Category: Motivational

The Dog and the Bone is a fable ascribed to Aesop. According to the story, a dog was carrying a bone over a bridge. Looking down into the water, the dog saw its own reflection, which looked to him like another dog carrying another bone. Wanting the other dog’s bone as well as his own, the dog opened his mouth to bark at the “other” dog it saw, but in doing so, the dog dropped his own bone into the river, where it was gone for good.

The sad, hungry dog learned the hard lesson that, by being greedy, one risks what one already has.

Source: Wikipedia

“Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me” – Chinese Proverb

I was watching The Next Iron Chef on TV tonight which happened to be the finale.  Chef Mehta ended up losing but what he said at the end was very thought provoking.  His metaphor about life was fantastic!  Check this out, it blew my mind…he said: “It’s a little disappointing (losing) but…life is like a staircase — you go up, you go down..but you must never think that the staircase only takes you down.  You must always think that a staircase only takes you up.”

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I–
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

– Robert Frost

When we were young we were fearless.  You talk to children and ask what they want to be when they grow up and the answers will widely vary.  Some may want to be President, some a garbage person, some an astronaut, some a doctor, but rarely will they say they want to do anything average or mundane with their life.

When I was really young and obviously had no clue about reality I wanted to be Superman.  I had my trusty pillow case my mom would pin to the back of my shirt and I’m sure I really believed I was Superman running down the street (faster than a speeding bullet I might add).   Everything is possible through the eyes of a child.  At what point did you stop believing anything is possible?

“Every seven years, designer Stefan Sagmeister closes his New York studio for a yearlong sabbatical to rejuvenate and refresh their creative outlook. He explains the often overlooked value of time off and shows the innovative projects inspired by his time in Bali.  (Recorded at TEDGlobal, July 2009, Oxford, UK.Duration: 017:40)”

My Notes:

Sagmeister decided to disperse retirement throughout his life.  He has a design studio which has done work for the Rolling Stones, Adobe, Lou Reed, and more.  His TED talk above is pretty boring, I won’t lie, and I actually didn’t listen to the whole thing.  What I like about what he does is take time to rejuvenate himself throughout his life (very Tim Ferriss like).  Most people retire to enjoy themselves, and live out their calling toward the end of their life as opposed to doing so throughout it when we are more physically, intellectually, and emotionally able to benefit.

He found most people in general spend:

• 25 years learning
• 40 years working
• 15 years in retirement

After the 25 years of learning people tend to find a job and maybe a career but few find their calling.  He defines the three areas as:

• Job:  Done for money, 9-5
• Career: Advancement and promotion
• Calling: Intrinsically fulfilling

Sagmeister is obviously brililant at design as demonstrated in the video below.  Look at what he was able to do with his book titled “Things I have Learned In My Life“.  Simply amazing…

“Tough times never last, but tough people do.” – Robert H. Schuller

Beware Of Your Gunless Friend!

The dangerous people are not the ones
Who hit you with clubs and rob you with guns!
The thief won’t attack your character traits
Or belittle your abilities to your face!
It likely will be a well-meaning friend
Who merely crushes your will to win.

No, he doesn’t rob you, at point of gun,
He simply says, “It can’t be done.”
When pointed to thousands who already are
He smiles and says, “They’re superior!”
Personality-wise, and abilities, too,
They’re way ahead of what others can do!”

It matters not that his words are untrue
For, you feel “others” must know you!
So, you’re robbed of your hopes, your dreams to succeed.
Robbed of the material blessing received,
Robbed of your faith that says, “I can.”
And robbed by an ignorant, gunless friend.

So, the deadliest of men is not he with a gun,
But the one who tells you “It can’t be done!”
For that taken by burglars can be gotten again.
But, what can replace your will to win?

~ Author Unknown ~

You Can If You Think You Can!

If you think you are beaten, you are,
If you think you dare not, you don’t.
If you like to win, but you think you can’t,
It is almost certain you won’t.

If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost,
For out in the world we find,
Success begins with a fellow’s will.
It’s all in the state of mind.

If you think you are outclassed, you are,
You’ve got to think high to rise,
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.

Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man.
But soon or late the man who wins,
Is the man who thinks he can.

~ C. W. Longenecker ~

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As much as people like to knock “reality TV” I am finding at least 80% of what I watch on television these days is just that. If you have watched Survivor you know there are certain personality types the producers seem to cast but interestingly maybe those they select are actually representative of our society.  You have those who have no clue why they are there and those who know exactly why they are there.  You have some who are lazy, yet some break their back to provide for their tribe.

You have some contestants who are old, some are young, some are male and some female.  Some come to the game with a clear strategy and some ride the coattails of others to make it as far as they can.  Some are smart, some are athletic, and some rely on their looks to get them through the game.  Some are honest yet most lie.  Some stay loyal while others stray from the commitments they made to their tribe upon the merge.  Don’t even get me started on the merge.  It never ceases to amaze me how many times it is advantageous to stick together as a tribe yet someone always falters and stabs their tribe mates in the back by voting against someone they committed their allegiance to because they feel doing so will ultimately further themselves in the game.

Be like Gump, Forrest Gump that is.  Forrest loved Jenny and his mother unconditionally, he was faithful to his friends even if it meant risking his own life, what Gump lacked in intelligence he made up for by living the golden rule (treat others or love how you want to be treated or loved), and he never let life’s obstacles impede his progress.

Forrest Gump: [narrating] You know, it’s funny what a young man recollects. ‘Cause I don’t remember being born. I, I don’t recall what I got for my first Christmas, and I don’t know when I went on my first outdoor picnic. But, I do remember the first time I heard the sweetest voice in the wide world.

Young Jenny: You can sit here if you want.

Forrest Gump: [narrating] I had never seen anything so beautiful in my life. She was like an angel.

Young Jenny: Well, are you gonna sit down, or aren’t ya?

[Young Forrest sits down next to Jenny]

Young Jenny: What’s wrong with your legs?

Young Forrest: Um, nothing at all, thank you. My legs are just fine and dandy.

Young Jenny: Then why do you have those shoes on?

Young Forrest: Momma says my back is as crooked as a question mark.

Forrest Gump: [narrating] I just sat next to her on that bus and had conversation all the way to school. And next to Momma, no one ever talked to me or asked me questions.

Young Jenny: Are you stupid or something?

Young Forrest: Momma says stupid is as stupid does.

Young Jenny: I’m Jenny.

Young Forrest: I’m Forrest. Forrest Gump.

Forrest Gump: [narrating] From that day on, we was always together. Jenny and me was like peas and carrots.

Maybe we could all learn from our friend Mr. Gump.  Life may be a game we all play but it is how you play the game which determines who really wins at the end of the day/game.  Live a good life, find what makes you happy, and live life to its fullest.

Forrest Gump: What’s the matter, Momma?

Mrs. Gump: I’m dyin’, Forrest. Come on in, sit down over here.

Forrest Gump: Why are you dyin’, Momma?

Mrs. Gump: It’s my time. It’s just my time. Oh, now, don’t you be afraid, sweetheart. Death is just a part of life. It’s something we’re all destined to do. I didn’t know it, but I was destined to be your momma. I did the best I could.

Forrest Gump: You did good, Momma.

Mrs. Gump: Well, I happened to believe you make your own destiny. You have to do the best with what God gave you.

Forrest Gump: What’s my destiny, Momma?

Mrs. Gump: You’re gonna have to figure that out for yourself. Life is a box of chocolates, Forrest. You never know what you’re gonna get.

Forrest Gump: [narrating] Momma always had a way of explaining things so I could understand them.

Mrs. Gump: I will miss you, Forrest.

Forrest Gump: [narrating] She had got the cancer and died on a Tuesday. I bought her a new hat with little flowers on it. And that’s all I have to say about that.