36525 days to live

Reasons to work

1. For the money
2. To be challenged
3. For the pleasure/calling of doing the work
4. For the impact it makes on the world
5. For the reputation you build in the community
6. To solve interesting problems
7. To be part of a group and to experience the mission
8. To be appreciated

Why do we always focus on the first? Why do we advertise jobs or promotions as being generic on items 2 through 8 and differentiated only by #1?

In fact, unless you’re a drug kingpin or a Wall Street trader, my guess is that the other factors are at work every time you think about your work.

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the staircase”

Martin Luther King Jr.

__________________________________________________

In other words, start and see what will happen…but do something now.

“Instead of concerning ourselves with what will come tomorrow, we should be thankful for what we have today, which is good health for most of us, a roof over our heads, food to fill our stomachs and free time to enjoy with our family and friends. This does not mean that we should not plan for tomorrow. It just means that we should not let it control us to the point where it takes us away from what we are able to do today.”

Stephen Lafond

_____________________________________________________________________

C’est le titre de bien des journaux et de nombreux sites internet: Pat Burns a perdu son combat contre le cancer.

Et ça m’agace.

Pat Burns n’a pas perdu. Il est allé au bout de sa vie. Comme nous irons tous. Vrai, il a du se battre pour vivre au cours des dernières années, mais sa mort n’est pas une défaite. C’est juste que la cloche a sonné. Comme elle sonnera pour nous tous. Et si l’arbitre en haut a un bras à lever, ce sera sûrement celui de Pat Burns. C’est lui, le champion. Pas le cancer.

Et c’est ainsi pour Pat, comme pour tous les autres affligés par le crabe maudit. Ils ne perdent pas leur dernier combat. Le combat se termine. Point.

Non, la mort n’est pas une défaite. La mort est un fil d’arrivée.

Pat est arrivé. Et il peut être fier du chemin parcouru.

Savoure ta plus belle victoire, Pat: l’amour que tu as transmis à ceux qui te pleurent aujourd’hui.

Source, LaPresse, Stéphane Laporte. 20 novembre 2010

“Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils”

Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) French composer

________________________________________________________________________________

Time is a great teacher when we dare to make mistakes.

Time is a greater and more effective teacher when we accept to learn from our mistakes.

Time is the greatest and wisest teacher when we learn from the mistakes of others and avoid to make them ourselves.

Time will eventually kill all of us, and since we don’t know when, one of the most important lessons Time can teach us is:  To live each day to the fullest..

What did Time teach you recently?

What would you do differently if you learned that you had 3 months left to live?

Oh really!    

Why wait?

“Life, as it is called, is for most of us one long postponement.”

 
Henry Miller

_______________________________________________________________________

When I can drive a car…

When I get my degree…

When I find Mister Right or Miss Perfect…

When I have kids…

When I have a better job or salary…

When the kids leave home…

When I retire…

When… fill your own excuse here ______________________

When… when…when will you stop making excusessss?

“Chance favors those in motion”

__________________________________________________________________

I believe this is so true… Do something, go somewhere, meet new and different people, work on a project, learn something new and move it, move it.

Did you move it recently?  

Whatever you think you should be moving…

Though it’s not impossible to hate what you do and be good at it, it’s rare. Not to mention, it’s not much of a life (which if I may remind you, is short) .

A small majority of my friends have reached this state. Some rich, some poor, they are without question the luckiest people I know.

Hugh MacLeod

_______________________________________________________________________

May love and laughter light your days, and warm your heart and home.

May good and faithful friends be yours, wherever you may roam.

May peace and plenty bless your world with joy that long endures.

May all life’s passing seasons bring the best to you and yours.

__________________________________________________________________

“The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot”

Michael Altshuler

__________________________________________________________________

A lot of people talk about time management. There is no such thing as time management. We cannot manage time. We can only manage ourselves.Time manages itself very well without us.

We should talk about life management in relation with the time that is given to each one of us. This starts with checking on our priorities.

Did you clarify your priorities recently?

“Time to live with your priorities in mind and stop wishing things were different.”

“It’s time to start living and stop waiting”

Stephen Lafond

__________________________________________________________________

Will you take time to live this coming week-end?

Will you take time to do something for yourself?

Will you take time to do something for someone else?

It’s time for action! 

P.S. Sometimes relaxation is the right thing to do…

I think laziness has changed.

It used to be about avoiding physical labor. The lazy person could nap or have a cup of tea while others got hot and sweaty and exhausted. Part of the reason society frowns on the lazy is that this behavior means more work for the rest of us.

When it came time to carry the canoe over the portage, I was always hard to find. The effort and the pain gave me two good reasons to be lazy.

But the new laziness has nothing to do with physical labor and everything to do with fear. If you’re not going to make those sales calls or invent that innovation or push that insight, you’re not avoiding it because you need physical rest. You’re hiding out because you’re afraid of expending emotional labor.

This is great news, because it’s much easier to become brave about extending yourself than it is to become strong enough to haul an eighty pound canoe.

An enterprising person is one who comes across a pile of scrap metal and sees the making of a wonderful sculpture. An enterprising person is one who drives through an old decrepit part of town and sees a new housing development. An enterprising person is one who sees opportunity in all areas of life.

To be enterprising is to keep your eyes open and your mind active. It’s to be skilled enough, confident enough, creative enough and disciplined enough to seize opportunities that present themselves… regardless of the economy.

Are you an enterprising person?