The headline read, “Renowned climber dies in Himalayas.” I don’t know what drew my attention to a small article at the bottom of the page, tucked in the middle of a recent edition of the Columbus Dispatch.

Above all, he was a supreme climber who moved the boundaries of possible. He had an amazing gift and amazing strength. He was a mountaineering genius whose accomplishments have been admired by the whole world.”  [Comments made about veteran climber Tomaz Humar who was found dead in the Himalayas after he was injured and stranded.]

As I read the account, I wondered if — at the end of his life — this gifted climber felt the risks were worth the payoffs of reaching higher, being among the first to go solo, winning awards, and enjoying international fame.

This news story caused me to reflect. To question my own actions.

How does one know when to take the risk or take a pass?

To jump in the game or sit this one out?

When the next step is one step too far?

When innovation and courage becomes reckless?

I wondered if I may have been too quick to take risks in the past, cheered outlandish bravado instead of properly inspecting liability, treated the future carelessly.  The introspection and questions continued to linger.

Well, as luck would have it, I discovered answers a few days later — in the Sports Section of The Wall Street Journal of all places.

The article, “What’s so great about punting?” related how Coach Belichick was being ridiculed because he had recently made a risky decision which cost his New England Patriots the game to the Indianapolis Colts.

The call in question was to go for the yardage rather than play it safe and punt. The result caused Belichick to be called a fool and pundits declared it the worst coaching decision they had ever seen the coach make.

Hey, I thought, at least my foul-ups aren’t broadcast on television, discussed during post-game shows, and dissected in national newspapers.

But what I found to be most interesting was the research presented later in the article.  According to a recent study, people have an overwhelming tendency to make the supposedly safe choice — to err on the side of caution — even though doing so may lead to worse results.

Players who did something aggressive were more successful
than those who did something offensive.

Subjects made four times as many passive mistakes
as they did aggressive ones.

People embrace caution because of the regret they face
when it doesn’t turn out well for them.

It didn’t work out for Belichick this time.  But what if it had? Research shows that more often then not, the real gamble is playing it safe. Maybe the coach’s decision wasn’t that risky after all.

I realize every risk won’t result in success.  That my decision might be dangerous and uncomfortable, and I may suffer loss. But I also know that I will never reach distant shores if I choose to remain upon the dock, fearing that my little ship of dreams may be dashed upon the rock [F. Bolen].

If mistakes will be made whether I go for it or not, I figure I might as well embrace the risk. Climb to the top and enjoy the view. Push away from the dock and head toward the distant shore. Live the life I’ve imagined.

“To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily. To not dare is to lose oneself” [Soren Kierkegaard].

Whatever you are, dare to be a good one!

Deanna

It isn’t what you have in your pocket that makes you thankful,
but what you have in your heart” [unknown].

When I hear the phrase, “Making a List” I generally think of Christmas and Santa Claus and good boys and girls and presents and grocery shopping. Thanksgiving doesn’t necessarily spring to mind.

What if we changed things up this year? What if we made lists of those things for which we are thankful, instead of those things we must accomplish or purchase or plan for or fix?

My friend, Melanie, recently posted a challenge on Facebook, “Let’s see how many people can do this. Every day this month until Thanksgiving, think of one thing that you are thankful for, and post it as your status. “Today I am thankful for . . . “ I think Melanie has a great idea!

Right now. This very minute. Stop and think about something for which you are thankful.

You will find the power of gratitude is amazing.  It transforms attitudes and reduces negativity. “It is hard to be negative about your situation when you are thinking about things for which you are grateful.  One of the fastest ways to improve your mood or outlook is to count your blessings” [Kevin Eikenberry].

An attitude of gratitude has the power to transform your world.  ”Gratitude is something of which none of us can give too much. For on the smiles, the thanks we give, our little gestures of appreciation, our neighbors build their philosophy of life” [A. J. Cronin].

Pause and remember.
Make a gratitude list.
Recall the kindness.
Write down the blessing.
Say, “Thank you.”
Be grateful.

Whatever you are, be a good one,

Deanna

Hindsight provides new eyes” [Wayne Dyer].

Remember that “thing” that happened last week, last month, or last year?

The event that you labeled a disaster, the end, a horrible misfortune?

That situation that you allowed to muddy up the present, color your future, and leave a cloud hanging over your head?

Sometimes, all we need is determination to persevere and a distance from the event for us to see it in a different light . . . “to understand that part a difficult circumstance played in our lives. Hindsight makes so much clear” [Karen Casey].

It might not have seemed like it then. And it might not appear to be now, but in time you may discover that “thing” holds promise, encapsulates an answer, creates possibility — if you allow it to — if you ask the questions, discard the baggage, break the barriers, seek out the potential.

On the other hand, if you prefer to carry around your perceived injustice like a sack of rocks, it will be difficult to fly into your destiny.

Look at the event with new eyes.

Maybe today you can see that “thing” as your saving grace. Your detour away from future trouble. The door to something better. A tool to make you stronger.

“In life’s school of wars, that which does not kill me, makes me stronger”
[Friedrich Nietzsche].

Whatever you are, be a good one!

Deanna

God has a plan. Run, Stafon, Run” [Stafon Johnson].

Have you heard the story of the Southern California tailback who suffered a potentially fatal weight room accident when a weight bar crushed his throat?

In an instant last September, Stafon Johnson’s future became doubtful.

The injury tore apart his vocal cords, crushed his trachea, and made it impossible for Johnson to eat or breathe without the assistance of machines. Today, after several surgeries, Johnson is able to breathe on his own and, perhaps his most surprising  accomplishment, is that he has learned to swallow again.

At a news conference over the weekend, the athlete impressed physicians, family members, teammates, and sports fans around the country when he also demonstrated the ability to speak.

In front of news cameras, Johnson shared the last words spoken to him by his late grandfather.

He uttered only seven words.

No louder than a whisper.

But they were powerful.

“God has a plan. Run, Stafon, Run.”

I can’t help but wonder how many evenings, when the sky was dark and discouragement loomed large . . . when the days seemed long and life unfair . . . unable to swallow . . . unable to breathe . . . unable to speak . . . unable to see his future . . .  that Johnson clung to these words.

Johnson’s doctors don’t credit the athlete’s miraculous progress to the surgeries, the impressive hospital system, or the knowledgeable healthcare providers.

Instead, his physician, Dr. Ryan Osborn, and throat specialist Dr. Jason Hamilton are quoted as saying,

“He never put limitations on himself,
and that’s why he’s making great strides.”

“Due to gladiator-type mentality toward his outcome . . .
he has regained the ability to swallow.”

“Will there be any limitations on him?
Those are only going to be set by Stafon.”

In the weeks since the accident, Johnson grabbed onto his courage and fortitude. He rallied his determination, encouraged himself, and was able to breakthrough the limits of convention.

What are you facing today? What limits do you need to demolish? What will it take to encourage yourself to overcome in spite of insurmountable odds?

Maybe, all you need are seven words to keep the momentum alive. To keep you in the game to fight another day.

Stafon’s seven words are:

“God has a plan. Run, Stafon, Run.”

My seven words are:

“She believed she could so she did.”

Maybe your seven words could be:

“My present does not equal my future.”

Whatever you are, be a good one!

Deanna

There is one quality which one must possess to win,
and that is definiteness of purpose,
the knowledge of what one wants,
and a burning desire to possess it.”
~ Napoleon Hill

It’s the beginning of the week . . . you’d better come out swinging!

Today is the perfect day to fight battles.

Slay dragons.

Test your courage.

Prove your determination.

Refuse to take “no” for an answer.

Stay in the ring for one more round.

Disregard the buzzer.

Ignore the crowds.

Keep fighting until you are victorious.

“People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are.  I don’t believe in circumstances.  The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can’t find them, make them“ [G. B. Shaw].

Today is your day to make history!

Circle this date on your calendar, draw a line in the sand, issue a challenge, sound the battle cry, and saddle up your horses . . . you have an enemy to engage, a giant to face, a battle to win!

Whatever you are, be a victorious one!

Deanna

Life is a succession of moments.

To live each one is to succeed” [Corita Kent].

Of all the great inventions that I have available to me — the computer, Internet, air bags, electricity, automobiles — one that ranks near the top of my “favorites list” (and I am a bit hesitant to admit this) is the snooze button.

That’s right!  That marvel of all marvels that allows you to set your alarm with the best of intentions the night before, and then ignore it in nine-minute intervals the next morning.  Oh, the joy!

Yes, I realize I need to stop sleeping, get out of bed, begin the next segment of my life, move to the starting line, face the day, but right now — the blankets are warm . . . and the bed is comfortable . .  and my eyes are heavy . .  and I am tired . . . and I want more of what I already have.

Can you remind me again in about nine minutes?
Thank you, Mr. Alarm Clock!

And — just like that — I put my life on hold.

I miss so many things when I’m content with –
playing Nintendo standing in the middle of the Grand Canyon,
or eating candy sittin’ at a gourmet feast,
or wading in a puddle when I could be swimming in the ocean,
(or hitting the snooze when I could be living my life)*,
I know the time has come for me to wake up!

From Steven Curtis Chapman’s song, See the Glory
*Italics are mine.

Take a look around. Your life is idling, waiting for you to wake up and start getting started. Stop pressing the snooze button, get off the bench and jump in the game.

Or, you can stay in bed, playing Nintendo, eating candy, waiting for your life to start at some undetermined point in the distant future.

The time to live your life is NOW. Not nine minutes from now.

“If you want to make your dreams come true, the first thing you have to do is wake up” [J.M. Power].

Whatever you are, wake up and be a good one!

Deanna

As my dad used to say, no one becomes an astronaut by accident” [Keith Ferrazzi].

I really like this quote by Ferrazzi. (And I imagine I would have liked Ferrazzi’s dad.  Seems like quite the practical fellow!)

Where are you?

Who are you?

And what are you doing?

Although I cannot answer these questions for you, I am pretty sure your life isn’t the result of some spontaneous combustion.  There wasn’t some big bang and *poof* suddenly your current set of circumstances materialized.

If you look back, you can see a decision here, point to a selection there, a left turn, a right turn, a “slow merge ahead” that shaped your journey and brought you to today.

Right now.

This point in time you call your life.

Not so happy with it?  Twelve months ago, November 12, 2008, maybe you should have zigged when you zagged.  What?  You didn’t see the signs?  Sorry about that.

Or, maybe you’re thrilled with your life. You saw the signs, made the adjustments, and kept on going.  No sweat. And now, you’re right where you planned to be from the beginning.

A satisfying, fulfilled, meaningful life doesn’t happen by accident. It takes planning, hard work, and diligence.

It represents the self-discipline of letting go of what you want so you can do what needs to be done. The humility of asking for help when you need it. Of acting on principle and being motivated by values.

Of persevering when it would be easier to throw in the towel. Of planning for change instead of reacting to it.

Of chipping away at the obstacles so you can get on with it.

You are advancing toward your destiny — every day, every minute,  every second, through every decision you make.  Every path you travel. Every person you take along with you on the journey.

Choose wisely. Arrival at the destination is not by accident.  In the end, there is only one person to hold accountable . . . and that person is you.

You always do what you want to do.

This is true with every act.

You may say, that you had to do something,
or that you were forced to,
but actually, whatever you do, you do by choice.

Only you have the power to choose for yourself.

~ W. Clement Stone

Whatever you are, choose to be a good one!

Deanna

Valor is stability, not of legs and arms, but of courage and the soul” [Michel de Montaigne].

Mine is not a military family.  I have never endured the absence of a family member who chose to serve, protect or defend our country.

As a small girl, I vaguely recall my uncle returning from “service” and presenting me with a perfectly sized Chartreuse robe (with impressive gold thread) from Morocco.  But I do not remember our family discussing his mission or celebrating his accomplishments. Or, perhaps they did, outside of a child’s awareness.

In the past, I’ve never quite known how to show my gratitude to our veterans for their service. My appreciative comments seem to be so small compared to the enormity of the sacrifice.

I cannot begin to imagine the road our veterans elected to travel or why they chose to do so.

What compels an individual to put personal needs and desires aside
in order to serve our country?

To leave loved ones a world away?

To be willing to sacrifice everything for people they will never meet?

To create the possibility of a safe future for generations of people who will never know their name?

• Not for the flex time or extended lunch breaks.
• Not for personal gain or notoriety.
• Not for a corner office with a view of the city.
• Not for a fat salary and six-figure bonus package.
• Not for the healthcare or the safe working environment.
• Not for many of the things that beckon us toward an enviable career with an important title.

Today is Veteran’s Day. It is a time to honor those who have served America and her people, engaged the enemy, protected the border, fought for freedom, rejected the convenient, turned away from the conventional, and paid the price.

To all our veterans and their families, I extend a sincere, “Thank you!” America wouldn’t be the great nation she is today without your service.  We are in your debt.

Let us no longer “take for granted the very people that most deserve our gratitude” [Cynthia Ozick].

Whatever you are, be a good one!

Deanna

Only as high as I reach can I grow, only as far as I seek can I go, only as deep as I look can I see, only as much I dream can I be” [Karen Ravn].

I’m currently attending a two-day staff retreat at Oglebay Resort in West Virginia. Monday was team building; Tuesday is slated for meeting and planning time.

As everyone gathered for our first session, we were handed a list of items we needed to locate for our “photo scavenger hunt.”  As we read over the paper, you could hear groans all around. The space is vast — more than 1,700 acres.

The 10-item list was complicated. One example: In the gardens, locate a “critter” and snap a photo of the entire team singing to it. Another requirement: everyone on the team needed to climb a tree and act out a scene from Romeo and Juliet.

You get the idea. Large areas to search for specific items, lots of effort required.

The last instruction the teams received was to be creative in our approach.

My team embraced creativity!
We questioned.
We imagined.
We created.
We discussed.
We investigated.

(What we didn’t do was trek all over the place, wasting valuable time and energy, in an attempt to find exactly what was written on the list.)

Much to the chagrin of the other teams, we used brains over brawn, got creative with the requirements, discovered new possibilities, and completed the scavenger hunt in about 30 minutes.

We spent the next hour relaxing in rocking chairs on the lodge porch, enjoying the mild Autumn weather, waiting for the other teams to return. Which they eventually did, tired, sweaty, out of breathe, and a bit annoyed with our creative approach to rule interpretation.

All this “hunting” started me thinking about all the things we “hunt” in life.

The perfect Christmas gift. The best price. A government bail-out.

Meaning in life. A fulfilling job — well, in some cases, any job. A piece of advice.

A soul mate. A restored relationship. A day off. A misplaced key.

Love. Peace. Joy.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T.  Justice. Kindness.

Health insurance. The fulfillment of a lost dream. More money.

A new idea. An open door.  A boost of confidence.

An answer. New clients. A short-cut. A miracle.

It doesn’t really matter what thing you are hunting.  If you keep searching for it using the same old routine, you’re probably not going to find it. You’ve probably heard one of my favorite quotes by Albert Einstein:

“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

Maybe what you need is a shot of creativity. Consider what could be. Think about things differently. Try a new approach. Think, as they say, outside of the box. In fact, why don’t you just blow the walls off the box, challenge the rules, break through the barriers, jump over the obstacles, and run full steam ahead yelling, “Catch me if you can!”

Read a different author.  Make a new friend. Ask some unusual questions. Start a blog. Learn a new skill. Paint with a different color. Mix stripes and florals. Develop a “non-traditional” approach.

Take time to imagine the possibility that implementing one new idea could create.

Your goals are within reach.
You might just need to take a different route to get there.

A truly creative person rids him or herself of all self-imposed limitations”  [Gerald Jampolsky].  Interesting to think about it . . . many limitations are self-imposed.  Creativity in thought, action, and approach will help you demolish the restrictions that are keeping you from finding that thing you are seeking.

Whatever you are, be a good one!

Deanna

To quote my friend, Tim Spurrier, if you are going to do something that hasn’t been done before, you’re going to have to do things that you haven’t done before. (And he should know a thing or two about doing new things. Tim led a team that built a hospital in the Peten Jungle in Guatemala.)

You will have to make the appointments, place the phone calls, write the emails, schedule the meetings, take the risk, ask the questions, question the experts, read the books, travel a new road, read the instructions, request assistance, and learn how to do it.

And many times, explore beyond the limits of conventional wisdom.

And, if the answer is not the one you wanted, you might have to start at the top and do it all again . . . and again . . . and again until you are reach the point where you unveil your masterpiece, silence the critics, and enjoy the success.

Greg and I traveled to Fallingwater this weekend, to visit the famous house built by Frank Lloyd Wright that stretches over a 30-feet waterfall.  Upon its completion, the house instantly became famous, and it captured everyone’s imagination when it was on the cover of Time magazine in 1938.

Falingwater is a masterpiece. Magnificent. Stunning. How a mind can conceive and create a house that doesn’t appear to stand on solid ground is amazing.

Our tour guide explained that Wright was nearly 70 when the Kaufmann family (founders of the famous department store chain) approached him about building their vacation home in southeast Pennsylvania.  In the decade prior to the request, Wright had scarcely designed or built anything. Many people thought his career was over. That he was washed up.

Hobbled by the depression, dried up commissions and a growing reputation as an eccentric clinging to old-fashioned ideas, Wright was struggling in late 1934 when he first met the Kaufmanns.

Over his career, Frank Lloyd Wright built more than 400 structures and designed at least twice that many. More than half of those built came into being after the enormous critical and popular success of Fallingwater when Wright was approaching the age of 70″ [Fallingwater].

Past his prime.  Economy conspiring against him. Old-fashioned ideas. No prospects.  Outdated.  Shoved aside. Expendable. Forgotten. Dwindling bank account. Bleak future.

Sound like anyone you know today?

So easy to sit idly by and become a victim of your circumstances. To point at your past. Blame your present. And give up on your future.

As I was touring the picturesque Fallingwater estate, I felt an energy buzzing around. Here I was, walking around a vision . . . transformed into a reality . . . which revolutionized a future.  All because one man was willing to attempt something that had not been done before.

Not only did Wright refuse to sit by and allow his present circumstances to dictate his future, he seized the opportunity to build something that had not existed before, created his career masterpiece, kick-started his passion, and along the way did many things he had never done before. At nearly 70 years old!

What’s your excuse?

Do you want to do something that you haven’t done before?  Then you need to be willing to do some things you haven’t done before.

Be willing to “explore beyond limits of conventional practice” [Fallingwater]. That’s what Wright did when he drew up the plans for the now famous (but he didn’t know it would change his life at the time), Fallingwater house.

Conventional is boring. It is following the rules established by others. It’s the safe bet.  It’s what makes your friends comfortable.

If you want to do something you haven’t done before, step beyond conventional and into your future that is brimming with possibility. Do something new today.

Whatever you are, be a good one!

Deanna