate you!

HEALTH: A Minute With John Maxwell, Free Coaching Video

HEALTH, like time, is a precious gift.

We become acutely aware of both when we have little of either left.

It has been said that many people spend their HEALTH trying to acquire WEALTH, then spend their wealth trying to buy back their HEALTH.

Benjamin Franklin said,
"Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man HEALTHY, wealthy and wise."

Here is my formula for HEALTH:

HARMONIZE your mind, body and spirit. Maintain your INNER PEACE.

EXERCISE physically to maintain your STRENGTH, but exercise COMPASSION, EMPATHY and UNDERSTANDING to maintain your HEART.

ATTITUDE: Is yours EXCELLENT? Maintain a sunny disposition; allow yours to SHINE.

LIVE INTENTIONALLY. LOVE DELIBERATELY... every moment you have.

TIME (Thoughtful Intentions Mindfully Executed) is of the essence. Use it to the best of your ABILITY to manage your PURPOSE.

HABITS (How All Beautiful Ideas Take Shape) are developed DAILY. Develop the HABITS of guarding your INTEGRITY, CHARACTER, THOUGHTS and SPEECH.

HEALTH means...

Harnessing Excellence Allows Love To Heal.

Wishing you HEALTH every moment of every day, friends...
May your burdens be light and your blessings heavy!