Contents:
This Months Thought

The Memorial Days of Your Life

Quotes of the Month

Strictly Business: Your Summer Campaign

Humor: Testimony From St Louis Courts

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This Month Thought

What are your personal Memorial Days? Have you used your freedoms, your talent, your dreams and abilities to create the life you want? Some dates are specific and easy to recall, others may not have seemed special but in retrospect, we know they were turning points. We all have these Memorial Days and they are important. Use them to create the confidence, the courage and momentum you need to continue moving forward.

The Memorial Days of Your Life

The last weekend of this month is our Memorial Day Weekend, a time traditionally set aside to honor those who gave their lives for our freedom.

Liberty and democracy are fragile things and they do not flourish by themselves. They require loving care and, too often, costly sacrifice by those who cherish them. Every day, liberty is under attack by those who would censor our words, our thoughts and our prayers. Every day, freedom is challenged by those—often good, well-intentioned people—who want "order" at the expense of chaotic, inefficient democracy.

We are free people and we can disagree about where, and when, and how we should defend freedom, but we are only free because brave men and women have resisted tyranny. In honor of those who died on 9/11, and to those who have sacrificed in the past and are continuing to sacrifice every single day so we can enjoy our holidays, have our picnics, and have our debates: Thank you.

And now I want to make a tricky intellectual "pivot" and turn from talking about honoring those who fought for our freedoms, and talk about how we build our own lives, and the "Memorial Days" that signify our progress. Clearly, we must first acknowledge Memorial Day the way it was intended and honor those who have given their lives for our freedom, but we honor them most by USING our freedom, not merely luxuriating in it.

I'm going to make a strong, blunt statement that may offend some, but here goes: I believe too many of us (around the world, not only in the U.S.) have grown flabby and lazy. We enjoy our freedoms, our wealth and our opportunities, but we also squander them.

Too often we use our freedom to become consummate consumers, rather that expert builders. Too often we use our freedom to complain rather than to create. Too often we use our wealth and our power to become couch potatoes and channel-surfers rather than pursuing our potential and exploring the limits of possibility.

As you celebrate this national Memorial Day, I encourage you to note the key Memorial Dates in your own life. As you look back, do you mark the date you graduated, or the date you launched your business? Do you mark the date you set your own course, perhaps the day you risked it all for your dreams?

On a beautiful sunny afternoon in early September, 1985, I was taking a break from hiking the continently divide at 11,000 foot alone in Colorado and enjoying the view. And as I set there that day at that place is one of my "Memorial Days." I remember it well. The awesome view, the effort it had taken to get there, the feeling of freedom of trekking in to this remote location changed my life forever.

I remember an early morning breakfast meeting with a group on men on October 10, 2002 when I announced that I was leaving the corporate world behind and strike out on my own to pursue my passion of becoming a "change agent" in other people's lives. This was another one of my Memorial Days.

How about you? What are your personal Memorial Days? Have you used your freedoms, your talent, your dreams and abilities to create the life you want? Some dates are specific and easy to recall, others may not have seemed special but in retrospect, we know they were turning points. We all have these Memorial Days and they are important.

Honor them. Honor yourself! Freedom and opportunity only exist if they are used! And more than that, one of the ways we fuel our dreams and empower the future is by "borrowing" confidence, courage and momentum from the past. Celebrate your achievements and use them to know, deep inside, that you can boldly go wherever your wish in the future. Go climb some big mountains!

Quotes of the Month

"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved." -- Jeremy Kitson

"Hide not your talents. They for use were made. What's a sundial in the shade?" -- Ben Franklin

"In each of us are places where we have never gone. Only by pressing the limits do you ever find them." -- Dr. Joyce Brothers

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -- Mark Twain


Strictly Business: Your Summer Campaign

This issue of THOUGHTS is about Memorial Day and our American holiday weekend, and I recommend that every professional and entrepreneur enjoy it. Memorial Day weekend take the weekend off! Take some family time, and enjoy it! But on the following Tuesday after Memorial Day, you've got work to do.

I am a huge believer in short-term goals. Long-term goals are useful, but it's the short-term projects and summer campaigns that make all the difference in life.

Your competitors will take the summer off. Your employees will take vacations and you'll need to cover for them, and you’ll want to do some of your own fishing or attend some ball games, or take the kids camping. These are good things! But—and it's a huge but!—the coming few weeks can make all the difference to your bottom line at the end of the year.

While the world enjoys the "lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer" you want to set new sales goals and achieve them! While everyone else is relaxing in the long days of summer (or the cold days of winter for our subscribers "down under), you want to be laying the foundation for a magnificent year!

This summer, get a jump on the competition. Get a jump on your future! This summer, be busy. It's during the long days of summer than our harvest is growing and our fortune is created. Use the summer well. Be busy about important things and when fall comes and everyone else is picking up where they left off this spring, you'll be ahead of the game.

If working with a coach makes sense, drop me an email at: rodger@rodgerblaker.com.  I have a couple openings for new clients. If you are serious, and have the resources to make a splash beyond the neighborhood swimming pool, I look forward to working with you. Let's get moving!


Humor: Testimony From St Louis Courts

Over the years, there have been many collections of absurd and silly exchanges in courts. Recently, my friend Bill Barrows sent these to me, ostensibly from actual records in St Louis. I make absolutely no claims about their accuracy or legitimacy, but they did make me chuckle. I hope you enjoy them.

Judge: I know you, don't I?
Defendant: Uh, yes.
Judge: All right, tell me, how do I know you?
Defendant: Judge, do I have to tell you?
Judge: Of course, you might be obstructing justice not to tell me.
Defendant: Okay. I was your bookie.

From a defendant representing himself . .. .
Defendant: Did you get a good look at me when I allegedly stole your purse?
Victim: Yes, I saw you clearly. You are the one who stole my purse.
Defendant: I should have shot you while I had the chance.

Judge: The charge here is theft of frozen chickens. Are you the defendant?
Defendant: No, sir, I'm the guy who stole the chickens.

Lawyer: How do you feel about defense attorneys?
Juror: I think they should all be drowned at birth.
Lawyer: Well, then, you are obviously biased for the prosecution.
Juror: That's not true. I think prosecutors should be drowned at birth, too.

Judge: Is there any reason you could not serve as a juror in this case?
Juror: I don't want to be away from my job that long.
Judge: Can't they do without you at work?
Juror: Yes, but I don't want them to know it.

Defendant: Judge, I want you to appoint me another lawyer.
Judge: And why is that?
Defendant: Because the Public Defender isn't interested in my case.
Judge (to Public Defender): Do you have a comment on the defendant's motion?
Public Defender: I'm sorry, Your Honor. I wasn't listening.

 

Rodger Blaker works with executives, small business owners and professionals who want to grow in their business and create an extraordinary life!

For info on resources for your success, visit: http://www.rodgerblaker.com or call me at 214-485-2238.

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