How Is Your Credit? – Your Morning Coffee Break
Filed under: Personal Days - Blues and Coffee Breaks
his character is what he really is.”
HOW’S YOUR CREDIT?
Ever hear someone say, “I have good credit”? They are probably referring to their credit “rating” – a score bestowed upon them by creditors, banks or rating agencies. Simply stating, “I have good credit” changes nothing, nor does the statement merit the attention of creditors. Credit can only be given by others for service to them, i.e. paying them on time.
So, credit is the result of serving others – in many ways. You cannot claim education, victory, experience, success, reputation, or a suave demeanor. Each of these is a gift from others, as a result of your service to them. Friends recognize your courage as a result of your being cool under pressure. Your success is recognized by others only once you have served them well. Knowledge of your career field is recognized by others only after it’s been applied to situations in the form of more service.
In the accounting world of income and expense, a debit is something paid out, while a credit is something received. Thus all credits are received from others – not by our own making. The debits – what we pay out – are our efforts, persistence, and service. How they are rated is not under our control, but is determined by those served.
Without service, there are few rewards. Yet, you’ve seen those who insist on getting more attention than they deserve. They feel they’re being short-changed, that they are not appreciated, that they are always the victim. If you look more closely at their contributions, you are also likely to see the dearth of service they are offering.
With service, credit follows. It may be subtle or quite visible – but it always follows. Concentrate on what you have to offer and forget the rewards. Those who are served will pick up the tab!
Make this a great week!
Think You Can – Your Morning Coffee Break
Filed under: Personal Days - Blues and Coffee Breaks
So you can start right away and not be held back.
But which track is yours? Well, that all depends
On which way it’s going, and where it might end.”
THINK YOU CAN!
Regardless of your age, you were probably introduced as a child to a wonderful book entitled “The Little Engine That Could.” If you will recall, it was the story of a small red locomotive personality who believed it was possible to pull a very heavy load uphill – a task that was shunned by other larger locomotives. The little engine huffed and puffed up the hill, all the while repeating the mantra, “I think I can! I think I can! I think I can!”
It was a cute story that contained a very powerful message about persistence and the ability to overcome adversity. Now there’s a sequel entitled “I Knew I Could!” A quick ten-minute read, it clearly outlines our ability to make our own choices in life. Using illustrations of train tracks and those cute little locomotives, you are easily led to the understanding that we choose the life “tracks” upon which we travel.
The book suggests that before picking one of those tracks, we should determine the direction it might take us, and the destination we might reach by so choosing. Sounds like real life, doesn’t it? How many times, and in how many ways, must we be taught this lesson? If we fail to make our choices wisely, we have consciously made the choice to live at the mercy of happenstance – as did Alice in the following excerpt from “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”:
“Cheshire-Puss…,” said Alice, “Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?” “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat. “I don’t much care where -” said Alice. “Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat. “… so long as I get somewhere,” Alice added as an explanation. “Oh, you’re sure to do that,” said the Cat, “if you only walk long enough.”
Life – it’s your choice. Toot! Toot
Make this a great week!
What Will People Think! – Your Morning Coffee Break
Filed under: Personal Days - Blues and Coffee Breaks
Things simply are what they are.
How we view these things is another matter.
People think what they will think; it is of no concern to us.”
DON’T LISTEN!
Someone once said, “When I was in my twenties, I worried about what others thought of me. When I was in my forties, I didn’t care what they thought of me, and when I was in my sixties, I realized they weren’t thinking about me at all.” Who hasn’t had a parent or friend tell us “What will people think?”
How easy it is to let the influence of others govern our actions. By listening to others, then carrying out our lives to the tune they wish us to play, we are but puppets. One of “Aesop’s Fables” addressed the same issue.
It told of an old man, a boy, and a donkey making their way down a hill. As the boy rode, while the old man led the donkey, they overheard a neighbor comment about the shame of making the old man walk. The next turn in the road saw both man and boy astride the donkey, and the next passer-by shook his head at the shame of putting such a load on the poor donkey. By the time the two reached the final turn in the road, they were seen carrying the donkey on a pole.
The message, of course, was that we should not live our lives to satisfy the expectations of others. It is up to us to set a clear direction for our own lives, and then follow that path to the exclusion of others.
It’s really about choices, isn’t it? We get to make our own choices in life. When we fail to do so, we have still made a choice – that being to let others make our choices for us. It’s an excellent time to let your vision take hold, to set a bold new direction for your life. Make some choices – no matter what “they” think!
Make this a great week!
