A Celebration of Gratitude

Thanksgiving has always been a favorite holiday of mine. First off, any day where football, turkey, and sweet potatoes are staples has a great place in my heart. Aside from the Thanksgiving essentials, something has always appealed to me about a day to just celebrate what we are all thankful for. Gifts are fun, sure. But Thanksgiving removes those from the equation altogether. It's like people aren't even given the chance to be thankful for material things but only those that actually make the holiday special (football, turkey, and sweet potatoes, of course).

But seriously, in the face of a society that is constantly attempting to take away our state of thankfulness, it is our job to maintain that sense of gratitude. Black Friday deals began in my little town at 6 PM on Thursday. Despite what any salesman will tell you, the first step in a selling process is not to satisfy a need. The idea is to make the customer realize a need in the first place.

Unfortunately, we are constantly allowing our culture to tell us what those needs actually are. Don't get me wrong, I love the deals to be snatched up on Black Friday. I, myself, am particularly proud of my new drill. My point is that our priorities tend to be incredibly misplaced.

For my wife and I, our first Thanksgiving in our new home was spent with a visit from both of our families. We relaxed, played games, threw the football, cleaned house, ate, and even had a family-wide game of basketball. What a fantastic holiday. Obviously, we had a great time.

During this particular holiday weekend, I have had the privilege to spend some time reflecting. In addition to being incredibly thankful for my lovely wife and supportive family, I am grateful for what the past year has brought our way. My wife and I have bought our first house, taken new jobs, and joined a new church. I find myself thinking about the friends we have been blessed with in our new town (who may or may not be reading this blog for the first time - hey, guys!).

The journey to where we are now as a couple has been unbelievable and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I am very thankful for the life I have been given to live. I can't wait to see what the future holds.

Stay classy,

Andrew

Don't Let The Clock Run Your Life

Good advice from my wife. The morning scenario is pretty classic for us. I enjoy getting up early, getting ready for the day, and then relaxing a little before having to head out the door. She prefers to do her relaxing on the front end in the bed. Neither way is wrong, we just do it differently. One Sunday morning while getting ready for church, we begin a discussion that is never effective. It consists of each of us attempting to convince the other why our way of waking up is the best.

Like I said, neither of us are ever convinced that the other is right on this particular issue. But the point she tends to make in these discussions is a good one: Don't let the clock run your life. Please make sure not to miss-quote me on this one. There are many benefits to being on time and many scenarios where being late will hurt more than it will help. Being on time shows your preparedness and professionalism as well. The contention here is that when people allow clocks and time to run their lives, they are not taking the time necessary to really enjoy life to its fullest.

How do I know that? Simple. People who run their days by the clock very rarely schedule down-time. The reason for this is because they believe that their time is far too valuable to be spent "goofing off" or "being lazy." While I do not condone laziness at all, time always needs to be taken to simply relax and enjoy life.

Being the type-A personality that I am, it is very easy for me to schedule every minute of my day with productivity. While my boss is thrilled with this aspect of my personality, it is not always beneficial. Why is that? How can I literally spend every waking minute doing something productive or beneficial and it not be a good thing? I asked the same thing. I realized that there were people who got less accomplished in a given day but were much more satisfied with the day they had.

I came to realize that the difference was in allowance for down-time. While my schedule was completely screwed up if something didn't go as planned, their's was just fine because of the time allotted for relaxation. My solution was to run my day by not really running it at all. Outside of work, my day is very rarely scheduled ahead of time. Whims and random road trips are acceptable now because there is no schedule that they are messing up. My only rule now is to focus on what really matters. If it is a question between blogging or randomly taking my wife to dinner...she wins every time. My relationship with her matters more to me than just about anything else in this world and that always comes first.

Make time for those little things that really matter by de-cluttering your schedule. Trust me. When you make time for the things that make a difference, everything else can wait. In a hundred years, people are probably not going to be counting the number of blog posts I have written, the amount of time spent playing the guitar, or the intensity of my workouts. They will only look back and have memories. Those are the things in which to really invest some time.

Stay classy,

Andrew

Preparing for Change

Before you get any ideas...we're not having a baby yet. But the past couple of weeks have been spent becoming mentally prepared for change. My wife and I have made a couple of major employment decisions, we will be moving to a new state, and starting a new life.

Do I feel like change is a bad thing? Absolutely not. But human beings were designed to be creatures of habit in order to make our lives easier. Your brain going on auto pilot is one of the greatest gifts God gave you. So when circumstances arise that shake things up, you become stressed because your body is not looking for something like that to happen.

But change molds you. It enables you to grow as a person and as a professional. Thought it be uncomfortable, change produces results. If your workout routine always stays the same, you never improve. I believe it was Einstein who first verbalized the idea that insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting to get a different result.

Is it challenging? Sure. But you have to challenge yourself in the change process in order to produce any results. Mentally, it is a strenuous process to know that change is coming. But being able to look past the actual change to the results and opportunities to come is what makes a real professional. Look at the top of the next mountain when you're getting ready to climb. If you look at all of the steps you have to take, it is easy to get discouraged.

My wife and I are very excited about the coming weeks. The transitional toughness is what helps us grow stronger as a team and as individuals. The changes to come will be embraced. Why? Frankly, we have no choice. I start a new job soon. But seriously, the scariness is nothing compared to the hope for the future. We covet your prayers and are excited to see where the road leads.

Stay classy,

Andrew

Fostering Creativity

In case you haven't noticed yet, I love to write. Having this blog gives me the opportunity and ability to express myself, hone my writing skills, and challenges me to be creative in both style and content. Additionally, potential employers often look for creativity as a quality in new hires. Why? People who are creative tend to be able to look at a situation and devise a solution that is "outside the box". Creativity lends itself to multiple platforms and is useful in just about any situation (If you're an accountant, don't read this post. You guys will go to jail for getting too creative.)

Unfortunately, there are many people who go through life thinking that the creative gene somehow missed them. They prefer rules, structure, and see creativity as something only for those artsy types. But I would contend that everyone needs to develop creativity because of how much it spills over into the rest of life. Writing is just one platform. Others could include playing a musical instrument, drawing, painting, planning, etc. Developing your creativity allows you to enjoy life apart from your day-to-day duties. Fostering your creative environment gives you a place to disconnect, unwind, and just to be yourself. Practicing creativity reduces stress while stretching and exercising your mind at the same time. That being said, there are a few things that I have found that provide me with optimum creativity-building time.

The first aspect of providing optimum creativity is to have an actual routine. Stereotypical "creative" type often have the reputation of not caring about order and structure. They go with the flow and tend to keep to themselves. Well, that's not how I want to be. The routine actually fosters my creativity because I have found the best time for me. Every other day, I wake up at 5:30. I read my Bible and then I write for 45 minutes to an hour before getting ready for work. This schedule lets me be productive during what I consider to be my best hours of the day. Of course, you will have to do some experimentation to figure out what time works for you. This actually leads into the second aspect of my creative environment: timing.

Let me be very blunt with you when I say I love my down-time. Finding ways to relax after a good, hard work day is one of my favorite things in the world. This could be anything to grabbing the guitar and playing/singing with my wife, taking a long walk, or exercise. The reason that I do the majority of my writing early in the morning is twofold. First, as I've already mentioned, my brain is usually at it's peak. Secondly, I am much less likely to skip writing for this blog if I do not have to give up any of my relaxation time to do so.

The final way that I have found to foster my creativity is to take action on whims. What do I mean by that? Your brain is a powerful tool. If you connect a thought to an action, your brain remembers it and performs unbelievably well as a result. The other side of that coin is this: If you have a thought or an idea and you do not connect it to an action, it takes about 10 seconds for your brain to decide that it isn't worth your time.

The action doesn't have to be big. It can be as simple as sending yourself a message or jotting down a quick note. My personal favorite is the Blogger app. If I have a thought for a post or an idea, I create a new post from my phone and type of my initial thoughts. I can always go back later and delete the ones that are just plain dumb. But that allows me to get up in the mornings with outlines already planned out. All I have to do is the writing part which I enjoy anyway.

Working on your creativity is not something that comes easily to most people. Let me assure you that it is well worth it in the end. Your boss, church, and family will thank you for being a more creative person. Earning that promotion because you came up with the solution outside the box, resolving conflict among a group of people that provides a fresh perspective, and coming up with activities that your family can do together are all ways that creativity manifests itself and enhances our lives. Still not convinced? That's fine. Just start a blog and let me know how long it takes to convince yourself that fostering creativity is well worth your time.

Stay classy,

Andrew

Sustaining your A-Game

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then is not an act, but a habit." - Aristotle

We live in a world that is driven by competition. Human nature has grown to find that, through competition, businesses and people perform significantly better. Competing gives people a goal to achieve and something to lose. Though it isn't a perfect system, the idea of constantly performing at an optimum level is both desirable and admirable.

The sad part is that we drop to a level below our capability far too quickly. Humans were made, first and foremost, for survival. That being said, your body will use what energy/fat/muscle is necessary and nothing more. Your body also adapts and learns as it is faced with different circumstances. Therefore, the more comfortable you get with something, the less your body has to use or work for it. Why is all of this so sad? I'm glad you asked.

While being able to adapt and become more comfortable with our surroundings is a wonderful thing, the competitive world around us wants us to continue to exceed our own limitations. Get too comfortable where you are and someone working to be better is going to pass you. People naturally desire comfort. But the only way to continually get better is to challenge yourself. Hence, our world of competition.

What does all of this have to do with habit and excellence? Constantly performing at an exceptional level can become just as much of a habit as anything else. Habits make us comfortable. They are the norm for our bodies and can easily be accomplished without much thought. While we do need to be challenged in order to perform, looking for challenges and actually facing them becomes a habit as well. That is not to say that the challenges are ever easy. But looking for them, mustering up the motivation to pursue what you want, and taking the challenges head-on can be just as much a part of everyday life as eating or sleeping.

Your life is full of opportunity. Some of it falls into your lap. Most of it must be found through diligent searching. Many opportunities in life are unknown to us. What I mean by that is that you never know if that person you're talking to will be the next president of the United States. The ability to sell yourself comes with every handshake, conversation, and meeting you have. That's why it is always important to have your A-game as an everyday habit.

How do you make a habit of it? Press the "Page Up" key a couple of times and reread what Aristotle said. "...repeatedly do." That's it. If you force yourself to constantly play up a level, you will find yourself being able to do so without thinking about it so much. What comes next? Find the level above the next.

"Climb to the top of a mountain and you will be able to see the top of the next one." - Zig Ziglar 

Stay classy,

Andrew

Evaluating Your Day

How did you spend your day today? No, seriously. What did you do? Were you productive with your time? Did you encourage someone? Did you perform at an optimum level? Understand that these are not universal questions. But they are some things to think about. The reason being because we go through so many days during our lives that we get to the end and we think, "Wow, today just really flew by. What all did I do again?"

On its face, that does not always seem like such a bad thing. I, for one, have had plenty of days that I just wanted to end and to forget forever. But if you're working to live a better life and to use the days God has given you to the fullest, it is important to be responsible with how you spend those days.

Evaluating your day does not have to be some huge ordeal. It can be broken up into sections or focus areas to make it more manageable. For example, at the end of my work day during my walk to the car and my commute home, I like to look back on the day. I want to know how I spent my time, if I spent it responsibly, and if I achieved everything that I needed to get done for the day. This helps to keep me accountable to myself and, quite honestly, is pretty fun after a good day's work.

My wife and I do the same thing in the evenings. A constant topic of conversation for us is how our days have gone, what we need to do over the next few days, and how much fun we have been having. It is not a formal "evaluation" but the implications are the same. We know what we did, what we liked/didn't like, and what we need to do differently tomorrow.

My challenge to you is to take some time at the end of your day and see how you did. Focus specifically on the areas of goal advancement, time management, and personal engagement. These three are important because each one says so much about you as a unique individual.

Think about what you did to accomplish your goals. Did you work towards earning that promotion? Did you accomplish your daily tasks?

In accordance with your goals, think about how you managed your time. Was the majority of your day spent on mindless tasks like watching TV or browsing the internet? Were you doing something productive for yourself? Did you manage your employer's time wisely?

I also believe that it's incredibly important to personally engage others every day. Encourage someone. Tell a co-worker that they're doing a good job. Investing in others means investing in yourself as well. Not to mention, it is much easier to be motivated when the task is others-focused vs. self-focused. You can talk yourself out of personal benefits. But it is much harder to do that when you're working for someone else.

Keep in mind that these are not hard and fast rules. These questions are just what has worked for me in the past. Evaluating your day keeps you accountable and allows time to re-live the good times and fix those you would prefer to forget. Enjoy life as a whole and the days will follow in-line.

Stay classy,

Andrew

In Hot Pursuit

The Declaration of Independence guarantees all Americans certain rights to which they are entitled. Three, specifically, are referred to as "inalienable" which means they cannot be legally or justly transferred to another party. They are inherent within the American and, not just an entitlement, but a blessing. These rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But, as Benjamin Franklin once quipped, "The Declaration of Independence only promises the pursuit of happiness. You must catch up with it yourself."

The pursuit of goals and of the things in life you really want is something that I tend to preach a lot. Why? People were made to strive after something and to work hard. This is evidenced by the fact that (with sleeping as an exception) working is the only thing that people can do for eight hours each day.

While there are numerous qualities that are invaluable in life and in the pursuit of goals, three jump out to me as the foundation for goal-achievement.

1. Consistency  

If you want to ride, don't wait until tomorrow to get back on. You are guaranteed to fail at some point in your pursuit. There will be times when that goal seems completely unattainable. There will be times when the results to be achieved simply do not look like they will be worth the effort. Keep in mind that the majority of goal-setting benefits come in the act of consistently chasing the goal. Yes, the benefits at the end are great. But you gain so much more through the struggle and the chase.

Keep going. The end is worth it. Keep making those daily resolutions and press on. Don't wait until tomorrow to try and reset if you mess up today. Your next minute of living is a new opportunity.

2. Self-Control 

As long as excellence is being pursued, this will be a requirement. While this tends to go hand-in-hand with consistency, it needs to be separate because it focuses on your internal discipline. Consistency is attained through constantly getting back up on the horse. Self-control deals with staying on the horse. Lots of the same concepts can be applied. But the vantage point is different.

Reward yourself. Find your incentives and enjoy them. Surround yourself with people that hold you to a higher standard. Make sure they are like-minded and going in the same direction you are. That way, you are not spending your life lonely on your high horse because the people you're around are up their's too.

3. Motivation

I can't stress enough how important your motivation is. Consistency and self-control deal with decisions that are made. Your motivation is why you make those decisions in the first place. Most of the time, it isn't just for the sake of working for something. Motivations are different for everyone. Some are motivated by positive re-enforcement. Think motivational posters and encouraging words. Others are motivated by negativity. These people keep "before" pictures of themselves because they never want to look like that again. Still others use a combination of the two.

Whatever your motivation, find it and use it frequently. It will keep you going when nothing else will. All of that to say, work and strive hard after your goals. You have, within you, the right to pursue them. Develop these qualities and focus them on something specific and you will lead a better life as a result.

Stay classy,

Andrew

Little Victories

"I think in terms of the day's resolutions, not the year's." - Henry Moore

The little, every day wins are incredibly important in a professional journey. They are what keep us going and continually moving forward. Without little victories to celebrate, we would only look at the huge task or goal. While focusing on the big picture is not a bad thing at all, a lengthy process for attaining that picture can quickly become discouraging. That's why it is so important to be on the lookout for those little victories and to celebrate them when they come along. Today, let's think about the little victories in life in the three following areas: measurability, motivation, and meaning.

1. Measurability

As I've mentioned previously, it's important that your goals be measurable so that you know how you're doing. Maybe that goal of being a manager in your company one day starts with making a good to-do list and increasing your productivity. That goal of a beach body starts with a single workout and a healthy eating plan. Those are just a couple of examples of the little, measurable things that we do on the way to the prize.

Little victories are not what get us up in the morning, but they are what keeps us getting up in the morning. The thought of getting that promotion is what gets us up to work. However, the fact that we did so well at the job yesterday is what keeps us going back to try harder. That brings us into our second area of motivation.

2. Motivation

If you're ever going to reach your goals, you need to figure out what really motivates you. When getting up early is not really first on your mind while laying in your warm sheets, what is it that is going to make you get up anyway? That being said, figure out the little rewards you enjoy for your little victories that make them worth it. For example, a good relaxing walk with my wife over my lunch break is my reward for working hard in the morning. The rewards and victories don't have to be big. They just need to motivate you to keep trying.

3. Meaning 

Let's make all of this a bit more practical. Think of your goal like a mountain. It will be a treacherous, long, hard climb to the top. But at it's peak, the view will be spectacular. Getting there will increase your confidence in your ability, teach you new skills, and show you the top of the next mountain in the distance. But as I stated earlier, looking at a mountain the entire climb can get pretty overwhelming. The good news is that every mountain is made up of molehills. They aren't very big or very difficult to climb; but they come together to make that glorious mountain. My challenge to you is this: Celebrate the molehills you step over to get up the mountain you're climbing.

Craig Ballantyne put it very well when he said this:

"Success comes in spurts." - Craig Ballantyne

Be happy and reward yourself for the spurts of success. It will make the goal seem much more attainable, continually motivate you, and give you a way to measure your progress. After several weeks of counting molehills, you find out that you're half-way up the mountain. So keep climbing. Just don't spend all of your time and energy focused on the distance. Keep your thoughts here and now on the day's resolutions. You'll get much higher more quickly as a result.

Stay classy,

Andrew

Surrounded

I don't know how many of you have realized this; but you guys are in the minority. No, I'm not talking about close family and friends, specifically. I'm referring to people who dream of better tomorrows, those who are looking to grow and constantly better themselves. That's you.

The funny thing is that you're different than the majority of the people in the country at this point. The fact that you're reading this to begin with shows that you actually care. That's why it is vitally important that you pay special attention to those you allow in to your inner circle. These are the people that you hang with, allow influence from, and go to for advice.

Think about the people that you hang with on a regular basis. It's important to note here that you are the average of the five people that you spend the most time with. For me, since one of those five people is my wife, I feel like I'm in pretty good shape. Maybe it's the same way for you. If that's the case, we'll get to you in a minute.

Something that has always baffled me is the fact that there are young (and old) people with so much potential who spend the majority of their time with negative, rude, self-absorbed individuals. For example, I can't even count the times I've seen the sweetest girl end up with the worst possible guy. If you have goals to reach, if you're positive and ambitious, if you sincerely believe that you're on the road to success and that your best days are ahead of you, those kinds of people should not be the ones influencing you at all.

I'm not saying that you should just kick them to the curb. You have the power to be a positive influence on them. But the best way that you can start doing that is by stopping hanging out with them. See, it is much easier for you to be pulled down to their level than for you to pull them up to your's. The reason? That is a decision that each individual has to make for himself or herself. You cannot make that decision for them.

That being said, my challenge to you is to surround yourself with people who give a rip. Be with people who challenge you and make you better. During one particular stage of life, I made a 10-hour round trip drive in one day for supper with a group of my friends. These were people whose opinions I valued. They were the types of friends who asked tough questions, engaged in meaningful discussion, and presented thought-provoking views. Looking back on that trip now, I find myself asking if I would make the trip again for that group. Absolutely.

Pick your friends wisely. They will be some of your most powerful influences. Make sure that their views and goals are in alignment with yours so that you know which direction (up or down) they are pulling you.

If you already have a crew like that, make sure that you bless them and show appreciation on a regular basis. Friends like that really don't come every day. They should be cherished. Express gratitude often. John Calvin once said this:

"We are naturally lazy in the duties of love." - John Calvin

That's why it is so very important for you to cherish those around you. The ability to select your influences is an awesome blessing that we have been given by God. Make sure that yours are those that sharpen you and don't dull you.

"As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend." - Proverbs 27:17

Stay classy,

Andrew

Beauty in Simplicity

Keeping life simple is a difficult task when you consider the world we live in. Technology gives us access to unlimited amount of information that is located thousands of miles away. We have the ability to communicate with people across the world in mere seconds. To make simplification that much more difficult, many people can perform their jobs from anywhere in the country. Through the use of smartphones, all work-related tasks can be accomplished and the risk is run of never being able to escape.

Think about your life and how you live each day. Now take a minute and think about how much of that is stuff you really don't need. That's what simplicity is. Simplifying is not stupefying. Simplifying just means getting rid of all the junk that you don't need.

Think about a musical scale. There are only eight notes that are contained in a standard, major scale. In fact, if you change scales, the same notes are still used but in a different way. With less than ten notes, you would think that there would be a fairly limited amount of combinations. Beethoven, Chopin, and J.S. Bach all proved that theory wrong. Look/listen to the works of these three men and other classic composers and what they were able to do with those notes.

There are only five primary colors. Think about your favorite piece of artwork (You do have one, don't you?). Take a second to fathom what Picasso and Van Goethe were able to make out of those five colors.

Music and artwork are just a couple of examples of how far simplicity can really go. The greatest example that I know of is when Jesus summed up the entire Old Testament in a very short phrase.

"So in everything you do, do to others as you would have them do to you..." - Matthew 7:12

Simplification reduces clutter, it eliminates stress, and it enables you to reevaluate what is really important. Consider your life. Think about all the junk that you don't really need and simplify a little bit. You will be more effective in those things that really matter.

Stay classy,

Andrew

Settling: 3 Areas You Can't

We settle for mediocrity far too often. Shortcuts to completing a job are often more valuable then doing the job right the first time. It's important to note that I am not talking about actually starting a task. In that case, getting started should be put above the perfect start. But in regards to the actual quality of work, quality is usually sacrificed due to laziness. While there are some areas in life that settling is permitted, there are at least 3 that you, as a professional, absolutely cannot settle for less than the best.

It is also important to note that what is "best" in each of these areas depends on where you see yourself in life. These are not areas that you can just take a measuring stick to and determine if you're doing it right. That being said, let's dive in.

1. Your Job

Where you work and what you actually do in your professional life are as much a part of your life as anything else. We do not like to think that it holds a great amount of influence but it really does. Your job affects your schedule, how you spend your time, and what you think about on a daily basis.

Your job should be something you actually enjoy doing. Too many people settle for jobs that they do not enjoy because of the paycheck, benefits, or simply because they do not feel like they can do anything else. But a job like that does not actually help you benefit in the long-run at all. Sacrifices are always involved when taking a pay cut and a great amount of work is involved in actually changing jobs. But the benefits enjoyed of being able to wake up every morning and like what you do while genuinely being good at it are beyond compare.

Don't go for a job just because it's an easy one to get and/or do. Find something that you love and that challenges you to grow in your professional life. That way, the old adage of never working a day in your life will actually ring true for once. But your life has to be in balance regarding professional and personal lives. Your job should never take a toll on your health. In the event that it does, you need a change. That actually leads us into the second area where settling is not an option.

2. Your Health 

Our health is something that all of us have taken for granted at some point or another. The unfortunate thing is that sometimes it takes losing someone or some aspect of our health before we realize how valuable it really is. Think about it. How much money would you take for your eyesight? Your hearing? How much could someone pay you to make losing your legs worth it? Chances are pretty good that the amount for any of these things is invaluable.

Another aspect of our humanity that shows how much we take our health for granted is how much neglect we put our bodies through in a given time frame. The holidays are a prime example. Those several weeks around Christmas and Thanksgiving are brutal for our bodies because, with the exception of some power shopping on black Friday, we are fairly inactive. We also give our body straight junk for fuel and expect it to perform at a high level. Talk about not having the tools to succeed.

Taking control of your health forces you to take control of the rest of your life because you start to care. You find out that all of those areas that hinder your performance can actually be influenced by your actions after all. Your health is the area of your life over which you have the most control. I am not advocating that you have total control because no one does. But learning to take responsibility for that place your mind, soul, and spirit will live for their entire earthly existence will make you take responsibility everywhere else too. Taking control of your health spills over into taking control of the rest of your life. You can't afford to skimp on your health, this is the only body you will ever have. God has trusted you with it and expects you to be a good steward of what He has given you. This brings us to something else God has given us where we can't afford to settle for mediocrity.

3. Your Happiness 

I am a firm believer that happiness is a choice. You wake up every morning and determine how good of a day you are going to have. Some people let some bad news or what they see on the news determine how the rest of their day goes. But God gave you a brain so that you could actually decide how you're feeling and set your performance level. That makes the question this: Why would anyone settle on how happy they could be?

Settling in the area of happiness is largely due to us not being able to see ourselves getting any closer to where we want to be. Picture your perfect life with the perfect you living inside of it. Have you achieved it yet? You shouldn't have. Why not? Because the beauty of this life we live is the ability to strive for something better. What are you doing to get yourself closer to your ideal person and ideal life? I'm not saying that you should not be content with what you have. I am saying most people stop short of what they really want because they cannot see themselves going any farther. But when you climb a mountain-of-a-goal, you can always see to the top of the next mountain. It will take some more climbing, for sure. But the climb is well worth the struggle and the fight it takes to get you there.

Be proud of yourself and your life. Live a life that you are unashamed of and one that allows you to live optimally. Don't settle for less that ideal when it comes to your employment, your health, and your happiness. Trust me; your are worth the investments necessary to make these areas the best that they can possibly be. When you sow the right things, you will reap even better things.

Stay classy,

Andrew

Honoring a Life of Peace

My posts have been fairly irregular as of late. I've honestly felt like I've been "off the grid" for the past week. This is due to the recent loss of my grandmother to cancer. Closure is a subject that has been discussed several times among my immediate family over the past few days. This is my version. This post is not because I need more people to cry with me or more food to be sent over to my house (although I would not object to either). No, this post is, quite frankly, because I was charged with the task of preaching her funeral. I sincerely believe this is a message that she would have wanted to reach as many people as possible. So hang on to your hats and bear with me as we honor a life of peace.

See, my grandmother has been fighting cancer for the better part of the past three years. We knew that her passing would come at some point in the future but not necessarily at this time. Her battle began with a bout with breast cancer. Once this was resolved, a brain tumor revealed its ugly head and, mentally, she hasn't really been the same since. This tumor resulted in a surgery without much recovery. The result was another tumor, a kidney stone, and a failing liver which ultimately resulted in her passing.

I give you that information not to gross you out or to make you feel sorry for her; but to tell you what's next. Cancer arises in the body and uses perfectly good cells to do its dirty work. Once cancer takes over a cell, that cell begins to produce cancerous cells which, in turn, take over other cells and the cycle continues. As far we medically know, there is only one type of cancer that people are actually born with. This cancer is one that takes over every cell in the human body almost instantaneously. It is a slow killer that consumes more victims than all other cancers combined. This cancer takes 100% of the victims infected with it and the dying does not cease after the victim passes from this life. The best name they have found for it is sin.

Sin is a problem that overtakes all humans when they first enter this world. It is a result of our natural state which is enmity with the God of the universe and our personal Creator. The Bible tells us in Romans 6:23 that the deserved payment for the way we are born is death. It seems a bit unfair, doesn't it? Why should I be punished for something that I can't help? It's unfair until you come to the realization that God created us to be perfect and to live up to His standard. Anyone that lives up to that standard is in great standing with God and the cancer of sin is never an issue.

Unfortunately, no one can live up to God's perfect standard. That means we all should die forever, right? Wrong. See, even though justice says that people infected with sin deserve death, mercy sent a replacement to take your punishment for you. Those little crosses that everyone and their mom wear around their necks actually hold more significance than most realize. God sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross in our stead. He came to earth for the sole purpose of living a perfect life. That means His voluntary death as a perfect man is sufficient to pay the price for the sin of anyone and everyone. Now our job is simply to believe in Him to wash our sin away. The Bible says that the blood of Jesus can wash us as white as snow. At that moment, the cancer does not go away. But the enmity against God has been removed and the debt has been paid. Simple? Yes. Crazy? You bet.

My grandmother lived her life proclaiming that very message with her actions, her words, and her conduct. She went through her final days (and all the rest of her days, honestly) with a blessed assurance that she would not be in pain forever. She knew that her death was just a change of address because the cancer of sin had no victory over her. She would not die for eternity but would live forever in the arms of her Creator.

I know this post has not been the typical, review-her-life and memories kind of post. But I can sincerely say, from the bottom of my heart, that this is what she would have wanted you to hear above all else. Therefore, the greatest honor I can do in her memory is by sharing it with you. If you're still here, thank you for reading. If you want to know more/have questions/want to completely disagree and need someone to debate with you, comment or message me and we'll talk. I cherish every memory that I have of my grandmother and I appreciate you sharing in this time both with myself and my family.

"We are confident. Yes, well pleased, rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord." - 2 Corinthians 5:8

Stay classy,

Andrew

Indulgence or Gluttony?

What is it that you really need? Seriously. How often do you indulge in things that are not good for you? I'm not just talking about food, either. Maybe you live a very disciplined life and occasionally feel like you have earned a little bit of a treat. Another possibility is that indulgence is a part of your every day life. Either way, when used improperly, indulgence can quickly become gluttony and do you far more harm than good. My challenge to you is to monitor your input. Figure out how much you take in and how it is effecting you. I have a feeling that, for most of us, it will be a rude awakening to find out just how much in our lives that we do not actually need.

Before writing this, I wanted to know what gluttony actually was. Naturally, I had always heard about the "7 Deadly Sins" and went to the Bible to find out. It actually surprised me to find that gluttony is never mentioned in the Bible. In fact, the 7 deadly sins as a list never appear in the Bible either. Many of the concepts are mentioned or eluded to but never explicitly mentioned. Therefore, my search took me elsewhere.

When the Catholic church came up with the list, gluttony had an aura of lacking self-discipline. It was a life spinning out of control because of the numerous indulgences. As I began thinking on this concept, I realized that many lives today are affected by over-indulgence. For the purposes of this post, we will look at over-indulgence as taking in more than you really need. I also want to get away from the mindset that this only includes food, but instead, look at it from a self-discipline perspective.

Take technology/social media as a prominent example in our society. How often do we take a break from our productivity or what we are doing to check Facebook, Twitter, etc? The funny thing is that, most of the time, the short, deserved break quickly becomes a long undeserved break. Technology and social media are tools to be used, but when any tool is used more than it is needed, something ends up damaged or broken.

Another example is in the television we watch. Keep in mind, a deserved break is one thing, but if you constantly leave the tube with a headache because of the length of time spent in front of it, that is where the issue comes in.

I think it is also important to note here that you can desensitize yourself to the amount of something you really need. Food is an excellent example. Did you know that your stomach will actually stretch out to suit what you put inside of it? The reason for this is that the rest of your body trusts your brain to tell it what it needs. If you eat an entire pizza every night and then you only eat half of one, your body will tell you that it is hungry because it is in a constant state of being over-fed.

What is the best way to find out if you have become desensitized? Eliminate the act for a reasonable period of time and see how you feel. Skip a night of TV for a good book. If you miss it, you were probably indulging more than you should have been. Skip dessert. Go for a weekend technology fast.

Human vices are so diverse that there is no way they could all be covered here. But I do want for you to start thinking about the things in your life that are essentials and those that are indulgences. Think about what really makes you a better person and what is just for fun. You need occasional indulgences in your life. But be disciplined. Plan them. They will serve you better as planned indulgences than as undisciplined gluttony. If it does not make you into a better person, it is negative, or just plain damaging to your self-image and those around you, get it out. Indulge occasionally. But be disciplined in keeping it as far away from your life as possible. Be mindful of what you put in because it will affect what you get out.

Stay classy,

Andrew

Is Your Everyday Speech Hurting You?

We spend a lot of our time thinking about other people. We compare where we are in life to where friends, family, and even enemies are in their lives. While comparison is one thing, the area where many of us need the most work is in how we talk about others.

The world we live in is permeated with negative speech. From foul language to discouraging words, most speech that is allowed into the atmosphere at this point in time has no place in the mind or ears of a professional. This is particularly true in the realm of talking about other people. It is incredibly easy to walk down the hall at work and overhear numerous conversations about what such-and-such did last week or how much trouble so-and-so is causing. While we cannot always control what we overhear, the issue comes when we neglect to keep on walking by.

When the topic of discussion is a person with whom we, ourselves, have had difficulty, the temptation to participate is unbelievable. Even people who consider themselves to be positive thinkers can easily be sucked into the vortex of negative thinking and degrading others. But I contend that this is not only destructive to the other individual, it is harmful for you to participate in as well. As a professional who strives to take care of him/herself, you honestly cannot afford to speak negatively of others. Doing so takes a toll on you physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Let's begin by looking at the physical and mental repercussions of negative discussion. Many forget that, in addition to keeping your body functioning, your brain is also a muscle. It works just like any other muscle in that it must be exercised, it has times where it is not as pumped as others, and it can grow stronger. The brain on negativity and putting others down is a sad state, indeed. The reason for this is that it works much like a normal computer does. Your brain automatically gravitates towards what you put into it. For example, if you love sports, you probably fill your head with facts, game stats, and watching games. That being said, your brain more readily picks up on discussions about sports than anything else. When the word "football" is mentioned, my ears always perk up, regardless of what else I am doing, because I love the game.

Negative speech is the same way. Have you noticed that there are some people who just can't wait to share bad news? The reason that they always find the type of news that they are looking for is because they hear it so much that their brain automatically tunes into it. But the major physical effects come with what you're giving up by listening to negativity.

When you fill your head with positive, encouraging, and motivational thoughts, there are certain chemicals that your brain releases that put you in a good mood. Essentially, they are the equivalent to having a good piece of chocolate or doing a genuine act of kindness for someone. The funny thing is that, even after working hard to do something nice for someone, you will find that you have more energy afterwards because these chemicals were released. Am I saying that being nice and speaking well of others gives you more energy? Absolutely. The result is increased productivity and you begin passively listening for good material instead of poor material. Mentally, you focus on more positive things. Physically, you have more energy and are more productive. 

Let's move on to the spiritual aspect of what we say. It is very easy to harm our spirit with negative discussion of others. Primarily, this comes when we find out that someone else overheard and/or repeated the information. That feeling of getting punched in the gut after something you said comes to light? That creates unnecessary stress on your body and on your countenance as well. Jesus said that the world he came in to loved darkness rather than light. The reason for this is because light exposes the deeds of those effected by it. That way, good deeds shine all the brighter and evil deeds are exposed for what they really are (John 1). 

Be a child of light. You don't have time to partake in negative conversations about other people. It is harmful for you to do so physically, mentally, and spiritually. Speak encouragement and hope. Those two things will take you further than gossip, slander, or mean words ever will. More energy, increased effectiveness, a happier spirit, and better demeanor are all results of encouragement instead of putting someone down. Why would you ever settle for the latter when the former is an option? Don't be lazy with what you listen to or say about others. Take the higher road. Doing so shows a better person and a better professional. 

Stay classy,

Andrew

Get Going

"Doing is better than perfect." - Facebook Company Motto

We live in a world where information is more easily accessible than at any other point in history. Most of us can pull out our cell phones and receive information via the internet from all over the world. That information is then delivered without wires into the palms of our hands. Wow. There is certainly a lot to learn out there. You could pick any given topic, spend a lifetime learning about it, and still not know everything there is to know about it. There are lots of people who know enough information to fill a library. The issue comes when a very simple life principle is overlooked. Information is only worth learning if it is used.

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has a show called Sherlock that my wife and I enjoy watching. This modern retelling of Sir Author Conan Doyle's famous stories follow the adventures of a Sherlock who uses text messages, Google, and email to solve crimes. One of my favorite scenes is shortly after Dr. Watson and Sherlock first meet. A question comes up about the solar system and Dr. Watson discovers that Sherlock does not know that Earth is the third planet from the sun, or even how many planets there are in our solar system to begin with. Sherlock then makes the point that his brain is like a computer. When there is information contained in his brain that he does not find useful, it is deleted.

While this is a fairly light example, it illustrates an important point. Most people like to gather information to the point that they can accomplish a task or know a topic in its perfect state. In an age of information we kill ourselves with it. In fact, actually starting the job becomes less important than knowing enough to start. That is where the issue lies. 

Learning is a wonderful thing. I strive to constantly learn new skills and information every day. But if I put off actually doing something with the information for the sake of learning more, the information itself is worthless.

Consider this example. I have mentioned previously my interest in Spanish and in looking forward to the opportunity to write and one day preach in this foreign language. I can sit around on my computer learning Spanish until I am blue in the face. But if I never actually get out and use it, the information does not do me any good.

Your brain is a powerful enough tool that it knows unused information is worthless. That's where the old adage "If you don't use it, you lose it" came from. When you put information into your brain that goes unused, it may not necessarily be deleted but it will be filed away so that relearning is easier than trying to find the old information.

So why is it that we look for information that we are never going to use? The answer is because the fear lies in the doing, not in the learning. Gaining new information makes us feel productive and good about ourselves without any of the risk of setting out to do it. My challenge to you today is to forget how much information you think you need. Doing is better than perfect.

But what if I mess up? What if it goes horribly wrong? That will embarass me. I would have been better off to not have set the goal or started the task in the first place, right? Wrong. People were created to have their energy focused on something. That's why we set goals. Yes, you may fail. But the act of trying is what you were made for. The most disappointing strikeouts in baseball are the ones where the batter never swings. It is actually more dangerous to sit there learning that it is to be out there doing.

"And what if I did run my ship aground; oh, still it was splendid to sail it!" - Henrik Ibsen

It is a proven fact that ships deteriorate more quickly sitting at anchor in the harbor than they do sailing. It is much safer to sit in the harbor, sure. But the joy comes in the sailing! Is it dangerous? Yes. But the preparation is nothing without the doing. I leave you with the quote below because it sums up this post perfectly. Quit killing yourself with information and get out in the world. Make some mistakes and learn something worth using. That is what will make you into a better person and a more effective professional.

"Just do it." - Nike

Stay classy,

Andrew

Finding Your Motivation

What is it that gets you out of bed in the morning? No, I'm not asking about your alarm clock or the coffee maker. But seriously...what drives you to get up and go? One of the coolest things about our brains is the amount of power that they have over the rest of our body. Sometimes a simple blog post, article, or book can tell our brains that we need to do something and then our body actually does it! Think of motivation as fuel to a car. Fill up the tank and you're good to run for quite a while; overfill and you will burn out. The real beauty of motivation lies in the fact that we are all motivated in different ways by different things. My challenge to you today is to check what really drives you. Then see if that driver should ever be in control in the first place.

Think about someone attempting to lose weight. They have finally decided that they are sick and tired of the way they look and start putting in the hard work to look the way they want. Sounds good, right? Wrong. Here is the issue: That person trying to look better is partaking in a lifestyle choice that is only motivated by a shallow view of themselves in the mirror.

This means that one of two things are bound to happen. That person will either cease the lifestyle change once the desired appearance is reached, or quit. Why? While looking better is a goal for many aspiring gym-rats, they eventually come to find that it is not worth the work required. That is why so many New Year's resolutions to lose weight quickly fail. When the goal is based around something temporary, it will pass and the motivation passes alongside.

Contrast that with someone who wants to get healthy and get in shape. Immediately we can see that the goal has more long-term benefits than just looking better in the mirror. Just from the wording, we know that the results will be worth the struggle. I also want to point out that this is a goal that will not simply pass away. You will always need to eat clean and exercise in order to be healthy.

That example illustrates why it is so important that the focus of your goals, objectives, living, etc. be actually being the right person, not on doing the right things. What's the difference? The former is person-focused. It enables you to set daily objectives to reach the long-term destination. It realizes that the growth comes from the journey and not the destination. In contrast, the latter is task-focused. It is complete once the task is complete; nothing more and nothing less. It is something that can be easily pushed to the side or avoided because there is not enough time or the goal-setter simply does not feel like it that day. Be the right person and the right things will fall into place. Change the direction of your motivation and you will change the outcome to a better one.

"You've got to be before you can do, and you've got to do before you can have." - Zig Ziglar

Find what motivates you and the reasons you set certain goals and think about if they are focused on building a better you or on completing a task. Drive is important. Actually arriving at your goal is not where the person-building comes in. That comes with the striving for something. So pick something you want to do, anything at all. Find what drives you. Make sure it is something that will stick and is person-focused instead of task-focused. Then, above all else, quit gathering information about it and just do it. I'd love to hear about the journey sometime.

Stay classy,

Andrew

When Urgency Matters

With the daily hustle and bustle of every day life, urgency is no stranger for many of us. Whether it be a project due, a test to study for, or a deadline at work, having a sense of urgency is vital to surviving in our fast-paced world. Sadly, many people have the biggest sense of urgency about the things that really do not matter all that much in the long run. Investments of time and energy are wasted as people move without purpose. Take some time to examine those things in life that are truly urgent matters. Then ask yourself how much those actually matter in the grand scheme of life.

I am not going to contend that everything we do is purposeless. I firmly believe that anything you do as work to the Lord and not to men is something that matters in eternity. But too often we confuse God's work with man's work. A sense of urgency is not a bad thing to have. The value comes when we are urgent about the right things. In fact, I would contend that there are really only two aspects of life that this sense of urgency is really important to have: doing God's will and in sharing the Gospel.

My Sunday school teacher said the other day that, when it comes to God's will, He gives us plenty of time to accomplish it. But we had better get up and do it. Without a sense of urgency in doing God's will, we miss out on the opportunities and blessings that would have come otherwise.

The cool thing about doing God's will is that His will can and does spill over into the rest of our lives. For example, if you believe you are in the will of God where you are in your career, then producing quality work, meeting deadlines, and taking steps to advance your career are all in God's will also. That being said, depending on where God has you and where He wants you, a personal sense of urgency when it comes to your job could be exactly what you need.

Another example is in the goals that we set. If we follow God's leadership, our goals in life are ultimately determined by Him. That means that time you spend striving towards goals that God has set before you is not wasted. Instead it is being spent furthering the will of God. Along the line of spending time furthering the will of God, included in that will is the sharing of the Gospel.

Many people put off sharing when given the opportunity because they're afraid, don't have time, etc. The excuses are pretty well endless on this one. But the sense of urgency comes in when we take the time to really think about it. You may be the only "Jesus" that person ever sees. Your words may be the only Bible they ever hear taught. Why is it important for you to have a sense of urgency about sharing God's Message? Because for the person with whom you're sharing, tomorrow might not come.

I know that sounds pretty apocalyptic but it's true. The decisions that you make in deciding whether or not to share the Good News have lives hanging in the balance. Even more so than that, Jesus commanded you to spread the Gospel. Which bring me to a final point: Obedience is key.

That is really the dividing line between what matters and what does not. Are we being obedient? If we are obeying God in what we are doing, chances are that a sense of urgency is a requirement. If obedience is not much of a factor, you probably should not be wasting your precious time and energy on it. After all, you have limited amounts of both. Choose wisely what you will spend them on. Be urgent about the right things.

Stay classy,

Andrew

How to Live with Integrity

"Integrity: The entire, unimpaired state of any thing, particularly of the mind; moral soundness or purity; incorruptness; uprightness; honesty." - Noah Webster's 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language 

Living with integrity is something that we have all probably heard at one point in life or another. My company, for instance, puts a very strong emphasis on integrity being the cornerstone of everything that we do in our business dealings. What has always interested me is that those who profess integrity the most are the ones who know the least about it. Let me explain.

Integrity for its own sake is vague and leaves you directionless. Unfortunately, there are many businesses and people who preach integrity but take it no further. It would be the equivalent to someone telling you to, "Tell the truth." If that is your only order, you are left with a plethora of statements that you can make. More than likely, none of them help you or the other person get what you are looking for. However, if a parent catches you with your hand in the cookie jar and asks if you ate any. The command to tell the truth carries much more weight because it is applied to something specific. 

The fact of the matter is, in our society morals are seen as relative. Unless you judge everyone by the same standard, integrity does not mean that much. The legal system is the closest human beings have come to having the same standard for everyone. But most of the time, people referring to integrity are using it in the context of something that is not covered by the legal system.

Don't the me wrong, I believe integrity is a wonderful thing. But if it is not applied to any particular thing, it remains ambiguous and highly unhelpful. Let's look at a few things to which you can apply this mindset of integrity that will actually help you live your life better.

1. Your Mind

I chose the definition above because it included integrity particularly being applied to your mind. You are the one who monitors and chooses what goes into your mind. I am a firm believer that what you put in your head affects your performance and that how you see yourself affects your output. That is why it is so incredibly important for you to keep your mind pure and "unimpaired."

Can you prevent all negativity from coming into your mind? No. Can you significantly reduce its effects? Yes. How? We need to spend our time wisely. Keep the junk out of your head and fill it with positive thoughts. As I have mentioned several times previously, your mind is an incredibly powerful tool. The way that you mentally see a particular situation will determine how you respond and how you solve problems. Your mind will also take that situation once it is complete, and store the information from that issue to remind you of next time something similar arises. With a tool like that, why wouldn't you want to take care of it constantly? Living with integrity in the mind is all about keeping it clean and functioning optimally. It is about not letting things enter your mind that could harm it or you.

2. Your Speech

Speaking and rhetoric have always fascinated me. I love watching a speaker draw an audience into content and method of delivery. The art of rhetoric is one that has been used throughout history as a tool both to motivate and manipulate crowds ranging from 2 to 2,000,000. But when we discuss the integrity of your speech, we are not necessarily talking about how you give a speech. We are talking about how you speak in every day life.

Everyone lets words slip out of their mouth that they regret. We've all had that moment where we wish that we could literally suck the words that just came out back up into our mouths. This is probably not news to you; but life doesn't work that way. Maintaining the integrity of your speech is not letting anything corrupt proceed out of your mouth. Too many people believe that certain words accentuate the point that they are trying to get across. But using language like that is just plain lazy and it has no place in the mind or speech of a professional.

3. How you Treat Others

This is, quite possibly, the most prominent area of life in which integrity is vital. Even though there are lots of people who look at morality in ways unlike any other, how we treat other people is a fairly set standard. The definition at the beginning does a wonderful job of expressing this with the word, "Honesty." When others are treated honestly or fairly, they are more responsive to you and you are made into a better person for treating them in the right way.

For example, we spend lots of time listening to and spreading gossip about other people. But that's pretty unfair to them to judge without them being their to make a defense. Gossip is hardly treating someone honestly. Another example is in business dealings. Treat someone you're in business with as if you're trying to make a deal that is actually mutually beneficial. If you take that same approach with your family, you will be a higher quality contribution to them as well. When you treat people fairly, even if they do not respond with integrity, you are doing the right thing and becoming better as a result.

In winding things down, integrity is a great concept when applied correctly. I hope this post has given you some practical tips for how to better incorporate integrity into your life. Let's all spend some extra time finding ways to live with integrity. We will make a better world tomorrow that is full of better professionals. That's my goal in these writings in the first place. Building a better tomorrow by building better people.

-Andrew

Lazy Emotions

Humans were created to show emotion. The ability to show outward manifestations of how our souls and minds are feeling at a given time is truly fascinating. We can go into the technicalities and the numerous facets of emotion at a later date. But one thing I've noticed is that, when we are going through a period in life that takes a toll on our emotion, the internal controls we have over them fall by the wayside.

For example, when someone has an approaching deadline at the office, their brain tells them that they need to work harder and puts stress on them in order to complete the task. But when someone is stressed, we usually do not see it as odd at all for them to be snippy, closed-off, or sometimes just downright rude. Before I continue, I want to make something very clear.

I am not attempting to minimize any experience you have had that leaves you feeling like you're at rock bottom. Those experiences are real. They are hard lessons. They are certainly no fun.

No, what I want to do here is challenge you. I want to challenge you to not let your emotions get the better of you. We waste too much precious time and energy on negative emotions that hurt us and those around us. Why? Because those negative emotions are much easier to show than positive ones. That's just what human nature is like. Think about it. For most people, it is much easier to cry at the funeral than to show sympathy to the family.

"Anger, fear, aggression...the dark side, are they." - Yoda

Star Wars hit the nail on the head with this one. It is continually emphasized that a Jedi must clear and control his mind. But the dark side allows people to release their anger. They become very powerful, but are internally killing themselves and outwardly destructive as well. Excuse my nerd rant but it was a perfect illustration of my point.

Don't let these kinds of emotions define you at times in your life. Make the effort to guard your heart. How do you keep your emotions wholesome? You actually take action by doing the right thing even when you don't feel like doing so. The Bible lists what many people have called, "The Armor of God" in Ephesians 6. When it comes to the heart - the center of emotion - Paul tells Christians to put on the breastplate of righteousness. When it came to protecting the mind, the helmet of salvation was to be in place. It's really quite mind-blowing when you think about it.

The best way to protect our minds is to have them fully-focused on His salvation and saving grace. The best way to guard our hearts and prevent lazy emotions from taking over is with being the right person and doing the right things. That's what righteousness really means.

The challenge I leave you with is to take the extra steps to control your thoughts and emotions. I realize that's a large order and that sometimes we just "lose it." Trust me; I understand that. But when you make a conscious effort to guard your heart, you keep your thoughts clean, your energy is higher, and you show more love for other people. Above all else, you are honoring God by protecting your heart and mind which are, arguably, the most valuable tools He gave you. Those are what make you unique. Until next time, stay classy.

-Andrew 

Thank You

A couple of days ago, I had a fellow employee swing by my office. This is one of those people with whom I have had my differences of opinion and it is nothing to say that we have "butted heads" a few times. Earlier this week and at the end of last week, I was working on a project for this employee that I was less than thrilled about. The employee had been on my case a bit about completing the project and I had finished it and notified him. All it took to completely brighten my entire day was for him to swing by my office and say, "Thank you."

The funny thing is that it had nothing to do with who the employee was or what I was doing for him. The aspect that put a big smile on my face was the fact that he genuinely seemed grateful for the work I had done. Rest assured, that will also ensure that conflicting projects will very likely put his above the other.

The lesson learned is to say, "Thank you." Above the words just spilling out of your mouth, genuinely be grateful. You would not believe the turn-around for yourself and for others when you are grateful for the work that they do and for the life that you live.

Believe it or not, grateful people are much happier than those who are never satisfied. Grateful people tend to be less stressed out because they focus on the positive things in life. Those who practice genuine gratefulness on a continual basis are loved by others and brighten entire rooms when they enter.

But let's say that you just aren't a naturally grateful person. Don't get me wrong, you're thankful for the acts of others but maybe you just don't show it as often as you should or would like. There are a few things you can do to transform your demeanor of unseen gratitude.

A simple note or word of thanks will do wonders for everyone involved. Even it it's just an email saying, "Thank you," the act will be appreciated. Another helpful idea is to hand-write thank you notes. This one is a bit sore for me personally because, after our wedding, my wife and I wrote over 300. I'm pretty sick of seeing those little things. But do what works for you. One of my favorite things to do is think of three things that you are thankful for each and every day. It helps to write them down before bed (as opposed to after bed) because you end the day thinking about the positive things that happened. As a result, you wake up energized about the next day. You will find that, after a few days, you will be going through your day looking  for the good things instead of the negative things.

It is important to note that credit should be given where credit is due. What I mean by that is this. The Bible says that every good and perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of Lights (James 1:17). That means thanks should be given to God for the good things that happen to you. Writing them down is good for your remembrance, but God deserves the praise for them. We tend to thank Him for the large things in life that happen to us but neglect the day-to-day blessings. Get into the habit of shooting up a short prayer of thanks when you think about it. Above just writing down blessings, this will keep you on the lookout and help to mold you in to one of those grateful people who just plain loves and enjoys life. So make sure you have a great day today, practice gratitude, and until next time, stay classy.

-Andrew

3 Attitudes That Kill Effectiveness

"Your attitude determines your altitude." - Zig Ziglar

My mom used to kindly define obedience for me when I would be in one of my *cough* more rambunctious moods as a child. She would point out that obedience was doing what she said, when she said it, with a good attitude. Even as a kid, that word, "attitude" held a lot of weight. More than just what my mother was asking me to do, my attitude was, and still is, my entire demeanor and how I look at life. The quote above is one of my favorites because it illustrates that you can go far in life if you will only have the right attitude.

Unfortunately, many people limit how high they can go because of attitudes that they have. Three specifically, are rampant in our society today and hinder the production of people around the world every day. These three attitudes are sneaky, destructive, and especially harmful in the life of a professional. It is my desire that you will read, understand, and that we will fight the status quo by producing a new kind of person. We want one that is not like everyone else. We want a better professional. Without further ado, here are three attitudes that, simply, have to go.

1. Mediocrity

Listed first because it is arguably the most harmful and the most prevalent in our society, mediocrity harms the effectiveness and quality of life for people everywhere. We live in a world that says, "That's good enough." Think about a classic movie, any at all will do. Think about how the men and women were dressed up for day-to-day activity. Maybe we did not see them actually perform a task to it's fullest, but you at least know that they cared enough about their appearances to put a lot of effort (or teams of movie makeup artists) in to looking like they knew what they were doing.

Is appearance everything? Absolutely not. But it is no secret that performance is increased when you are dressed to the nine. As I write this, I am thinking very strongly about taking off my sweatshirt and putting on a suit. We have gradually began to settle for "good enough" instead of pushing for optimum performance. Having this attitude in your life is the mental equivalent to going into the office and playing on Facebook all day. Do your job, whatever that may be, well and to the absolute best of your ability. It will take you much further than someone who stopped at work that was "good enough."

2. Negativity

This second attitude is one that hampers creativity and goal setting like no other. If you are not constantly feeding your brain with positive input, negativity will creep its way in and lock your mental door behind itself. You know those people that just exude happiness? Those are good examples. I know they can be annoying at times but trust me. Much more is accomplished through smiles and enjoyment of work than ever was with frowns and negativity. Honestly, with as busy and productive as you are, you can't afford to not have a "pep in your step."

The best way to overcome negativity is to completely get it out of your life. Start thinking about how you feel in certain situations and monitor the input. Granted, some of those situations are unavoidable. But as you're missing the next few sentences I write while thinking about situations, you realize that many of them are. Think about how you feel after watching that show on television vs. playing a musical instrument. Once you have determined your "triggers", avoid them at all costs. Some triggers are people. Love them, tell them Jesus loves them, don't let them camp out in your office. Smile, and enjoy your day as the world smiles back.

3. Impossibility

More so than the two aforementioned attitudes, you seriously don't have time for this one. Don't ever let someone tell you that a task "can't be done." Many people waste their time thinking about ways that something can't be done as opposed to using their energy for constructive ways that it can be done. Which do you think is more valuable to your company/church/family? Where this attitude takes root most often is in procrastination.

That is not to say that, if you are a procrastinator, you feel like something can't be done. Sometimes you just feel like it shouldn't be done right then. For whatever reason, that task is not worth your time at the moment because putting it off is more important. It seems impossible for you to get it done in a timely manner as it should be. For example, the day before yesterday dragged on at work for me because I came into work with the attitude to accomplish my to-do list. Even though the list was fairly lengthy, I ended up doing more than I anticipated and actually dragged out some of the tasks so that I would have enough to do over the course of the day. In contrast, yesterday flew by because I woke up with an attitude to get all of the hard stuff done first. I didn't like the way I had felt a couple of days ago. Armed with a new attitude, my brain and productivity rewarded me for it. Decide that, whatever needs to be done, it can be done quickly and effectively.


You are in control of how you feel about life. You cannot decide what happens to you. That is reserved for God, alone. But you can determine your attitude. Keep these "Big 3" out and insert positive thoughts, and you will be a better person and professional as a result. Let's change the world one mind and heart at a time. After all, if bad attitudes are contagious, so are good ones. Until next time, stay classy.

-Andrew

He is Risen

I had a wonderful Easter holiday with my family. We sang, ate way too much, and visited the night away. Initially, I was a bit worried about writing this post for a couple of reasons. The major one being that I absolutely despise cliches. Not only that, but with a post about Easter, it seemed pretty important to actually write and post it on Easter. But despite my hesitations, I realized something very important that now seems elementary in retrospect. Christ is just as risen today as He was last Sunday, or even 2,000 years ago. The message of the resurrection is, quite honestly, too important not to post. That is not to say that my words are that important (although I appreciate you taking the time to read them). No, that is to say that the resurrection of Jesus was the single most important event in all of human history and must be proclaimed by all who call themselves disciples.

One story that I love to tell involves a college class that seemed like the biggest waste of my time ever: British Literature. Now, understand that I love to read any and all books. That includes forms of poetry and literature as well. But to hear a monotone professor go through and attempt to explain the means behind the writings just was not all that thrilling to me as a college freshman. However, one particular class period has always stood out to me. The poem that we were studying is called, Parable of The Madman by Friedrich Nietzsche.

In this particular work, Nietzsche describes a man coming into a village and seeking God. The villagers respond that they have killed and buried Him. That make the famous statement, "God is dead." But the man calmly responds that he has simply come into the village too early, before the grand event. At this point in the poem, my professor paused. After a couple of seconds, my professor profoundly stated:

"If God is dead, then morality is relative and truth becomes a matter of opinion."

I still do not know that professor's religious affiliation but that statement was worth taking the class several times over. It always pops into my head around this time of year because of the reminder that everything in Christianity hinges on Jesus actually rising from the dead. Regardless of how you feel about Christianity, the fact remains that no event in history is more substantiated than the physical resurrection of the Christ.

This event is so important because without rising from the dead, Jesus was just another man. He would not have been anything special or anyone worthy of worship. Consolidation is key here because I could go on about this for hours. Suffice it to say that, the movement of Christianity was not because of a Rabbi's teaching, His stories, or His miracles. Christianity was unstoppable in the early church because Christ's followers literally saw a dead man walking. 

I see it only fitting to leave you with the words to my favorite Longfellow poem. Although entitled, Christmas Bells, this work of literature bears mentioning at Easter as well. Longfellow knew what and why he worshiped the God of the Bible.

"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep."

Cherish the time with your family. But never forget the reason for celebration. Keep in mind that, just like Christmas, the salvation of mankind through the resurrection of Jesus is worth proclaiming all year. Without it, we would be without hope. Through Jesus, we have life abundantly. Until next time, stay classy.

-Andrew

Much Given - Much Required

"With great power comes great responsibility." - Spiderman

Courtesy of Marvel Comics, that is one of my favorite superhero quotes. It verbalizes a principle that allows the cream of the crop to rise. This principle is what separates those who go after what they want in life, and those who just meander along while going through the same old routine. Which one are you?

I read a quote today from Jonas Salk that spoke volumes to me. He said, "The reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more." At first glance, my thought was, "Well, that's no fun." My brain went to all of those over-achievers I knew in college. You know...the ones who always ended up doing more work than everyone else and (occasionally) coming out with the same average grade as everyone else.

But my second thought was a bit more serious. I began to think of the "reward" of more work. I thought of my dad as a man who always taught me to give my very best and to set my mind to the task at hand. I thought of my wife and her expectation of quality and drive for excellence. All of the sudden, more work did not seem all that bad.

Humans were made for work. The reason for hobbies is because we are infinitely more valuable to society and those in our immediate circles when we spend our time doing fun work. Our minds stay sharp and our tasks stay focused. Hobbies make us into better people, teach us new skills, and enable us to enjoy life apart from our jobs. The principle of doing well at what you do and being entrusted with more is fantastic. Why? It gives people the chance to do what they were created to do.

Abraham Lincoln, a man whom I have come to admire through study of his life and decisions, once said this:

"Whatever you are, be a good one."

Commitment to quality in your work is invaluable to an employer, your inner circle, and your family. Will you be entrusted with more? Absolutely. Are you the person I want to be entrusted with tasks? Yes. Of how much more worth are you when you can be trusted to do a good job? You enjoy the work given you because it is a picture of your character and commitment to do things right. Bear in mind, this is not just me blowing smoke. This principle is one that Jesus expressed multiple times. A favorite that comes to mind is in Luke 12:47:

"And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating."

Work hard at what you're trusted to do and you will show forth your Creator more than anything else. That is of more value than any professional could ever be on his or her own. Keep this principle in mind and it will take you far in life. Guaranteed. Until next time, stay classy.

-Andrew

5 Ways to Beat Bad Habits

Habits are what make us who we are. Think of a chain-smoker as an example. They define the way we live and are a pretty fantastic indicator of our decision-making. The interesting thing about habits is that, regardless of spontaneity levels, every person on the planet has them.

See, God created habits to make our lives easier. They reduce mental stress, increase productivity, and make life more enjoyable. A habit that is well-developed will take you far in life. Unfortunately, even with good habits and the benefits enjoyed by them, bad habits usually do not follow too far behind.

I mentioned smoking earlier, but just like everyone develops different good habits, we also all develop poor ones. Your bad habit could be as simple as biting your nail or cracking your knuckles. The fact is, in the life of a professional, bad habits have no place. They are wasteful of your time, energy, and motivation. So this post is devoted entirely to breaking them. After all, bad habits may die hard, but they still have to die.

1. Measure Motivation

I don't want for you to come away from this post thinking that breaking a bad habit is a piece of cake. In fact, if it were not difficult, you would not have the habit in the first place. This is where motivation comes into play. This step focuses predominantly on what your motivation is for avoiding the habit. Let's stick with smoking as an example for now.

If you are trying to quit smoking because you're sick and tired of having your couch smell like cigarettes, more than likely you will end up regressing. Why? Because of the addictive properties of a habit (see reasons for design above), motivation must be something that will actually drive a change. When you're craving that cigarette, the smell of your couch quickly becomes something that you can overlook. Even being healthy becomes poor motivation because "one more won't hurt."

Your actual motivation has to come from somewhere deeper and give specific meaning to why you're doing what you're doing. The reason you are going to stop smoking is because, by adding years to your life by being healthy, you will enjoy more time with your family and friends. That's real motivation. Make sure that, whatever your reason for wanting to cease your habit, that it gives a specific reason for you to continue.

2. Discover Your Triggers

This step is, quite possibly, the easiest to accomplish, but it is the most difficult to own. What do I mean by that? Someone who is addicted to dessert is triggered when their main course is finished and they let their eyes wander to the sweet stuff. That's pretty simple. But it is very difficult for that person to say, "Okay, I will not go around the dessert table anymore." As creatures of habit, we believe that they are controllable. I completely agree with that. However, most of the time when we feel like we have them under control is when they are the most out of control.

Find out what triggers your bad habit. Once you have made that discovery, avoid it like the plague. No getting close, no almost, and certainly no part-way. Avoid it. Totally. I have found that one of the best ways to avoid any of my triggers is to give myself a quick, "What are you thinking???" pep talk. If you can't bring yourself to avoid the trigger, breaking the bad habit becomes nearly impossible.

3. Forgive 

No one is going to be perfect 100% of the time. That is what makes us human. You will mess up and give in to your bad habit when trying to break it. Giving in is your body's natural tendency because it is in the habit of a particular action. You have to remember that, when that time comes, you can forgive yourself and move on. People who fail and then stay down are the only ones that actually get trampled. The rest get a little beat up, rise, and continue. Always remember that, when you slip up, the very second afterwards is a new moment to turn things around again.

I have a bad tendency towards beating myself up over failures. This is especially true when it comes to a particular diet or exercise regime. But forgiving myself reduces my stress level and helps me to keep going. It is not the end of the world. I will get back up and turn things around. I am motivated, I know my triggers and to avoid them, and I forgive myself when I mess up. That leads us to our forth way to beat a bad habit.

4. Replace 

The best way to completely drive a bad habit from your life is to replace it with a good habit. Think of someone who watches too much tv. The best way to stop watching as much tv is to replace that time with something like reading a book or exercise. This step varies from person to person because we all have different things that we like to do. Find something you enjoy (like a hobby) and pick it up. If you have something that you have always wanted to do like learn a foreign language or play a musical instrument, deciding to break a separate, bad habit is a great way to get started.

5. Reward

Set milestones and reward yourself when you have completed the above steps for a given period of time. Please notice that I did not say, "Indulge yourself." I am not, under any circumstances, suggesting that you go back to your bad habit. A recovering alcoholic should never reward himself at the end of his 12-step program with a drink. That is just a recipe for disaster. But if you have a small reward waiting for you, it becomes easier to push on through.

For example, when I first started exercising before my wedding, I told myself that if I reached a desired size, I would buy myself a suit with the tuxedo discount that I received. Now, I am not talking about any suit. I promised myself a suit that fit me perfectly. I wanted something that looked like it was custom made for me and accentuated the physical qualities which I had worked hard to achieve. Sure enough, I bought my suit after my wedding and recently had it re-tailored as another personal reward.

As you can probably see, breaking bad habits is not an easy task. But trust me. Getting that junk out of your life is well worth it. But that is something that is up to you. Find your own motivation - something specific that allows you to get up in the morning ready to rock n' roll. Know your triggers and stay away from them. But also be able to forgive yourself when you mess up. Take comfort in the fact that you have a brand new hobby or habit to replace the time spent on the old, nasty one. Smile as you think of the reward you have waiting for you when you reach your goal. And as always, stay classy.

-Andrew