Adventurebolt!

How to make the one adjustment that guarantees your success

The most important adjustment you ever make will be the one you make today . . . in your own attitude.

Your attitude today will define how you act, and how you act will define what you do, and what you do will define what gets done, and what gets done will represent what kind of person you are to others. When you boil it all down, your success hangs entirely upon your attitude today.

It’s not about how you feel about yourself, but about how you perceive what you can accomplish throughout this day. If you have no desire to achieve, then you have no passion for what you do. Passionate people know no other way than to be the best at what they do, every day, even when they don’t feel like it, especially when they don’t feel like it, because there is no other way to be the best.

If you have no desire to be the best at what you do, no one can convince you. Oh, you may be able to accomplish tasks and keep schedules and goals moving forward, but if, at the end of the day, you have no thought whatsoever on how things either could have been better today or should be better tomorrow, but instead you only complain about how everything is an insurmountable problem, and how nothing ever seems to improve, then you most likely have little or no passion and are just showing up for work. And probably not for long.

If, on the other hand, you wrestle with ideas and concepts on how to improve and refine systems; if you suddenly brainstorm over dinner on a problem you’ve been working on that day, and you can’t wait to see how it can be implemented to make your job easier, or the product better, or a communication stronger, or to improve your life and the lives of others in some distinctive way, then you are demonstrating a desire, nay, a passion, to achieve something so much more significant than simply earning a paycheck: you want to succeed.

And with that attitude, you will.

Posted July 8, 2010

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What inspires you?

Usually as I am getting ready to start my day in the morning, I like to have some classical music playing in the background because it has no lyrics to distract me from my thoughts. For me, classical music has an enriching quality that allows me to think and prepare for my day more effectively.

At any rate, as sometimes happens with random things, one day last week I was struck by a song that had begun to play. I was in the middle of my morning routine, but this song made me stop and listen, just for a few minutes. It happened to be Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata.” I was hooked. It is my absolute favorite of musical pieces. It is a brilliant and majestic piece of music that, even though it is very popular, never (at least to me) loses it’s vitality.

If you’re not familiar with the tune by its name, if you heard it, you would instantly recognize it. It is typically played as a solo piano piece; slow, methodical, it unfolds quietly in geometric rhythm and beauty. It stopped me, and forced me to put my busy routine on hold. I had to pause and listen; I had no choice. I was inspired.

What is it that inspires you? Is it a piece of music, or maybe a favorite story? Maybe it’s a quote or inspirational video or movie that grabs your heart and causes you become energized, or revitalized, or to remind you of who you are. Inspirational things have that effect on your life. They allow you to close out everything that can cause you to be distracted; distracted from what you need to be doing, what you are really all about. And they bring you face to face with the fact that there are bigger purposes that make all of the stress and the struggle worth it.

Don’t lose sight (or hearing!) of what inspires you. If you live life uninspired, you will never be doing your best in life or bringing the best you have to offer to work. Living life in an inspired way is what gives your life value and makes you who you are. Be inspired to do your best, and you will inspire others around you.

“Keep your fears to yourself, but share your inspiration with others.” -- Robert Louis Stevenson

Posted July 6, 2010

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What are you determined to do?

With everything that has to be remembered and acted upon each day, it isn't difficult to become distracted. However, when we become distracted, we can lose our focus and our determination. But determination is the very thing that fuels our strength to continually do our best and accomplish what needs to be done.

“Always remember, there is more strength in you than you ever realized or even imagined. Certainly nothing can keep you down if you are determined to get on top of things and stay there.” --Norman Vincent Peale

Posted July 2, 2010

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I need it; you need it; we all need it: what?

Help.

That’s right; I need help. I know that I can’t do everything that’s expected of me without some help. Help from teammates, help from other departments, help from friends, help from family…all of these people working together in my life help to make me who I am.

What about you? You need help. (Gosh, that sounds harsh!) No, seriously, if it’s true that I want to succeed, then that must mean I need to help you succeed.

You see: when you succeed, that helps me. Not just by making my job a little bit easier, but it helps me because I need to help you. I need to help you be successful, because as I'm helping you, I become more successful. I know it may sound strange, but somehow, my helping you allows a sort of transformation to take place that (gasp!) causes me to look beyond my tunnel vision of work before me, and by stepping in to help you…I grow.

That’s pretty cool.

You have the ability to grow, too. But only if you purposely find ways to help someone else be successful. It’s the surest way to your own success.

“You can’t help someone get up a hill without getting closer to the top yourself.” -- H. Norman Schwarzkopf

Posted June 30, 2010

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The prize-winning study of a dangerous chemical. (BTW, Do you think you're gullible?)

H₂O: Dangerous Chemical!
A student at Eagle Rock Junior High won first prize at the Greater Idaho Falls Science Fair, April 26. He was attempting to show how conditioned we have become to alarmists practicing junk science and spreading fear of everything in our environment. In his project he urged people to sign a petition demanding strict control or total elimination of the chemical "dihydrogen monoxide."
And for plenty of good reasons, since:

it can cause excessive sweating and vomiting
it is a major component in acid rain
it can cause severe burns in its gaseous state
accidental inhalation can kill you
it contributes to erosion
it decreases effectiveness of automobile brakes
it has been found in tumors of terminal cancer patients
He asked 50 people if they supported a ban of the chemical.

Forty-three (43) said yes,
six (6) were undecided,
and only one (1) knew that the chemical was water.
The title of his prize winning project was, "How Gullible Are We?"
He feels the conclusion is obvious.

via math.psu.edu

This is a great study in the human psyche. It's always a good idea to get your information from several different sources before jumping to any conclusions.

Except from this site, of course. :)

Posted June 21, 2010

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There comes a time in life when you have to let go of all the pointless drama...

For the most part, I really like this quote. It helps to keep everything in perspective, especially when the drama level gets high. But is life really all about just being happy, or maybe something more?