Everyone Needs a Champion

 Happy Friday, Friends!

I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn in my Sweet Home Alabama!

Last Friday night my family and I went to watch the Rocket City Trash Pandas play. We had a blast! I love going to the ballpark, hanging out, visiting, and just watching baseball. So blessed!

After I believe it was the 3^rd inning, the grounds crew came out to smooth the infield. As soon as they came out, a lady right in front of us stood up and started clapping. She stood and clapped the entire time they were on the field – it was probably 3 – 4 minutes – and then yelled words of encouragement as they left the field. After the 6^th inning or so she stood up and started clapping again as the grounds crew once again took the field. I reached over, tapped her on the shoulder, and then asked her which one was her son. While continuing to clap, she told me which one was her son. And as before, as they left the field, she shouted words of encouragement.

It was really sweet to witness, and it was a great reminder…we all need a champion. How awesome is it that no matter the age, his mom showed up to cheer for him? We all want that for ourselves, we all need to do that for others.

On May 3, 2013, Rita Pierson gave a Ted Talk titled, Every kid needs a champion. You can find it by googling the title. It is only 7 minutes and 48 seconds long and it is well worth watching. At the end of the talk she says, “Every child deserves a champion – an adult who will never give up on them. Who understands the power of connection, and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be.” True, inspiring, and so powerful!

The only thing I would respectfully correct is, “Everyone deserves a champion.” This includes you and me. Let’s just for a moment, break down what she said.

Never give up on them – Isn’t that what we all want? Someone who will never give up on us. We ALL have failing moments…what if there was ALWAYS someone there who picked us up and encouraged us on our journey’s? What if we never gave up on another? How different would life be?

Who understands the power of connection – this is all about relationships. Ms. Pierson started off the whole Ted Talk by talking about the importance of relationships. What if we showed up every day, regardless of how we felt, and genuinely valued and appreciated the people we have in our lives? What if we really listened to their thoughts, cares, concerns, hopes, goals, and dreams? What if we valued the relationship we have with them, and invested in it tirelessly, regardless of the situation, circumstance, or outcome?

Insists that they become the best that they can possibly be – encouraging, empowering, and equipping them to fulfill their potential in all aspects of their lives. What if we really did that instead of focusing on the failing moment or where they currently are in their journey? What if we looked for, and spoke life into, the potential that we see, regardless of whether they see it or not?

We all need a champion. We all have moments where we grow tired and weary. We all have moments when things aren’t going our way. We all have seasons where we are going on and on and nothing seems to be happening – champions are really important in those seasons of life!

There are two things I want to encourage each one of us to do today:

First, be someone’s champion. It might be a spouse, child, friend, or co-worker. Be there for them through all seasons of life – never give up on them, focus on developing the relationship, and insist that they become the best that they can possibly be.

Second, find your champion. Perhaps you already have one…good for you! If not, look at the people in your life. Have an open, honest conversation with one that you would like to be your champion. Ask them to play a more active role in your life – give them permission to walk your journey with you.

This world is full of critics, please don’t be one. We gain nothing by tearing another person down, while the world gains all the gifts and abilities of the person who relentlessly pursues their potential. Please never forget, for good or bad, you will influence every person you interact with on a daily basis.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.

Have a great day, a wonderful weekend, please cherish your precious families, and please stay well!

Kev

The Key is Consistency

 Happy Friday, Friends!

I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn in my Sweet Home Alabama!

This week I want to share a few quotes and thoughts with you. My hope is that this “Happy Friday” will be short, sweet, cause some reflection, and help you become all you were created to become!

“Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying basic fundamentals.” – E. James Rohn

“Consistency is important. Doing a good thing only once or twice or a few times is insufficient. You’ve gotta do the good things repetitively and indefinitely. You’ve gotta do the good things over and over and over again. When you are consistent, people trust you and respect you.” – Hendrith Vanlon Smith, Jr.

 “Consistency is everything. Nothing happens overnight. Nurturing any relationship, parenting, understanding people, understanding themselves, building a business, weight loss, personal transformation, and education. All takes time. Be consistent and experience the magic of life.” – Purvi Raniga

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.” – Aristotle

A couple of short stories:

Earlier this week I was listening to a Craig Groechel podcast. He noted that research has found that the most successful leaders have routines that they follow every morning.

A couple of years ago I was speaking with a consultant. He said, “I get hired because everyone is looking for the quick fix, the silver bullet.” He went on to state, “There is no silver bullet. Success is about showing up every day and following the process.”

We all want the quick fix and society is increasingly telling us that we should have what we want right now. The reality is that is not how life works. We achieve success in any endeavor through the consistency of the things we do. Ironically, that is also where the meaning, the true satisfaction of life, is also found.

So, the challenge this week is really simple; please spend a little time reflecting on your journey to this point. Are you happy where you are spiritually, emotionally, mentally, physically, and relationally? Truthfully answer these questions – we must know where we are before we can then determine where we want to go. Then take some time and look at the things you are consistently doing…it is these things that have led to the answers to the first question. Finally, determine in your heart and mind the things that you are going to do on a consistent basis from this point forward…this will lead to the life you want to live. Look, I know it isn’t sexy or flashy, it is just life and how it works. It requires honesty – with yourself! – and daily discipline. While you cannot change what you have done, and the life you are currently living as a result of those choices, however you have great power – you can choose what happens next. 😊

Finally, I want to share a quote that profoundly changed my life and inspires me every day…

“Nothing is easier than saying words, nothing is harder than living them day after day. What you decide today and commit to today, you must redecide and recommit to tomorrow, and each day that stretches out before you.” – Arthur Gordon

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.

Have a great day, a wonderful weekend, please cherish your precious families, and please stay well!

Kev

We Are All Learning & Growing

 Happy Friday, Friends!

I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn in my Sweet Home Alabama! I believe and declare that this one right here is going to be a great one!!!

Earlier this week I was listening to Focus on the Family. The guest was author Gary Thomas and in the show he, “explains how parenting can lead to spiritual transformation in a discussion based on his book, Sacred Parenting: How Raising Children Shapes Our Souls.” It is a two-part conversation, and you can listen to them both at focusonthefamily.com and I would strongly encourage you to do so…they were excellent!

The thing I could not get out of my mind both days that I listened to him, however, was “Yes, parenting can lead to spiritual transformation but so can marriage, our jobs, serving others, etc.” That is what I want to talk about for just a moment.

You may or not believe what I believe. What I believe is based on two foundational pieces:

Each and every one of us is fearfully and wonderfully made. That we are created on purpose for a purpose we have been perfectly equipped – we have all been given different gifts and abilities – to fulfill. And second, God works all things together for the good of those who love Him. If you believe these two things, what I am talking about might make sense to you. If not, perhaps it won’t. Either way, I have to share my heart.

Who you are, where you are, the people you do life with (family and friends), and the purpose you pursue each day matters greatly and they will all lead to your spiritual transformation. You are not a mistake, the job you have, the spouse/partner you have, the children you have, and your purpose are not mistakes. All of these things can, and will, work for our good if we will humble ourselves, have a teachable spirit, and be willing to learn and grow. Yes, problems and challenges are real, and they hurt really bad sometimes. I can, however, testify that even the painful moments are a part of the refining process, the process of helping you and I become all we are capable of becoming. In fact, experience has taught me, the greatest moments of growth and development come from the greatest challenges and adversities.

So, my hope for all of us as this glorious new opportunity begins to dawn, is that we will look at things with a slightly different perspective. You, where you are, the people in your life, and the purpose you pursue every day are blessings waiting to unfold. When things are difficult and challenging, recognize that you are learning and growing…be grateful. When things are going really well, recognize the blessing of the moment…be grateful. Either way, walk in the mercy and grace of each dawning day, redecide and recommit to pursuing all you were created to become in all aspects of your life, and embrace the journey. None of us are finished, yet! 😊

Todd Gongwer wrote an excellent book, LEAD…For God’s Sake! I would highly recommend it to all of you. Earlier this week Todd posted something on twitter that I wanted to share with all of you. It is titled, “12 Choices for the Graduate…from a wise Janitor”, however it is great advice for all of us. I hope you enjoy it!

Choose to BE where you are: Mobile devices constantly tempt us to check out of where we are mentally, and often emotionally. Manage this urge. Discipline yourself to BE where you are and engage with the people in your midst.

Choose your close friends wisely: Love everyone, but spend the majority of your time with people who encourage and challenge you to be your best. Character influences character, both good and bad!

Choose to be intentional with personal development: Find good mentors, seek honest feedback, read good books, and guard your heart. Your intake always affects your output!

Choose to pursue YOUR best over THE best: ‘The best’ is about external comparisons, ‘your best’ is about personal composition. Focus on maximizing the gifts you’ve been given.

Choose to embrace struggles: Pruning is painful, but it’s been a proven path to healthy growth for many of the world’s greatest leaders! EVERY trial you face is an opportunity for growth!

Choose to live by Truth: Virtually every media outlet you encounter is agenda driven. Find the agenda, learn from the perspective, but make your decisions based upon TRUTH – it does exist…and it doesn’t change as a result of cultural trends or preferences.

Choose to embrace your role in leadership: Leadership begins with influence from words, attitudes & behaviors, all three of which you choose! Choose wisely – use your influence for the good of others, not just for yourself!

Choose to take responsibility: Don’t play the blame game. When issues arise around you, search within first to find how you’ve contributed to the problem, then own it and move on!

Choose to leave things better than they were when you found them: This applies to any job, anything you borrow AND to your interactions with people.

Choose to exceed expectations: Don’t live life to merely meet minimum requirements – give YOUR best! Find the expectations and strive to exceed them; opportunity will follow!

Choose to embrace the journey: Most accomplishments that matter in life take time and effort, and require you to engage in a process. Learn to embrace delayed gratification along with this process that comes with it, and your accomplishments will become much more fulfilling!

Choose to prioritize PURPOSE over passions: Aspire to be great & pursue your passions but not at the expense of the people God has placed in your path. Relationships are the foundation of your purpose in this life – value every one of them as such!

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.

Have a great day, a wonderful weekend, please cherish your families, and please stay well!

Kev

Be Who You Were Created to Be and Encourage Others to Do the Same

 Happy Friday, Friends!

I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new day, a blank canvas, begins to dawn in my Sweet Home Alabama! 😊

This week’s Happy Friday is going to be a short, sweet dose of encouragement!

On Wednesday morning I was listening to Focus on the Family. The guest was Dr. Mike Bechtle, and the title of the program was, Giving Up People Pleasing for a Better Way to Live. You can listen to the program at https://www.focusonthefamily.com/episodes/broadcast/giving-up-people-pleasing-for-a-better-way-to-live-part-1-of-2/.

Dr. Bechtle made a statement that really caused me to pause and thing…he said:

“We’re often told we need to soar like an eagle. And if I’m a turtle, and that’s how God created me, then that’s going to be really frustrating, because I’m going to spend my whole life thinking I need to soar. They’ve told me that’s what’s important. And so many people tell us what we need to do, and I want to please them, so I’m trying to soar like an eagle. But I can do things as a turtle. If I can learn to accept the fact that God made me a turtle, I can do things that an eagle can’t. I have ground skills that an eagle would never have. And to be able to understand that.”

I totally saw myself in that statement and from that was born two pieces of encouragement I want to share this morning.

First, I want to really encourage us to be very mindful of the words we speak – The tongue has the power of life and death (Proverbs 18:21). I totally saw myself in the statement Dr. Bechtle made. In a very pure-hearted way, meaning nothing but good, I have encouraged others to soar however I never looked at it from the perspective of the turtle. Shame on me, I must do better.

I remember when I really got slapped in the face with the concept of all of our lives are unique and different. Our role as spouses, partners, parents, and friends is not to try to determine the path of another but rather to encourage, empower, and equip others on whatever path they are on. As a dad, it was very easy to be interested in the things my first two Tender Warriors, Payton & Gehrig, were interested in because, well, they were the same things I was interested in. We loved to play and watch any sport…being a dad was super easy. Then one day my youngest Tender Warrior, Landry, was sitting in our home office watching the military channel. They were breaking down the technology of a tank and he said softly under his breath, “I hope I get to drive one of those someday.” You see, Landry is by far the most athletic person in the Haslam family, and he could absolutely care less about sports. Does not want to watch them, does not want to play them…could literally care less. And in that moment, when I heard that sweet little voice whisper the dream of his heart, there was this deep conviction in my spirit – “It is not about you, Kevin. It is about this boy and his path. Your role is to help him become all he was created to become.” The message was received loud and clear, and I can honestly say that I have spent my life from that point to this – probably 12 years or so now – simply trying to encourage, empower, and equip others to simply be the best they are capable of becoming.

Back to the main point, let us make sure our words are not inadvertently sending a message we do not wish to send. Here is an example that comes to my mind; instead of focusing on societal standards, let us encourage others to simply become the best they are capable of becoming. (Note, I did put a period there) So when the boys were younger they would say, “I got a [put whatever grade you want here] on my test.” My response was never, “Great job” or “You could have done better.” No, I simply asked, “Was that the best you could do?” If the answer was “yes,” then it was enough, regardless of the grade and if the answer was “no,” then it wasn’t enough, regardless of the grade.

Death or life is in the power of the tongue…

Second, I want to simply ask you a favor; please fulfill your potential. That is it. Whatever your gifts and abilities, develop them to the fullness of your ability. Be the best version of yourself, walk your own path, and simply compare yourself to the version of yourself that you were yesterday. Whether you are 8 or 88, the dawning of each new day gives you the opportunity to once again rise up and become the best you are capable of becoming within that day. When you lay your head on the pillow tonight, give yourself the gratification of knowing that you emptied this day of every last drop of its potential. If you are an eagle, do not worry about the turtles…or even the other eagles, for that matter. Simply be the best you. (Yep, put a period there again!) 😊

I am going to close by sharing a few quotes.

“You are unique. You have different talents and abilities. You don’t have to always follow in the footsteps of others. And most important, you should always remind yourself that you don’t have to do what everyone else is doing and have a responsibility to develop the talents you have been given.” – Roy T. Bennett

“I find that the best way to love someone is not to change them, but instead, help them reveal the greatest version of themselves.” – Steve Maraboli

“When you are content to be simply yourself and don’t compare or compete, everyone will respect you.” – Lao Tzu

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.

Have a great day, a wonderful weekend, please cherish your precious families, and please stay well.

Kev