“There’s no reward in life without risk.”
— Barry J. Farber: Motivational speaker, entrepreneur, and author

Many times in life, we’re told there’s no free lunch.  That every thing we have or have yet to accomplish comes at a certain price.  Even the freedom that we Americans enjoy has a price. I’m reminded of that every time I see a wounded soldier returning from Iraq or Afghanistan.

I always tell children that come to me asking for a baseball from the dugout that anything you want in life is worth working for.  I tell them that because I’ve learned in life, anything that comes free or easy can be lost or taken away in a twinkling of an eye. I’ve noticed that anything I’ve earned tends to stay in my life longer than something that I got or seem to get for nothing.

As we travel in our journey, we must remember that for every gain, for every win, every victory, there has been some level of risk and sacrifice made to produce the outcome we so desire.  Many times, we’re so focused on our gains that we forget about the struggle and the risk associated with that struggle.

That’s one reason why I make it my business to never forget slavery.  In our great nation, many of the things we now enjoy came at the price of several thousands, or even millions of individuals who were bought and sold into slavery.  I’m reminded of a film called, “Down in the Delta,” in which an African-American family is facing trials and struggles. In addition, there’s a power struggle of sorts between two of its elders over a silver candelabra they call Nathan. In the beginning of the film, I would wonder why they are fighting over this one material item.

In turns out that that candelabra represents their family history.  The item is linked to the former slave that headed their family tree.  His father, Nathan, was traded for that candelabra and was separated from the family patriarch when he was a child.  Despite trying to find his father after the Civil War and never succeeding, he did manage to find the candelabra that he would pass down throughout his family for generations to come. While this film is a work of fiction, the portion regarding the slavery is not.

I enjoy this film so much because of the tenacity of both family elders to do two things: keep their family together and to remember their past in order to move forward.  In addition, they make it a point to remember the freedom they enjoy in the present as well as the strong family bond they have is due to their ancestor and the risks and sacrifices he made in order to preserve the past for future generations.

When we look to the rewards we’ve earned for what we do, we must also look at the risks.  We must remember the two are inseparable in that one cannot exist without the other. However, when we look at the risks, we must also look at the rewards as well. Never allow the risks to frighten you into not daring to try but to remember the risks because that allows us to appreciate the rewards.

In essence, without those risks, our rewards wouldn’t be as sweet.

Hello all,

Today’s motivation comes from a person who single-handedly changed the way we do business in the world today, Fred Smith:

“You are the way you are because that’s the way you
want to be. If you really wanted to be any different, you
would be in the process of changing right now.”
— Fred Smith: The founder of Federal Express

When I read this statement, I have to pause for a moment because as loopy as it sounds, its so on target. Many times, we make ourselves believe we are the way we are due to circumstances beyond our control. These reasons or circumstances can vary from genetics to the current economic climate.

Yet, some of us never realize that we are the determining factor. Not just for ourselves but in addition, for the state of circumstances in our lives right now. We tend to forget that our thoughts, lack of action, and our fears can shape the world around us. We must realize that we are the best indicator for what occurs in our lives.

Once I saw a film about a young girl who has the gift of second sight.  She believed that outside forces were the cause of what was happening to her and her family. Yet, as I watched the events unfold on the screen, I realized towards the end of the film that it was she who was controlling the variables, not the external forces she blamed. Her family was the way they were due to a lack of trying to start the process to create lasting change.

The reason I chose this statement is Fred Smith knows of what he speaks. When he was in college, he wrote a thesis regarding the creation of a shipping company unlike no other that would revolutionize how business could be done. His teacher thought his idea was loopy and gave him a grade of C. Today, that C-grade idea is the reason why business gets done in the world! Hence, Smith didn’t like the way business was being conducted in the area of shipping so he decided to create and implement change by creating FedEx!

How is the state of your life right now? Are you like Visa in that you’re everywhere you want to be? Are your finances in order? Does your business enjoy the success that you’ve dreamt of? If the answer to all these questions is no, its time that you take a long look at your life. Are you in this state because of external forces or is your life in its current state because that’s the way you desire it to be?

As I write this, I’m taking a long look at my life right now and there are some things that I must change. I realize that if I continue to do nothing, no change will occur and thereby I will be allowing things to remain as they are. However, if I take a bold step each day to incur change, something must and will happen. In our universe, one of the universal laws seems to be that when we make change, things must change; they cannot be or remain the same!

Now, if you’re happy with the way things are, good for you. However, if you’re among the millions of unsatisfied people in the world that hates how their lives have turned out, don’t allow yourself to stay in that rut. Don’t allow yourself to believe that the way things are is due to something that’s beyond your control.

Go out and create change!

Today’s motivation comes from Terri Lonier:

“Emphasize the error, not the person committing it.”
— Terri Lonier: Authority on entrepreneurship

In our society, things go wrong and when they do, we look to the person that is responsible for the error. For way too long, we tend to look at the person who commits the wrong and not focus more on problem itself. In other words, we look at the sinner and not the sin.

Many times before, I’ve observed how our society commits this error. For example, in Nathanial Hawthorne’s classic, “The Scarlett Letter,” Hester Prinn must endure heartache because she decides to have a child outside of her marriage. Instead of naming the father of her child, she must wear a scarlet “A” on her chest for the rest of her life. The letter A implies that she has committed adultery. For the rest of the story, we must bare witness to a society that prefers to look at the crime Hester has committed instead to trying to determine why she committed the crime.

I wonder why is that? Who knows for sure but we all must look at the sin itself and determine why it occurs and how it affects us. When we focus more on the error, we can analyze the situation properly. Once that’s done, then we can focus on a solution that is fitting to the error and hopefully, that will solve the problem.

The Beatles once said in a song, “We can work it out.” Well, I believe we can work it out provided that we focus more on the error and less on the person committing the error. From my experiences in life, when you shift the focus towards the problem, that is a first step in determining what the solution will be. Nothing can be solved by constantly focusing on the person that committed the error.

Remember, whenever you’re in a situation, always work on shifting the focus to the problem at hand.

Hello all,

Today’s motivation is dedicated to those of you that believe in luck:

“One-half of life is luck; the other half is discipline — and that’s the important half, for without discipline you wouldn’t know what to do with luck.”
— Carl Zuckmayer: a German dramatist

Many times, we have read in the evening news about some fortunate person wining the lottery for a huge payoff. Maybe it is just me but why do they always seem to be from some remote part of the country that I’ve never heard of?  During the press conference for the lottery winner, they always make huge promises about quitting their job, giving to their church, or buying that dream home they desire. However, when the dust settles it’s a completely different story.

We’ve seen what happens to their lives afterward. Many lottery winners tend to go broke during the first year their winnings are awarded to them. Not only are they deeper in debt than before winning but also, in some cases, heartbreak and tragedy seem to follow. I remember a case of a lottery winner that ended up being arrested due to drunken driving while his family was about to loose their home to foreclosure. Lottery winners aren’t the only ones that have this issue but so do entertainers and athletes. We’ve all heard the stories of people who come from humble beginnings that become recipients of large sums of money and success only to loose everything. While others would look upon receiving  large sums of money as a blessing, most lottery winners I’ve witnessed might say it’s a curse. What is the root cause of this?

Its simply due to lack of discipline. Some people just don’t seem to know how to conduct themselves or their lives when they come into large sums of money or success. Maybe they’ve been poor for so long that once they come into some money, they tend to forget about their beginnings or maybe they just don’t know how to conduct themselves.

What is discipline? According to the dictionary, its definitions include the following:

• Training to ensure proper behavior
• Calm controlled behavior

Notice with the two meanings above, it’s dealing with a behavior that’s done within a certain amount of controls that are not extreme. In addition, another definition I found deals with “order and control “. Due to these definitions, that is the reason Mr. Zuckmayer’s statement is very profound because he’s saying that without discipline, some people don’t know what to do when faced with certain opportunities.

Discipline is the key in our lives because it allows us to conduct ourselves in a way that is conducive within the context of  our blessings. Anything done in excess will lead to tragedy, this much is certain. Don’t forget that anything excessive is defined to be unrestrained behavior, which in essence simply means a lack of discipline. However, when we have discipline, we know when to stop and not allow our excesses to put us in a certain state that can and will create circumstances that prevent us from living the life we desire. Sometimes discipline can even prevent us from doing certain behaviors because we realize what can occur if we go down the wrong path.

As you travel along in your journey, never forget the need for discipline in your life. Learn from the lives of others what can happen when we lack discipline.

Discipline is key…

Hello all,

Today’s motivation speaks of the power of knowledge and education:

“The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows.”
— Sydney J. Harris: a journalist and lecturer

What is education and what is its purpose? The answer can be found in this definition:

“The imparting and acquiring of knowledge through teaching and learning, especially at a school or similar institution.”

In many societies, education is imperative because it helps improve that society. In other circles, education is that barrier that separates one group or class from another. Then there are those that obtain an education to improve their economic status and rise above the station to which they are born. These are just some of the purposes of having an education.

Let’s step away from these concepts and look to what Sydney Harris has to say about education. Harris gives us a completely different reason and purpose to seek higher knowledge. A mirror is but an object that allows its target to be reflected back towards it while a window is a gateway to the outside world. If we read Harris’ statement, he is saying that the purpose of an education is it creates a gateway or portal to the outside world.

By becoming a gateway, the world is open completely to a person that is seeking knowledge as well as imparting that knowledge to others. That person has more options and better choices. After all, isn’t a mirror just surrounded by a frame to all four sides? But the world is limitless.

Another thing Harris is saying in this statement is getting an education isn’t all about improving your station in life nor should it be a barrier between us and those that are less educated. I’ve witnessed this barrier of which I speak many times in life. While in school, I noticed many of my classmates would never speak to the blue-collar workers that worked on campus. The only time they would ever talk to any of those workers was in the cafeteria and then they were ordering food. However, just to speak to a worker in passing was and still is unheard of. Why? Maybe its because they feel speaking to these people is beneath them. I never had that problem and as a result, some of the maintenance workers became acquaintances of mine and on days when I thought I couldn’t pull through, they gave me a smile or said something encouraging to me and that made all the difference. After all, you don’t need to be educated to say good morning to someone.

The Bible says, “with all thy getting, get understanding.” I believe that because once you become educated, the one thing that you realize is you can never know enough and you want to share what you know with anybody who is willing to listen and to learn. As you travel on your path, take the getting of knowledge to a higher level. Allow your education to be a beacon of light to those who are meandering in the dark and show them the way. Never allow your education to just reflect back on you only but allow it to reflect on others and the world.

Hello all,

Today’s motivation comes from a man who has the right recipe for success, the founder of Starbucks:

“I believe life is a series of near misses. A lot of what we ascribe to luck is not luck at all. It’s seizing the day and accepting responsibility for your future. It’s seeing what other people don’t see And pursuing that vision.” — Howard Schultz: CEO of Starbucks

As I go about life, it never ceases to amaze me at the number of superstitious people I encounter. Working for a professional baseball team, I’ve grown used to the things that baseball players do when their playing. I’ve seen some men fuss with their batting gloves, some will cross the diamond a certain way and some won’t, and some players will even use a certain bat all through the game. We all know someone who carries a rabbit’s foot or hang a horseshoe over the front door. Why do people do this?

In their minds, they’re convinced that all of these methods will amount to luck. Despite the skill sets many possess, they seem to believe that luck will overcome their skills. However, I disagree with them. Personally, I don’t believe in luck. I refuse to believe or accept that if I do something in a certain way or carry charms and talismans, that it will bring me luck. However, I do believe if you seize opportunities or in some cases, create them and take action, you can create something that’s better than luck.

Mr. Schultz has the right recipe for success when he states, “seizing the day and accepting responsibility.” When Starbucks began, it was a small coffeehouse in downtown Seattle, Washington. No one outside of Washington State had never heard of it. Suddenly, in the 1990’s, the nation began to rekindle its love affair with coffee.  Starbucks seized the day by stepping up and becoming the coffeehouse for millions of coffee drinkers. Before long, there was a Starbucks on every corner. How could a small coffeehouse become a juggernaut in such a short time? By seizing the day.

As we travel down life’s road towards success, we must realize that luck is just an idea that’s as old as the world itself. What we think is luck is really an illusion that many people use as an excuse when they don’t produce the results they desire. Not only must we seize the day and make things happen but we also must take responsibility regardless of the results we create.

In addition to seizing the day and taking responsibility for our actions, we also must have the courage to pursue our visions and dreams. I’m sure that many times, there were some who thought Mr. Schultz’ vision of expanding the markets and having a coffeehouse on nearly every street corner across the country was the most crazy idea ever. Prior to Starbucks, most people were just satisfied with any old coffee. Afterward, all of sudden people were speaking in coffee speak…cafe lattes and cappuccinos became a part of our lexicon. Not only that but prior to Starbucks, coffee was one of the cheapest beverage in many restaurants. Now, its common to spend more than $5 for one cup of coffee. Amazing…

Are you the type of person who believes in luck and chances that are beyond your control? Are you taking responsibility for your own destiny, seeing beyond the horizon, and are you seizing the day? Take a page out of the book of Howard Schultz and have the courage to seize the day! Oh, and when you do, leave the rabbit’s foot and the horseshoes at home.

Hello all,

Today’s motivation comes from Dave Weinbaum:

“If you can’t excel with talent, triumph with effort.” — Dave Weinbaum: Businessman, writer, stand-up comic

What is talent? According to Microsoft Encarta, talent, a noun, is defined by the following:

1. Natural ability
2. Someone with exceptional ability

If you take into consideration ancient times, it was also considered a measurement of weight and money. Over the years, we now consider the first two definitions when discussing what talent is. Now, what is effort? The definition of this noun is very fascinating:

1. Energy
2. Activity directed toward a particular end
3. Attempt
4. Result of an attempt
5. Applied force

So if we were to bring these two words together, we could say the following:

1. Natural ability combined with energy or applied force
2. Someone with exceptional ability that performs or does an activity directed towards a particular end or result

And the list goes on…

In our society, we always seem to praise people with natural abilities and gifts. We believe that such individuals are very rare and only come along rarely. We even feel blessed to be in the presence of such people because we are envious of their talent but at the same time, we’re in awe as well. For example, actor and director Robert Redford once made a film called, “The Natural,” about a man who seems to come out of nowhere to become a superstar in baseball. This man has a rare gift of having divine talent. He so good at it he’s referred to as a natural.

When we see people with talent, we tend to buzz around them like bees but yet, what about our own talents and abilities. While it’s a great thing to be talented in one area or another, not everyone is blessed in that way.  Weinbaum’s saying tells us that when we lack those natural abilities, there’s something that’s even as good if not better than talent. Its called effort. Some people can do great things if they just put some effort into it. My mother would always tell me I can do anything I want but I just have to apply myself or put some effort into it. For the first time, I now realize what she meant by that.

When you take a good look at yourself, do you have any talents that you were given? If not, consider putting some effort into it. One reason why effort is such a powerful thing is some people who have gifts can get lazy. They tend to rest on their laurels and take their gifts for granted. Another reason effort is good thing is many times it can transcend talent, if we allow this to happen. Golfer Tiger Woods is the best example of this.

In the minds of many, Woods just maybe the greatest golfer of all time. Yet, despite his talent, he puts his all into the game. You wonder why someone like Tiger would put so much effort into the game. Its because he realizes that a little effort goes a long way. As a result, he’s not only known and recognized for his talent, he’s a formidable force on the golf course due to the effort he puts into every game. In addition, Tiger has become more famous for his competitive nature than his ability. In essence, Tiger’s effort has taken him way beyond his talent.

Remember, talent is a great thing to have, provided that its cherished, honed and respected. However, a little effort does go a long way.

Hello all,

Today, I’m going to flip the script a little. Instead of giving you a motivational quote, I’m going to give you a motivational fact! Work with this if you will:

In Chinese, the script for the word crisis is also the same for the word opportunity. They’re one in the same.

We all know what’s going on in the world. We are at the precipice of a tanking economy. It was just announced yesterday that China will join the US and Germany in creating a stimulus package whose value is somewhere in the $500 billion dollar range. The Federal Reserve is holding interest rates down in the hopes of preventing the US economy from spiraling of control. Now there’s talk of sending out more of those stimulus checks to save the retailers from what promises to be a horrible Christmas season.

Despite all of these things that are occurring, these are some exciting times! Don’t forget that during the Great Depression, more millionaires were made in this nation than at any other time. In addition, during other years in which the Dow plunged several points and interest rates were high, we had additional millionaires added to the list of the wealthiest people in the US. How are these people doing this and what can we learn from it?

The Chinese got it right when they created their intricate language. In the script they use, the words for crisis and opportunity are one in the same. For them, this means that where there is crisis, there is hope. Mind you, the Chinese script must be thousands of years old so this means the Chinese have realized this powerful concept for thousands of years.

In the midst of a hurricane, there is the eye of the storm and its just a calm and quiet as a mill pond. In the midst of the financial hurricanes that have moved through many of the world markets and economies, there are opportunities out there for people that have the ability to see what I refer to as “the beyondness” in things.

Granted times are tough…I don’t need anyone to tell me that. However, in the midst of this crisis, there is opportunity. You just have to know where to find it. I recently spoke of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Well, its the right time but are you in the right place? Take time to seek for if you do, you will find what you are looking for. Remember that while many others are asking themselves what happened and how did we get to this level, there are people that are asking how I can help. How can I find a solution to this problem?

Many Christians teach when a door closes, a window opens.  Well, as you travel about on your journey, when that door closes on you, look to the windows. Find that calm in the storm…seek or even better still, create that opportunity out of crisis.

This is just something for all of you to ponder…

Hello all,

Today’s motivation comes from Joseph Campbell:

“If you follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track, which has been there all the while waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living.” — Joseph Campbell: mythology professor, writer, and lecturer

Occasionally, some of us seem to get loss, like children meandering in the dark and can’t find our way. Everything we try seems to fail and we loose hope. We think we’re stuck in some kind of Groundhog Day and can’t seem to get out. However, whatever is lost can be found and that’s the purpose of today’s motivation.

What motivates you? What is it that wakes you up in the morning and prevents you going to sleep when you should? What is it that stays on your mind and won’t release its grip on you? What is it that makes you hungry, even when your full? What is it that’s the first thing on your mind when you wake in the morning and the last thing on your mind before you retire to bed?

Whatever that thing is, it could be your bliss staring you in the face. Thing is, you just don’t realize it yet. Sometimes, we tend to be so caught up in life that we don’t realize certain blatant things that try to tell us what we need to know. However, I encourage you to stop, take the time, and listen before its too late.

When we follow our bliss, we allow some incredible things to occur in our lives. We become more solid in our role in life and become more effective. In addition, we can implement lasting and powerful change in our lives and possibly, in the lives of others once we discover what our bliss is.

Are you meandering in the dark and can’t seem to get on track? Do you know what your bliss is? If not, open your mind and allow yourself to find that inner bliss within yourself. Find that thing that brings you joy. It can be something you do for a living or maybe even a hobby. Whatever it is, I hope that it will bring you everlasting joy and bliss.

Hello all,

Today’s motivation comes from John F. Kennedy:

“Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country.”

Today is a very special day in that every four years, we get to cast our ballot for the next president of our country. I’m encouraging all of you out there to make your voice heard and do something for your country. Get out to the polls and vote! Remember, there are people that have died for the privilege we now have and when you cast your vote, you bring pride and honor to their cause.

With that said, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to go and do something for my country.