Or Maybe That Was The Boy Scouts

"The Optimists Club has it right when they say, 'The future belongs to those who will prepare for it.'" - Les Brown

Preparation is starting to make a difference. My 14% body fat goal is more in sight than ever, as I've held that mark now for a solid week, the longest extended stretch I've enjoyed so far. Preparation has made the difference... for example anticipating an evening out and adjusting my eating habits for the rest of the day accordingly. Or doing the research to find a good balance of protein in the diet versus fat or carbs. Or infusing more fruits and vegetables. And of course, hitting the gym six days a week. As the body slows down, the mind has to pick up the slack to compensate.

Also at work this week I prepared for my supervisor a breakdown of workload our unit is currently experiencing, which was favorably received. I like to think that more teamwork is fostered by laying out the facts somewhat objectively, than by simply declaring that we are over or understaffed.

In Part Because Of The Potholes

"No runner ever won a race by looking over his shoulder and demeaning the competition." - Les Brown

That metaphor is much broader than athletic competition, stretching all the way to our interaction with the "rude" person in line at the restaurant. What good is it to badger the character of another when those seconds could so easily be used to press on to the next productive thing in life?

Measuring Progress

"By the yard, it's hard. By the inch, anything is a cinch." - Les Brown

Today when I sat down at the computer my desk was strewn with paperwork - condo board treasurer bills, LMC reports, binders, even a few bagfuls of bolts. When that happens, sometimes I'll start on the far left side and focus on a single piece of paper, then gradually sweep across to the right. One item at a time, over not too long a while, and the desk's clean as can be.

The Textbooks Would Be Cheap

"It troubles me that we spend years in school learning about the lives of other people, but we devote hardly any time to studying ourselves." - Les Brown

I can understand the stereotype of the nagging senior the more I look back at the mistakes of the past. The other day I caught myself feeling so pessimistic about something that I pondered quitting. Experience has taught me that when I feel like this, it's usually because I'm just tired and crabby. The next morning, I was completely enthused about the activity. What a shame it would've been to quit!

The body's a fascinating organic machine, without quite enough gauges to prevent us from blowing a gasket every once in a while. Knowing how to read ourselves, sorting out reality through the sea of chemical and hormonal messages flooding through the pipes, keeps us from holding down the accelerator a bit too long and hurtling over the edge.

He Said, She Said, Me Said

"Someone's opinion of you does not have to become your reality." - Les Brown

Who knows us better than ourselves? Well, actually, the feedback of others can point out blind spots which if acted upon can move us forward by leaps and bounds. Still, it occurs to me that some wish I were more forceful, others more blunt, others more religious or family-centered. Learners do well, studying not only ourselves but our relationships with others. We may conform, or diverge, or give both a try. Courage comes from measuring our own values, respecting those of others, and moving boldly and openly in the direction that brings the most life out of us.

Make Things Happen

"When people have that kind of motivation, when obstacles are not a factor, when only the dream matters, they MAKE things happen. The universe has no choice but to yield to that sort of energy." - Les Brown

Tough Times

"Tough times don't last, tough people do." - Les Brown

Following a year-long investigation by the state's attorney's office, outspoken public figure Les Brown's charitable organization was not only exonerated from charges of mismanagement, but praised when it was discovered that he had put $13,000 of his own money into the program to subsidize it. Not all good deeds are destined to lay in the shadows, sometimes fate uses them as an example for others to see.

America embraces those who endure tough times without complaint, whether it's of their own making or not. Few baseball players were as despised in the media during their playing days, or revered by the time of their death, as Ted Williams. What about Muhammad Ali, the boxer who famously threw his Olympic gold medal in the river as a protest against the American government, and later received the loudest cheers and the honor of lighting the torch at the opening ceremony of the 1996 Olympic games?

Both Cal Ripken and Tony Gwynn played their entire 20+ year baseball careers for a single team, almost unheard of today. They also endured far more losing seasons than winning ones. And they were celebrated as model citizens, why? Because they continued to smile and speak respectfully, even as their prestige grew to a level that could have been quite influential.

In this day and age in American society, refusing to be negative equates to remarkable optimism! It's tough, and it's worthwhile.