I grew up outside of a small town and across the street from a golf course. It was kind of a nice view, even though it was probably a hundred yards or so out past our front window. All year long, we would always see people golfing. If it was raining, they just simply put on their raincoats, opened up their umbrellas, and went on with their game. Rarely did anything ever slow them down. From as far back as I can remember, when it would rain, I recall my dad looking out our window at the golfers and saying, “Look at those crazy golfers! They would have to be nuts to be out there in the rain like that.” Then, some time as a teenager, it hit me one day. Why was it that my dad would always say how crazy the golfers were to be out in the rain but he would never even think twice about spending the day on the river, or at a lake fishing while it poured down rain all day?
Even today, it amazes me just how much of our parent’s beliefs and attitudes we have adopted as our own. You see, truth be told, they are not really our own, most times we have never taken the time to process things like this for ourselves. We just heard it when we were younger from someone we respected and looked up to and our minds put him or her into our belief system as true. Then later, down the road of life, we would retrieve that particular belief from our memory when engaged in a conversation. In this case, for me when I was a boy, it was that anyone who golfed in the rain had to be crazy. However, is that true? Are all golfers who golf in the rain crazy? Based on your beliefs, right now, you have already answered that question.
Of course, there are those foundational beliefs that our parents give us: morals, values, love, respect, ethics, belief in God and honesty. I believe these are all key components to a fulfilling life but you have to ask yourself where you think most racist beliefs come from. Is it inherited, passed down from generation to generation or does it come from personal experience? One person believes that those who live up on the hill are lucky and good fortune has favored them while others believe that luck is non-existent and hard work, along with the successful thinking and habits will get them what they want in life. Which one is right? As you read this, based on your beliefs, you have already answered this question for yourself.
You and I need to be aware of what it is that we believe and why that is. Are those mindsets we carry with us our own or are they simply something we picked up from someone along the way? Beliefs control a large part of what it is that we do and how we act. Therefore, our actions will produce a result and perhaps one of the biggest questions you will need to answer for yourself, is this: Are my beliefs producing the kind of results that I want for my life? If the answer is a no, then I encourage you to take a long hard look at why it is you believe what you do.
Have a great Friday everyone and an even better weekend.
Scott Stewart
Author, Speaker and Inspiring others to a life of greatness.
scott@lovelossandgrowth.com
541-343-3614
Friday, April 30, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
It is who we become that counts the most.
A while ago, I made a personal decision to focus more on who I was becoming rather then what I was getting. Simply put, it is not the getting that makes us valuable but rather the becoming. The person we become will determine where we will be and what we will do with our life.
The other day I was reading in the New Testament about Judas. Now if you don’t know who Judas is, the scriptures tell us that he was one of the chosen twelve disciples that followed Jesus. I had probably read this story a handful of times prior but it was not until this last time that I actually “got it” and wow did it ever hit me!
Scriptures tell us that Jesus’ ministry grew and became very successful; healing, praying and teaching folks everywhere He went. In fact He became so successful throughout the land the Pharisee’s caught wind of what was going on and wanted it stopped as they felt threatened. Not only did they want it stopped, they wanted Jesus arrested for blaspheme.
Well, there was probably no better way to get to Jesus than to have someone close to him “give him up”. So the authorities called upon Judas. According to the scriptures, they paid Judas a sizeable fortune (30 pieces of silver) to take them to Jesus and reveal Him to them, and that is exactly what happened. Judas gave up his best friend for a fortune of wealth. Then, Jesus was taken into the hands of the people who would then beat and torture Him.
Afterward, it did not take Judas long to figure out that he clearly made the wrong choice in giving up his friend. In fact, he took his fortune back to the very folks with whom he made the agreement with and “threw” the silver back to them, trying to convince them to let Jesus go. They would do no such thing and both Judas’ and Jesus’ fate were sealed. This is where I “got it”.
In the beginning, Judas only thought of the wealth. He thought of all the things he could buy with his money. The finer things in life would soon be his, and I bet he even believed all of his dreams of material things would soon come true. Just the opposite happened!
You see, eventually, Judas could not live with himself and who it was that he had become, because he had become a traitor. Not only did he give up his friend in exchange for immediate wealth, he also gave up his ideals, morals, character and most importantly, he gave up who he was. Later in the story, we hear that Judas eventually took his own life because of who he became.
Everyday, most of us go out into this big bad world and exchange either goods, products, or services for money, which we call a pay check. This is the way our world is set up and obviously there is nothing wrong with it. But after reading this story, I learned something very powerful.
The person you and I become is and always will be far more important than what we get in return. It does not matter if we make a million dollars at “something.” If that particular “something” does not help us become somebody we admire, look up to and love. Then really…have we gained anything?
Have a great Friday and an even better weekend.
Scott Stewart
Author, Speaker and Inspiring others to a life of greatness.
scott@lovelossandgrowth.com
541-343-3614
The other day I was reading in the New Testament about Judas. Now if you don’t know who Judas is, the scriptures tell us that he was one of the chosen twelve disciples that followed Jesus. I had probably read this story a handful of times prior but it was not until this last time that I actually “got it” and wow did it ever hit me!
Scriptures tell us that Jesus’ ministry grew and became very successful; healing, praying and teaching folks everywhere He went. In fact He became so successful throughout the land the Pharisee’s caught wind of what was going on and wanted it stopped as they felt threatened. Not only did they want it stopped, they wanted Jesus arrested for blaspheme.
Well, there was probably no better way to get to Jesus than to have someone close to him “give him up”. So the authorities called upon Judas. According to the scriptures, they paid Judas a sizeable fortune (30 pieces of silver) to take them to Jesus and reveal Him to them, and that is exactly what happened. Judas gave up his best friend for a fortune of wealth. Then, Jesus was taken into the hands of the people who would then beat and torture Him.
Afterward, it did not take Judas long to figure out that he clearly made the wrong choice in giving up his friend. In fact, he took his fortune back to the very folks with whom he made the agreement with and “threw” the silver back to them, trying to convince them to let Jesus go. They would do no such thing and both Judas’ and Jesus’ fate were sealed. This is where I “got it”.
In the beginning, Judas only thought of the wealth. He thought of all the things he could buy with his money. The finer things in life would soon be his, and I bet he even believed all of his dreams of material things would soon come true. Just the opposite happened!
You see, eventually, Judas could not live with himself and who it was that he had become, because he had become a traitor. Not only did he give up his friend in exchange for immediate wealth, he also gave up his ideals, morals, character and most importantly, he gave up who he was. Later in the story, we hear that Judas eventually took his own life because of who he became.
Everyday, most of us go out into this big bad world and exchange either goods, products, or services for money, which we call a pay check. This is the way our world is set up and obviously there is nothing wrong with it. But after reading this story, I learned something very powerful.
The person you and I become is and always will be far more important than what we get in return. It does not matter if we make a million dollars at “something.” If that particular “something” does not help us become somebody we admire, look up to and love. Then really…have we gained anything?
Have a great Friday and an even better weekend.
Scott Stewart
Author, Speaker and Inspiring others to a life of greatness.
scott@lovelossandgrowth.com
541-343-3614
Friday, April 16, 2010
The Two Wolves... Which One Wins?
A while back, I read a story about an Indian boy and his father. The young boy was in his early teens while his father was a very wise and highly respected leader of the tribe. The two were walking through the woods, talking back and forth when the son said something that made his Father pay very close attention.
He began to tell his father that lately he felt like there were two wolves inside of him, battling back and forth. One wolf seemed to be of a supportive nature and was there to offer help when he needed it. It gave him peace and love from within. The other wolf though seemed to be there only to rob, steal, and destroy. He said it appeared to be of a very dark power and had no regard to others or life.
As the father and son continued walking, the boy told his father that sometimes the battle between these two wolves became very intense, and oftentimes he was not sure which one was stronger. Upon hearing his son’s story, the father became very quiet, reaching deep inside for just the right response to what his son needed to hear. A short way down the path, the young Indian boy looked up at his father and asked, “Do you know which one of these wolves is stronger?” The father looked down upon his young brave son and said, “Yes, I do know which one is stronger.” A short pause later, the boy asked, “Which one Father?” The wise Indian father replied; “The one you choose to feed.”
I know many of us can relate with this story. How many times have you and I had dark and even mean, hurtful thoughts come into our minds, showing up just out of nowhere. For a very long time, I have wondered if this may perhaps be the primary reason why we see so many evil doings all around our world. I believe each of us has a choice every day. You and I can feed whichever wolf we decide to and believe me, the outcome between the two are very, very different.
Happy Friday everyone.
Scott Stewart
Author, Speaker and Inspiring others to a life of greatness.
scott@lovelossandgrowth.com
541-343-3614
He began to tell his father that lately he felt like there were two wolves inside of him, battling back and forth. One wolf seemed to be of a supportive nature and was there to offer help when he needed it. It gave him peace and love from within. The other wolf though seemed to be there only to rob, steal, and destroy. He said it appeared to be of a very dark power and had no regard to others or life.
As the father and son continued walking, the boy told his father that sometimes the battle between these two wolves became very intense, and oftentimes he was not sure which one was stronger. Upon hearing his son’s story, the father became very quiet, reaching deep inside for just the right response to what his son needed to hear. A short way down the path, the young Indian boy looked up at his father and asked, “Do you know which one of these wolves is stronger?” The father looked down upon his young brave son and said, “Yes, I do know which one is stronger.” A short pause later, the boy asked, “Which one Father?” The wise Indian father replied; “The one you choose to feed.”
I know many of us can relate with this story. How many times have you and I had dark and even mean, hurtful thoughts come into our minds, showing up just out of nowhere. For a very long time, I have wondered if this may perhaps be the primary reason why we see so many evil doings all around our world. I believe each of us has a choice every day. You and I can feed whichever wolf we decide to and believe me, the outcome between the two are very, very different.
Happy Friday everyone.
Scott Stewart
Author, Speaker and Inspiring others to a life of greatness.
scott@lovelossandgrowth.com
541-343-3614
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Mentors are invaluable to us
Looking back on the last twenty years of my life it has become clear that having mentors along the way has made all the difference in the world for me. Back as far as when I was a teenager, I have had people come into my life and play a supportive and intricate role in which I have become. Now to be truthful here, at the time, I thought they were just friends or fun people to hang around with but the further I go down this road of life, the more I am grateful that these people took the time to plant the seeds of greatness into me. I believe that each one of these key people came into my life at just the right time when I needed them the most. Rarely was it during a challenging time but rather when things were somewhat peaceful. It was as if I was preparing for the next level or the next challenge of my life and the best time to do that was when life was at a place where I would listen.
From the time I was in the Boy Scouts, I can count nearly twenty people who have encouraged, mentored and spoke words of wisdom into my life. Some of them were in my life for six months and some of them for several years. Have you ever heard that old saying: “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear?" Well, that was me almost to a tee! I feel like each one of these people has given me key essential tools to get through life, or shall I say “grow through life." From: life experiences, marriage, and God, to doing something more with my life. None of it was ever wasted or taken for granted. Much like you and I may plant a garden in the spring and expect a harvest in the summer, so is my life and so is yours.
I say yours because I bet you have had some sort of mentor(s) come and go in and out of your life as well. Maybe it was your Father, Uncle, or a Grandfather…even a neighbor. Each one of us though at some point, have had a “guide” help us down this path of life and for that, we should be thankful. I remember one particular man whom I worked with many years ago, during our breaks and lunches I would go to his work area, and we would just talk. He did most of the talking and I did a lot of listening. Make no mistake. This wise, older Godly man poured his wisdom out onto me and planted seeds into my life and when you and I have someone do this for us, we need to understand how vitally important it is that we be thankful for them. Without these mentors, how different would our life have turned out? Would you have received that promotion last year at your job? Would you have found that special someone? (After all, we do attract what we become) Would you have been able to change those bad habits and have your life take on a new course with more favorable outcomes?
If you have kids, nieces or nephews… spend time with them. Invest positive, encouraging, and supportive attitudes into their life, become a mentor to them. Do not just tell them they are important; “show them” they are important. If they have an interest in sports, then take some time and get them around the sports they like. If they like animals, take them to the Zoo in your area or even a local petting farm. Being that supportive element in his or her life, just as someone was for you, could make all the difference. After all, it is the words which we speak to them that will make a profound difference years down the road and one day, they will thank you for it and acknowledge you as being instrumental in their life and how it turned out.
Have a great Friday and an even better weekend.
Scott Stewart
Author, Speaker and Inspiring others to a life of greatness.
scott@lovelossandgrowth.com
541-343-3614
P.S. Is your organization considering an inspirational or self improvement speaker at their next event? If so, feel free to contact me for future speaking engagements.
If you no longer wish to receive Friday’s Thoughts, please email me at: scott@lovelossandgrowth.com and type in unsubscribe in the subject line.
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From the time I was in the Boy Scouts, I can count nearly twenty people who have encouraged, mentored and spoke words of wisdom into my life. Some of them were in my life for six months and some of them for several years. Have you ever heard that old saying: “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear?" Well, that was me almost to a tee! I feel like each one of these people has given me key essential tools to get through life, or shall I say “grow through life." From: life experiences, marriage, and God, to doing something more with my life. None of it was ever wasted or taken for granted. Much like you and I may plant a garden in the spring and expect a harvest in the summer, so is my life and so is yours.
I say yours because I bet you have had some sort of mentor(s) come and go in and out of your life as well. Maybe it was your Father, Uncle, or a Grandfather…even a neighbor. Each one of us though at some point, have had a “guide” help us down this path of life and for that, we should be thankful. I remember one particular man whom I worked with many years ago, during our breaks and lunches I would go to his work area, and we would just talk. He did most of the talking and I did a lot of listening. Make no mistake. This wise, older Godly man poured his wisdom out onto me and planted seeds into my life and when you and I have someone do this for us, we need to understand how vitally important it is that we be thankful for them. Without these mentors, how different would our life have turned out? Would you have received that promotion last year at your job? Would you have found that special someone? (After all, we do attract what we become) Would you have been able to change those bad habits and have your life take on a new course with more favorable outcomes?
If you have kids, nieces or nephews… spend time with them. Invest positive, encouraging, and supportive attitudes into their life, become a mentor to them. Do not just tell them they are important; “show them” they are important. If they have an interest in sports, then take some time and get them around the sports they like. If they like animals, take them to the Zoo in your area or even a local petting farm. Being that supportive element in his or her life, just as someone was for you, could make all the difference. After all, it is the words which we speak to them that will make a profound difference years down the road and one day, they will thank you for it and acknowledge you as being instrumental in their life and how it turned out.
Have a great Friday and an even better weekend.
Scott Stewart
Author, Speaker and Inspiring others to a life of greatness.
scott@lovelossandgrowth.com
541-343-3614
P.S. Is your organization considering an inspirational or self improvement speaker at their next event? If so, feel free to contact me for future speaking engagements.
If you no longer wish to receive Friday’s Thoughts, please email me at: scott@lovelossandgrowth.com and type in unsubscribe in the subject line.
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