Do You Know What You Need To Get To Where You Need To?

Hello guys and trust you had a nice enough week - in spite of this weekend's Orlando "mindless" shooting spree.

Talking about shootings and the frequency, you cannot avoid talking also about the amount of guns on the streets and the need for some form of universal control. Having been in desperate situations where you have to deliberately protect your family, I am in the camp of those that support gun ownership - at the very least for personal protection/scaring would-be assailants.
I have problems though when such weapons turn out to be an AR15 semi-automatic rifles commonly used for mass shootings and placed in the hands of unstable minds.
I sure agree with the argument that there have been more auto accidents than gun violence and that in spite of the number of the accidents, no one ever advocated that governments should ban car-driving. What I don't get though is the fact that the same argument that will ordinarily subscribe to several stringent driving tests in order to minimize road and highway casualties will oppose similar stringency when it comes to gun possession.
You agree that there should be strict laws, demanding would-be drivers to take series of tests before being allowed to drive their cars down our streets, supposedly to minimize incidence of auto crashes and deaths, but do not feel it necessary that gun possession and particularly semi-automatic rifles should be controlled in order to minimize the mass shootings that has become more like popularity contest? Could it be that we are waiting till it gets to us: when we are directly impacted or someone close and dear enough to us is impacted before shouting "foul" and asking for controls? Just some thoughts...

In any case, this week, I am continuing discussions from my book "YOU CAN Make A Determined Difference - In An Environment Of Competitiveness" and excerpting from the topic of knowing what you need to make the difference:

While at my first job, I learned experientially that whatever schooling and paper qualification a worker might have, without knowing the principles of making a determined difference, s/he was bound to “mark time” on the job, at best hoping to make defined progress – in keeping with inflation or not too far from it.

What an irony that many people today flounder for many years of their precious life, wanting to be who and what they do not know. It is a shame, in my thinking, to set oneself on the assembly line of life, to be moved only as others move, as it were, by the same measured force of progress. Worse still is the fact that family, friends and acquaintances continue to prod many, cheering them along the path they were not sure would take them to fulfillment not to talk of making any difference. It is my prayer that you, the reader, will discover your life’s destiny soon enough if you have not already done so, in order to help you find out what you NEED to realize it.

Political scientist, diplomat and now elder statesman Henry Kissinger has been severally quoted as saying:

“If you don't know where you are going, every road will get you nowhere.”

How so true! Know what you need and the path to getting it!

Have a great week ahead of you. Cheers.

Your Needs: Void Of Fascination, Infatuation Or Obsessive Compulsiveness...

Hello all and trust your past week went well.

For me, I thought the week was quite interesting for couple of reasons among several others: one mainly for the continued and heated talk on transgender bills around the country and the other the passing of a legend.

I am tempted to think that stakeholders in the transgender "drama" really do not quite know what they want not to talk of what they need. In my opinion, nature always has the answer. Whether via registration at birth or credible "biological" discovery in later years, nature could not and should never be blamed. It remains what it is. I have a grouse though with those who just decide on their own that they have to alter nature. Do they know what they want or need?

And as if in a contrast... the passing of Mohamed Ali is, to my mind, a case of the man who seemed to have achieved destiny.

That leads me to today's topic: KNOWING WHAT YOU NEED.

Few years ago, one of my children was fond of getting attracted to anything or anyone that fascinated her. She would listen to the radio and the sweet voice of the broadcasters and the music and stories and she would want to be a “radio” with sweet sounds. A while after, she would observe the stylish and respected work of the traffic cops: how the lady police officer would order massive trucks to stop and let smaller vehicles go by at the wave of her command. She was so fascinated that she really wanted to be a police officer. That fascination wore off couple of years down the road when she began to feel the love and care of her new kindergarten “auntie” [as the children’s teachers were called then]. This went on several weeks till one nice afternoon she returned home from school and her feelings found yet another expression. She ran up to me and said “Daddy, I really like Auntie L and will like to be a teacher when I grow up.” Knowing that that sounded very much like another phase of her usual fancies, I nonetheless commended her and told her mommy and I would be there for her should that be her life goal.

Of course today, after high school, college and graduate school, she is anything but a radio, a police officer or a teacher. She seemed to have found her destiny and is happily pursuing it with passion and vigor.

The problem remains that many kids just do not know exactly what they want to be. Life to them is about fantasy and control. And don’t many of us, like kids, fail to know what we really want out of life? We see the Jones’ doing one thing and we want to do the same. Then the Thomas’ came along and doing another and we want to follow the trend. We’re easily carried about and away by what others are doing.

One day, we see someone who is running and getting some publicity and we want to be a runner. Another day is a Hollywood star performing some stunt and there you go, we want to be and do the same. Like the children, we seem not to know why we are here on Earth or what we want from it.

Have a great rest of the week ahead.

Blessings.

Christians: Playing The Left Behind...

Happy Memorial Day weekend celebration all.

Trust you're all enjoying the holiday, sharing the memorable moments with friends and family.

Happy weekend. And remember to safely, carefully and prayerfully enjoy your Memorial Day holiday. 

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Today, I am continuing the excerpts from my book - YOU CAN Make A Determined Difference and talking about the obvious fact that Christians play "left-behind" when it comes to assuming positions of influence and responsibility.

What's more, there is an ironical commendation in the Bible for the children of this world who are supposedly more "clever" than spiritually-minded people of God - Luke 16:8.

Brian Tracy, one of America’s time management experts and accomplished author, while contributing to the topic of essentials of making the determined difference in RELATIONSHIPS at the market-place, aptly puts it this way:

“The glue that holds all relationships together - including the relationship between the leader and the led is - TRUST and trust is based on INTEGRITY.

I couldn’t agree more. Trust and integrity are indisputably inevitable, sustaining bonds in every facet of our society: at school, at work and in our community. They are necessary in business just as they are in politics and sports. They hold things together for here, now and certainly lead us to an enduring future.

Whereas Christians form majority of the workers competing for jobs in the United States - at 76% of total adult population - according to the American Religious Identification Survey, 2008; http://b27.cc.trincoll.edu/weblogs/AmericanReligionSurvey-ARIS/reports/ARIS_Report_2008.pdf] and whereas they are as educationally qualified as any of their peers, it is an irony that fewer of those that profess and practice their Christian faith seldom get to be engaged, recognized and/or adequately rewarded, not to talk of being considered for positions of responsibility and trust - because they lack the key principles of making the DETERMINED difference among their equals that their employers most often seek.

My main aim is to advocate the importance of Christian character as needed virtues at the market-place, in circle of friends and associates as well as in our very own communities: where all of the things we are taught at school, at Church, at seminars and conferences about making the difference are put to the social test.

I am writing principally to draw awareness of Christians aspiring to positions of influence and non-Christians alike, to the key spiritual insights laid out as principles of wisdom and those virtues that enable enduring fulfillment of life’s goals.

Two Scriptures every reader/worker must seriously ponder over and take note of in reading this Book are found in Jesus’ Parable of the Shrewd Manager found in Luke 16:10-12 and some of King Solomon’s principles on how to succeed in life - Proverbs 24:3-4:

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?...” Luke 16:10-12 [NIV]

and… 

“By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.” Proverbs 24:3-4 [NIV]

I believe that each of us can make an enduring, “determined” difference when we have learned the simple truths of these key principles that enabled others succeed.

I believe that we can leave behind the pains of debilitating defeat and progress to harnessing the gains of the efforts towards making the determined difference. Yes, WE CAN. We should.

Quick Fixes Usually Don't Fix Quick...

Hello all and trust you all had a good and restful weekend.

Looks like with all my busy-ness over the weekend, it just skipped my mind to do this posting. But not to worry. Here it is - early enough on Monday morning - for your coffee delight.

I am sharing thoughts on the effects of "quick-fixes" and how not to get trapped in the common parlance - "the end justifies the means."

Have a great rest of the week; happy reading and be sure to give me your feedback as always:

Not long ago, I read on a billboard that’s located at a strategic location on one of America’s busy city streets that says it all. It read: LIFE’S SHORT CUTS - CUTS SHORT LIFE. It perhaps sounds somewhat too philosophical until you realize that today’s popular life game could best be described as “Quick-Fixes.” This game is played every where and by almost everyone: politicians, athletes, business people, academia, families, etc. and it is addictive. What with the world of “Google” where virtually everything and anything could be discovered and referenced with relative ease! It used to be that we were taught lessons on staying at it and doing it right. We spent hours learning how to, till we became really good at it. Now we celebrate and reward short-cuts, quick fixes and more often than not, mediocrity.

Oh that men and women will learn to do good planning and work hard. Oh that they would realize that hasty shortcuts lead to poverty - Proverbs 21:5

Worst still is the fact that our quest for legality and correctness overshadow decency and performance at the expense of expediency.

Apostle Paul must be looking far ahead at our day when he wrote to the Corinthians:

“All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify.” - I Corinthians 10:23

Beyond professionalism though, personality, integrity and quality must be seen as necessary and excellence must be coveted. In a world where “correctness” is fast replacing civility, it is necessary that personality, integrity and quality be accorded their rightful place when considering equally well educated individuals for recognition and promotion to leadership - in small, medium and large organizations. In a world where corruption, suspicion and hypocrisy seem to be so pervasive, personality, integrity and quality cannot be ignored. And in an economy with limited and competing resources, it behooves employers of labor and business leaders to be determined ever than before, to go beyond consideration of mere educational appellations, into seeking those with strong character traits.

Enduring character traits must complement paper qualification. Best qualified candidates must be those whose acknowledged lifestyles of integrity are not in doubt. That, to my mind, is the way to ensure the integrity and sustenance of enterprises.

What say you?

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YOU CAN Make A Determined Difference... Yes YOU CAN!

Happy Sunday all and to the Mothers in our lives... HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to you.
Thanks for staying faithful to your calling and for your loving care. You certainly must know that you make that determined difference!

During the week just ended, I had the rare honor of having Canton Coop Bank, 671 Washington Street, Canton graciously promoting the book "YOU CAN Make A Determined Difference..." The Bank is keeping the book and its CD on display for two weeks - till Monday, May 16th at their Banking Hall, and will be rounding it off with a raffle draw.
As you should expect, I am not taking this kind gesture for granted. I sincerely appreciate the Management's believe in what the book is all about and for daring to promote it.

Do me a favor - if you live in the area, stop by the Bank and let them know that you appreciate the good work that they doing to support the community and/or feel free to visit them on the web: www.cantoncoopbank.com and leave a word or two of appreciation. Thanks.

For today's blog, I am continuing the discussion of excerpts from the book. Please contribute to the discussion. Post your comment and observation. Be heard!

Thanks

Solomon B.

The principles applied by the religious worthies were not religiously exclusive. In our modern world, there have been numerous outstanding men and women that made a DETERMINED difference as they changed their communities and the world at large:

Steve Jobs [1955 - 2011] was one of them. From educational obscurity, he went ahead to found what was to transform the computer age in what became Apple Computers. That was nothing short of making a DETERMINED difference.

South Africa's Nelson Mandela [1918 to-date] spent 20 years in jail only to come out and become the President of his country. By standing against apartheid, the nation's rulers could not resist the determination of this larger-than-life man to see freedom and human dignity evolve!

Oprah Winfrey [1954 to-date], America's talk show host, is supposedly the richest and the most influential woman in the U.S. She is a passionate believer in self-improvement and works hard to make a DETERMINED difference.

Russia's Mikhail Gorbachev [1931 to-date], against all odds and threats to his life, had the courage and strength of character to confront age-old Soviet Communism and to move the Union to democracy and respect for human rights. That was a testimony to the power of making a DETERMINED difference.

Erstwhile British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher [1925 - 2013], and the only woman that ruled Britain for over a decade, changed the landscape of British politics for good. She emphasized individual responsibility to leadership and was called the “Iron Lady” of Britain by her strong will and determination to make the difference.

Here at home, the name Barak Obama [1961 to-date] will go down the world's history as the first black man to become America's two-time President. By defying racial and class barriers that has kept many black people away from such leadership role, Mr. Obama steadily but surely made significant and DETERMINED difference.

YOU CAN Make A Determined Difference...

MAKE A Determined DIFFERENCE

It is increasingly becoming more and more of a challenge to find exemplary and sustainable leadership, thanks to today’s “get to the top by whatever means” mindset. In today’s market place it is an easy, rather common parlance, to suppose that the end justifies the means – whatever that means to realize achievement may be.

It used to be that men and women were content to hear the traditional “rags to riches” stories and were motivated to emulate those character TRAITS that enabled the story-teller succeed. That seems to be in the past. We seem to now be in the era of “get it while it lasts” and “the patient dog ends up getting the leanest bone.”

We have moved from the doctrine of the diligent to the company of “the smartest gets it all” thereby rendering the reward for excellence and the essence of the Race To The Top policy meaningless.

Traditional values with the emphasis on doing it right have been spurned and corner-cutting embraced.

Worse still is the fact that in the face of today’s multifaceted paths and pulls, it takes extra-ordinary efforts to focus, discover and proceed in the right direction. It takes more than mere attention to sieve today’s fast-paced, high-tech realities from look-alikes. It takes keenness and without any doubt, it takes unrelenting desire and deliberate choice to make a “determined” difference.

Introducing the book: YOU CAN Make A Determined Difference... at book signing

http://www.amazon.com/YOU-make-determined-difference-COMPETITIVENESS-ebook/dp/B017L0SFTE

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Hi all... look out!

Starting this Sunday - April 24th, 2016 and on Sundays following, I will be sharing blogs - principally extracted from my latest book: YOU CAN Make A Determined Difference ... In An Environment of Competitiveness.

I will also be posting developments on the Business Prayer Breakfasts held monthly and other matters that I consider might be of interest to my friends and reading public.

Look out!