How To Matter

As children, many of us were told that we could be anything we wanted to be. Although the sentiment was likely expressed with the best of intentions, we learned over time that it was not altogether true. There were things we could not do, roles we could not assume, problems we could not solve and things we could not change, no matter how much we wanted to change them, no matter how hard we tried. Now and then, we confronted the rock that refuses to move. Perhaps it was the same people who told us that we could be anything we wanted to be who now told us that we should just accept the things we cannot change. It can make us wish that they would make up their minds. Let’s spend a few minutes thinking about the rocks we cannot move but focus in on people we want to change, for their own good, of course. They sometimes definitely qualify as one of those rocks that refuses to move. No matter what we do, no matter how hard we try, they simply refuse to change. So what to do? That’s the question we explore in this

Skilled leaders have a special knack for getting things done, every time, on time. If they don’t, their days as “leader” are numbered. But how do they do it? What is the special magic in how leaders get things done? If you closely observe, it first seems as if things just magically get done. The organization is running smoothly, and the pegs just fall into their designated slots. Sure, we know it’s not that easy, but how do they do it? In this episode of Audio Tidbits, I share with you the secrets of proactive leaders. It’s definitely not magic. Please press play and learn just how they do it.

I suppose everyone is open to winning ways, especially if the alternative is losing ways. For good or bad, that’s not how it works. The actual alternative to winning ways is committing to the status quo. For most of us, it takes a serious effort to lose. Just showing up and going along are normally enough to assure that you don’t lose. You won’t win the success game, but the status quo is at least familiar. If you choose winning ways, the success gurus have a few tips that you will need to take to heart, if success is in the picture for you. I’m tempted to do some name dropping here but will let the gurus speak for themselves. You already know their names. The first step to committing to winning ways is to press play and hop on the path to your success.

If we listen to the success gurus, it's easy to get the impression that we need to always be positive and focus only on what is the up side of most everything and everyone. Maybe that works for them, but I have bad days, get upset with situations and people now and then and sure don't always focus on the up side of things. There are definitely people and events that don't please me and times when it is best to just stay clear of me. But does that mean that success is out of the question? Do we have to always put that positive foot in front of us? I think not. Let's listen and see how to get angry or upset with style and thoughtfulness.

When speaking, what we say matters, how we say it matters and who we say it to matters as well. When we think, what we think matters and how we get in touch with our thought process matters. It is easy to just go on automatic but our success depends on doing better than automatic. Let's spend a few minutes considering what it means when we do better than automatic.

I think we likely agree that perspective is important in a lot of areas but perhaps no more important than our perspective on ourselves. It is sometimes way to easy to become overly impressed with ourselves and with our importance. We have a perspective on that which we all may benefit from. Please listen and judge for yourself.

You might assume that being a good friend is one of those things that just comes naturally. Everyone knows how and has no problem knowing who and who isn't a good friend. Unfortunately, you would be wrong. I was wrong until I had an unexpected encounter with a real guru. Let me tell you about it.

Encores are fun. Here's one for you and one for me. I'll let you decide which is which.

If you are a writer or just like to write, you know about muses and how elusive they can be. The podcasting team has some notions here that you may find helpful. That is followed by some thoughts from James about brain power and how we can give it a boost. Press play and check it out.

There are many challenges and journeys for us, our families, our communities and our country. How we handle those challenges, how we make those journeys always matters. It's the difference between acting with PRIDE and just getting by. Let's listen and discover the secret to meeting our challenges and journeys with PRIDE and caring for ourselves and our neighbors.

Do you trust your hunches and should you? This is an important question that needs answered for each of us. Listen and the podcasting team will help you decide.

Do You Believe? If not, listen and see if you still doubt. If you believe, listen and be reminded.

Although I question whether it's true for serious relationship issues, most of the problems we need to solve turn out to be just another ball of string. Please listen and see how it works.

The clock is still ticking and the time to prevent disaster is waning. There is still time to act; but the time keeps getting less and less. When will you do what must be done? Please listen and take the warning seriously.

You may be charming, but then again…. Please listen and check to be sure.

The battle is once more raging as our intrepid hunters confront the Great Mouse. She has shifted from the previous dimension at the edge of the city to a strange land halfway across the galaxy. This battle is even more violent than all those that came before. The fire power of the intrepid hunters continues to escalate, while the fury of the Great Mouse seems to have no bounds. We can only observe, hoping that this is the battle that finally stops the Great mouse from terrorizing the universe. Please join me now.

Our intrepid hunters are again confronting the Great Mouse. They detected her in an alternative dimension, dangerously near the heart of the city. Their goal as always is to capture the Great Mouse, while protecting the human population of the Earth city. So, join me as we serve as neutral observers to the battle. Our role is to assure that the intrepid hunters strictly comply with the engagement rules of the cosmos Council, while fielding their most powerful weapons yet. Their newest fire power is indeed awesome.

I notice that your publication is called Writing Guru. That’s why I’m contacting you to apply to be a writer. I’m sure you get a lot of applications from wannabe writers and I may fit into that well-populated category. To show you why you should consider me over those other wannabes, below please find the key reasons why I’m your best choice. Writers don’t say things that I’ve never thought or said; they just say it better than I do. That’s why I’m only a wannabe, but not for long. I’m confident that spending time around other writers at Writing Guru will rub off. I admit that the difference between me telling a story and writers telling the same story is that writers skip the boring parts and cut to the Chace, going straight to the interesting parts. I’m thinking that once I’m on board, other writers can point out the uninteresting parts of what I write, thus only the interesting parts will remain. … If you want to apply to be a writer, listening to the full application is instructive. Just press play an

Calling this a country vibe is unfair to country folks and sort of lets city folks off the hook. Maybe it's just one night in the life of…. Press play and come to your own conclusion.

How do you think you would feel if told, "It's nothing personal; it's just business?" You can expect it to be followed by something that feeling people would never do to a friend. It sure feels personal, even if you are told that it's just business. Press play and learn how to never do that to someone else, even if they persist on doing it to others.