Today’s Quote & Question For 12/24/09

Today’s Quote: “I told the doctor I broke my leg in two places. He told me to quit going to those places.”-
Henny Youngman

Today’s Question: What should you be doing differently?

My Thoughts: You’ve been doing the same things over and over, and getting the same results over and over. What you need is a change in your operations. Doing something differently, whether a small adjustment or a large overhaul, will bring you a different outcome than you are used to, and might be just the thing needed to spice up your operation.

8 Quotes About Laughter

“The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter.” – Mark Twain

“The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.” – e e cummings

“Laughter is the closest distance between two people” – Victor Borge

“Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion. I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterward.” – Kurt Vonnegut

“Laughter is by definition healthy.” – Doris Lessing

“Do not judge men by mere appearances; for the light laughter that bubbles on the lip often mantles over the depths of sadness, and the serious look may be the sober veil that covers a divine peace and joy.” – Edward Chapin

“Laughter is inner jogging.” – Norman Cousins

“Laughter gives us distance. It allows us to step back from an event, deal with it and then move on.” – Bob Newhart

Today’s Quote & Question For 12/23/09

Today’s Quote: “He who wrestles with us strengthens our nerves and sharpens our skill. Our antagonist is our helper.” – Edmund Burke

Today’s Question: Do your enemies make great inspirations?

My Thoughts: Today’s question is a little tricky. It instantly made two other questions pop into my mind as I was working it out myself: ‘Who really wants enemies’ and ‘Why would I be inspired by the actions of my enemies?’ The reality is, every one has someone or something that stands in as their own personal nemesis and just like in comic books or the movies, doing battle with your nemesis creates the perfect showcase to display just how creative you are in taking them down. In the battles you fight in life, are you just swinging wildly and hoping to survive, or are you using creativity and strategic planning to ensure win?

Today’s Quote & Question For 12/22/09

Today’s Quote: “The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one.” – George Bernard Shaw

Today’s Question: Should happiness really be your goal?

My Thoughts: Are you in constant pursuit of happiness? Do you actually expect to achieve a self-sustaining state of happiness, or do you assume you will always be longing for the next new thing that will make you happy? Happiness is one of the more complicated emotions to pull off because it can not last. Period. And many people state a longing for happiness when they would be better off looking for something more stable and sustainable as contentment.

Today’s Quote & Question For 12/21/09

Today’s Quote: “You can go a long way with a smile. You can go a lot farther with a smile and a gun.” – Al Capone

Today’s Question: How can you grow your sphere of influence?

My Thoughts: The term “spheres of influence” is a political term used to describe situation where one sovereign nation has measurable large political or economic influence over another sovereign nation. But people also have their own personal sphere of influence over the people around them, scene primarily in business settings, but easily found in family or personal relationships. And it might even be to your advantage to play a little political chess yourself and trying to expand your influential territory. How would you go about growing your personal sphere of influence?

Today’s Quote & Question For 12/20/09

Today’s Quote: “Ten people who speak make more noise than ten thousand who are silent.” – Napoleon

Today’s Question: Are you willing to speak up?

My Thoughts: Only by a brave few possess the ability to stand out from a crowd that they belong to and speak out against one of its established norms. It takes a lot of courage in one’s self and true belief in what you have to say to stand out on your own and plead your case. And if you are right–and you do believe you are–you have to not only defend yourself, but the few who have the courage to walk across the line and join you on the other side of the argument. Are you ready for that kind of challenge? There are plenty of people waiting for the person ready to speak up.

Today’s Quote & Question For 12/19/09

Today’s Quote: “Could you imagine how horrible things would be if we always told others how we felt? Life would be intolerably bearable.” – Randy K. Milholland

Today’s Question: Are you telling others a little too much?

My Thoughts: Many people ask the simple question, “How are you doing?” Most of the time it is meant as a simple passing pleasantry and the questioner really doesn’t want to be burdened with an answer at all. It is pretty rare when you get a person asking this question in passing that is looking for an honest answer in return. But the question does open up the chance to get a response as real and detailed as the receiver wants to give it. That is why it is up to the receiver of the opening question to truly be aware of its intention, as in whether the sender really intended to listen to how you really are doing. Gauge your words when asked about how things are going, and know when to give a quick glancing answer and when it is truly an opportunity to open up.

Today’s Quote & Question For 12/18/09

Today’s Quote: “That is the hardest thing of all. It is much harder to judge yourself than to judge others. If you succeed in judging yourself, it’s because you’re truly a wise man.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Today’s Question: Are you a fair judge?

My Thoughts: Be careful of who you judge, including yourself. You may believe you are a fair judge of character, but you might find yourself a little biased, especially when judging yourself.

Today’s Quote & Question For 12/17/09

Today’s Quote: “There are well-dressed foolish ideas just as there are well-dressed fools.” – Nicolas Chamfort

Today’s Question: How good are your ideas?

My Thoughts: Our ideas our like our children. We love them unconditionally, put in all the work we possibly can to help them grow, and wish nothing but success for them. And if you know anything about how parents view their children, you know that children will often test the limits of that unconditional love, and will stretch well beyond what they actually deserve. Yes, some of your ideas may have been born innocent enough, but have grown into an unruly child that could use some discipline, or may need some tough love and have to be dropped completely from your life.

Today’s Quote & Question For 12/16/09

Today’s Quote: “Selecting the right person for the right job is the largest part of coaching.” – Philip Crosby

Today’s Question: How good at you at ‘coaching up?’

My Thoughts: My high school basketball coach knew I had no chance of being crowned the next Michael Jordan. He chose to tell me otherwise, and ‘coach me up’ to a level beyond what I thought I was capable. Many years later, I have learned the lesson of putting faith in the minds of people you have no faith in. Talent is scare and exceptional talent even more so. The chances of you having a star performer in place aren’t actually that good. But they don’t have to know that. Coach up all those around you, and watch them surprise you–and themselves–in just how well they can do.