Adventures of "Inspiration and Freedom"

Who I am is the possibility of "Inspiration and Freedom."

I recreate myself every day with the affirmation, "Who I am is the possibility of inspiration and freedom." I do this from nothing, with no agenda or attachment. I do it with commitment, though and I am a stand for Inspiration and Freedom for the planet...really.

What's interesting is how things are starting to show up in my life that I was not expecting.

Yesterday, for no reason, completely out of the blue, a wonderful, lovely woman acknowledged me for who I was to the community and gave me a sincere hug!

Neither of us had anything to gain from the exchange but we clearly have a background of relatedness now that exists because of who I was "being" and who she was "being."

Consider that: possibility for opportunity only exists in a background of relatedness.

“The ladder of success is best climbed by stepping on the rungs of opportunity.”

Ayn Rand quote

Do you have a daily affirmation? What is it? Does it relate to who you are for the world? How has it affected your life?

MSS

Massage Therapy as a Metaphor for Life

When you write a (almost) daily Blog, you become present to things in your life that you might have taken for granted before. In my experience, taking on this project has allowed me access to things that were there but I wasn't open to experiencing. For example...

I had a 2 hour Sports/Deep Tissue Massage on Friday morning. Denise arranged it with one of her friends to help me with an episode of back pain.

I was expecting a Swedish (relaxing) massage. What I got, wasn't that! But I left feeling better and it's proven durable, hence the new metaphor... Massage as Life.

The easy, feel-good experience wouldn't have been durable. The rigorous, dedicated, goal-oriented approach was tougher to experience and ultimately worth it.

Such is the same in our life's undertakings.

When we identify a goal and take deliberate action, we get better results than when we take the less rigorous route which leads to transient benefit and ultimate mediocrity.

Do you look for metaphors in your daily life? (it's very interesting)

Can you recall a time when you took the easy, less rigorous route for short-term gain and had long-term disappointment?

Can you recall being grateful for an episode of hard (possibly unpleasant) work that returned dividends far greater than the initial effort?

Do you look for those now?

Join the conversation.

MSS

Gene Autry's Cowboy Code

Gene Autry's Cowboy Code

Gene Autry’s Saturday matinee saddle pals wanted to be just like their hero. Gene responded with the Cowboy Code, sometimes known as the Cowboy Commandments. They are as relevant today as they were then.

1. The Cowboy must never shoot first, hit a smaller man, or take unfair advantage.

2. He must never go back on his word, or a trust confided in him.

3. He must always tell the truth.

4. He must be gentle with children, the elderly, and animals.

5. He must not advocate or possess racially or religiously intolerant ideas.

6. He must help people in distress.

7. He must be a good worker.

8. He must keep himself clean in thought, speech, action, and personal habits.

9. He must respect women, parents, and his nation's laws.

10. The Cowboy is a patriot.

Other people experience us all the time. What legacy do we leave behind? Do we leave a legacy of inspiration and abundance or one of fear and scarcity? Look around... what do you see in the people you're with? What do you see in yourself?

Join the conversation.

MSS

"Is there really any other reason than me?"

Here is Integrity, Action and Community at work, creating great things.

After you read this, ask yourself, "...is there really any other reason than me...?"

Read the question posed to TV personality, Mike Rowe and then his reply...

Mike,
I'm not sure where I heard that you are an Eagle Scout, which brings me to my question. Could you PLEASE take a moment & post to my 13 year old son Kelby & encourage him to finish scouting (& anything else that'll help with this?) Reason I'm asking is that he only lacks 1 1/2 - 2 years in reaching Eagle, but some of his buddies have got him to thinking scouting isn't cool at his age.
Thanks much, Gary --

*****

Kelby,

Your Dad asked me to drop you a line and say something inspirational that might persuade you to dig down deep and find the determination to make the rank of Eagle Scout. It's a reasonable request, from a father who obviously wants to see his son succeed. But here’s the thing - The Eagle Award is not really meant for people who need to be dragged across the finish line. It’s meant for a select few, and I have no idea if you have the guts to see it through.

Statistically, I suspect you do not. Only one out of a hundred Scouts make Eagle, so if you fail, there will be lots of other people with whom you can share excuses. Quitting now might disappoint your Dad, but I doubt that he or anyone else will be overly surprised. Anytime 99 out of 100 people do the same thing, it’s not exactly a shock.

I’m not trying to be cute with a bunch of reverse psychology. When I was 15, there was nothing that anyone could have said to me that would have inspired me to do something I didn't want to do, especially a stranger with a TV show. So I’m not going to assume you’re any different, or pretend that I have some influence or insight that you haven’t already heard from a dozen other people who actually know and care about you. I’ll just tell you straight up, that doing something extraordinary can be very lonely, and most people simply aren’t cut out for it. Being an Eagle Scout requires you to be different than most everyone around you, and being different is really, really hard. That’s why the award is called “an accomplishment.”

Personally, and for whatever it’s worth, the best decisions I've made in my own life, are those decisions that put me on the outside of being cool. Singing in the Opera, working in home shopping, staring in the school play when the entire football team laughed at me, and especially earning my Eagle, were all choices that required sacrifice, hard work, and delayed gratification. I have no idea if you possess those qualities, or even envy them. But I can tell you for certain, that NOT getting your Eagle, will be one of the easiest things you’ve ever done.

Anyway, I have no idea if you would prefer an easy life of predictability and mediocrity, or if have the passion to follow the road less traveled. Only you get to decide that.

Good Luck,
Mike

This Memorial Day weekend I had the great pleasure of attending the Eagle Scout Court-of-Honor for my nephew, in Dallas, Texas. His speech was remarkable for it's prescience...

First, I want to thank all of you for coming today. I know that for all of us it is incredibly difficult to wake up so early, especially on a day that we have off. But we have a wonderful breakfast waiting for you.

I just want to say how honored I am to have this bestowed upon me. Many times throughout the last 6 years I told myself a million times, “Just give up. It’s impossible. It’s too hard. You’ll never make it.” And although this went through my mind quite a bit, I never really gave up hope. I knew I had time. Although I had this time, I wanted to finish as quickly as possible. When I first crossed over in March of 2003, I told myself that I wanted to be an Eagle Scout before I entered high school. That was my goal. Freshman year came and went, and I still had not achieved it. But I did not stop trying. I kept pushing, even at times when I did not want to, and that made all the difference.

To the younger scouts: you may have time. You’re 11, 12, 13 years old. Many years lie ahead of you on your scouting journey, but do not wait to take action. Be proactive. Do all that you can to progress, it truly does help. Before you enter high school, do everything in your power to progress as far as you can. Do not necessarily become an Eagle before high school, because, as I learned, it is a horrendously difficult task, but take your game to the next level. Earn the two more merit badges that you have partials on. Finish your swimming requirements. All of these little things that you may have the time for now CAN and WILL fade into the background as your coursework picks up and you become more involved in your community. I guarantee it will happen. It is far easier to work now, instead of later. Achieving the Eagle rank is extremely difficult in and of itself, as some of you will find soon enough, but if you approach the process in the wrong way, you can make it nearly impossible.

In light of all this, do not limit this attitude to just scouts. Be proactive in all that you do. Work, THEN play. Not the other way around. Keep your priorities straight and your focus on your goals. Finish your math homework, and then go watch a little TV. I can assure you, hard work and focus are the keys to success. It is neither skill nor natural born ability. Keep striving, do your best, and never give up.

It took me a long time to get where I am today, and I can honestly say that without many people I never would have made it....

It is clear that Integrity, Community and Action were at work here and it is clear where Community can work against us as hard as we will let it.

As the new Eagle Scout says, "...hard work and focus are the keys to success..."

Were you inspired? How did/will you overcome the innumerable excuses that will come to mind when the going gets tough?

Let this community know. Here's a safe place to get support for your plans and goals. What type of people are in your community, in general? Do they think of ways to support you or are they quicker to justify the obstacles?

MSS

Look To This Day

Look To this Day

Look to this day:
For it is life, the very life of life.
In its brief course
Lie all the verities and realities of your existence.
The bliss of growth,
The glory of action,
The splendour of achievement
Are but experiences of time.

For yesterday is but a dream
And tomorrow is only a vision;
And today well-lived, makes
Yesterday a dream of happiness
And every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well therefore to this day;
Such is the salutation to the ever-new dawn!

- Kalidasa

Kālidāsa (Devanāgarī: कालिदास "servant of Kali") was a renowned Classical Sanskrit writer, widely regarded as the greatest poet and dramatist in the Sanskrit language. His place in Sanskrit literature is akin to that of Shakespeare in English. His plays and poetry are primarily based on Hindu mythology and philosophy.

Beautiful, isn't it?

MSS

Yoroko

Smile

Diane Dreher writes, "If we overidentify with our jobs, we lose our perspective and fail to see new possibilities."

After all, where does our identity come from... the past, of course!

Opportunities exist NOW, not in the past.

We have to take time to enjoy a respite from the activities that keep us tied to the past.

The energy of joy is a powerful motivator.

How does this occur to you?

Have a happy weekend!

MSS

Pursuit, Persistance, Patience

I believe the pursuit of abundance is not an individual effort.

For this to be true requires some of us to lead by setting the example.

How easy is it to become frustrated when our "tribe" comes along in a heterogenous manner when "...we know what's good for them..."?

Is it not true that there is almost always more than one "right answer"?

I like this story for the lesson about the duty of the leader to have the wisdom to assess the protege before rendering an opinion about their potential...

A man was about to start up a hill when he noticed an old man nearby. He asked him, "How long will it take me to get up this hill?"

The old man said nothing.

The man asked the question again, this time in a louder voice.

Again, the old man said nothing.

Assuming that the old man was either deaf or senile, the man started up the hill. He had taken some ten steps when suddenly the old man called out, "About twenty minutes."

The man turned around. "Why didn't you say anything when I asked you?"

The old man answered, "Because until I saw the speed at which you were walking, how could I possibly know how long it would take you to climb the hill?"

I have made predictions based on my expectations of other people and have been disappointed when their efforts were consistent with their motivations and not mine.

I now identify the intentions of my partners as an essential step in helping them design their future.

What's your experience?

MSS

Taking Chances

"Look. If this works, it'll keep us from getting caught. If it doesn't, it'll keep us from getting old."*

Where does, taking chances, appear in an abundance lifestyle?

I believe it has to show up in every self-made success. My friend, Joan Soto observes,

"Life is a 'monkey see monkey do' business. We learn and do what others do. It's that simple. If you want true success, do what the truly successful do. It's worthy, and yet lesser of a price to pay than doing otherwise."

I don't think I can add anything to this.

What is your experience with success and where have you taken chances? Is there a correlation in your experience? There is in mine.

MSS


*MacGyver

80:20 Rule

Pareto Principle

I became curious about the 80:20 Rule while reading a book by Michael Oliver.

I looked up 80:20 Rule on Wikipedia:

The Pareto principle (also known as the 80-20 rule, the law of the vital few and the principle of factor sparsity) states that, for many events, roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. Business management thinker Joseph M. Juran suggested the principle and named it after Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto.

Michale Oliver asks the question, "...what if the reason that 20% of the people do 80% of the business, is that the 20% made up the rules?..."

I like to think that I do a lot of thinking... I never thought of THAT!

As I add new knowledge into my consciousness and integrate it with what I know, it occurs to me that this is another reason why we should not confuse "strategy" with "goal."

Here's what I get from this: I pick a goal that's big enough to be worth having and then I pick a strategy that I know has allowed other people to achieve that goal and I give it the effort it deserves with the guidance of the mentors I respect. If the "rules" don't allow me to achieve "20%" status in a reasonable time, I make reasoned, careful adaptations to the rules so I can be in the "20%". I also get that I need to be present to the effect of my "rules" on my partners. If I am a stand for their success, I must be able to adapt to rules that get them into the "20%" too.

How does this land on you?

MSS

Cracking the Seal...

Once you do it, you wonder what took you so long...

Have you ever stopped to consider what Rita Mae Brown meant...

Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, but expecting
different results.

Sudden Death (Bantam Books, New York, 1983), p. 68.
(Note: This same quote has also been variously attributed to Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein and an old Chinese proverb.)

In my experience, admitting to myself that there are things that I don't know that I don't know, allowed me to be enrollable in new ideas as potential opportunities.

After I did this once, I discovered that there is no shortage of opportunities and that I had simply not been open to seeing them before.

Unfortunately, there is no way to be certain of the value of any given opportunity. Here's where Failing Forward comes in. This is not to suggest that I recreate the wheel (I may be crazy but I'm not stupid). I'm happy to stand on the shoulders of giants. I have always been of a mind that I would apprentice to the best teachers who would have me... eventually, I became a mentor myself.

I don't make up reasons to be complacent and unhappy. I seek out opportunity. Sometimes I discover things that don't work but I don't quit.

Try on the possibility that there are things that you don't know that you don't know. What possibilities might open up for you? What would you like to open up for you? If you kept on doing what you've been doing for another 5 or 10 years would you achieve your aspirations? Will you embrace new strategies to achieve your goals?

Talk about it...

MSS

What a Remarkable Guy...

I met with the husband of the woman who died. This is the 6th anniversary of her passing.

We spoke for 2 1/2 hours. It was good for both of us, I think.

I hope he will add his comments.

He asked me if I remembered her and if I remembered speaking to him. I have a vivid recollection... He acknowledged my conversation from back then, saying I was honest and forthcoming.

It appears I have long known that clear, honest communication is always better than denial.

Bad news is an unavoidable feature of life. People can handle bad news better than chaos and uncertainty.

Compassion triumphs over adversity,
Brings power and protection.
Heaven always arms its leaders
With the strength of compassion.
(Tao, 67)

After the fashon of the changing seasons, within every crisis lies an opportunity.

How have you faced crisis?

MSS

A Conversation From Nothing,

One minute she was alive. A wife and young mother...

I don't believe there is a lonelier place than attending a death you are powerless to stop.

I was there, 6 years ago.

The experience forever altered my way of looking at life.

I wept uncontrollably when I told her husband and her young child who couldn't understand why he couldn't see mommy and why she wasn't coming home.

I attended her funeral. There were hundreds of people there as she was a luminary in her church. I cried there, too.

This evening, her husband called me...

We're meeting on Friday afternoon.

What shall we talk about?

I am Inspiration and Freedom. My communication is from integrity, responsibility and generosity.

I'll tell you how it goes...

MSS

The Less Needed, The Better...

1. What is the effect on a community when an individual assumes they are more valuable than they are?
2. What is the effect on that individual?
3. What is the community's duty to that individual?

These are the questions I'm wondering about now (about 10 hours before this will be posted). Consider this parable:

From the Translator's Introduction of The Art of War by Sun Tzu (Thomas Cleary)

According to an old story, a lord of ancient China once asked his physician, a member of a family of healers, which of them was the most skilled in the art. The physician, whose reputation was such that his name became synonymous with medical science in China, replied, "My eldest brother sees the spirit of sickness and removes it before it takes shape, so his name does not get out of the house. My elder brother cures sickness when it is still extremely minute, so his name does not get out of the neighborhood. As for me, I puncture veins, prescribe potions and massage skin, so from time to time my name gets out and is heard among the lords."

This is not (necessarily) a doctor story!

A member of one of my communities (a course in self-expression and leadership that I take), decided to leave the group, citing excessive demands on her time by a myriad of philanthropic obligations.

I was surprised at the spectrum of my visceral responses. They ranged from, "...who cares?..." to guilt (for not being a possibility that would inspire her to stay) to offense (that she would consider her time more valuable than the rest of the group's).

Then, I remembered this story of the Chinese physician.

In the story, the honored physician recognizes that the less is needed, the better. The best use of knowledge and strategy makes conflict (a.k.a.: treatment, hard work, etc) unnecessary.

I am afraid that my colleague has denied herself the benefit of acquiring the technology to optimize her use of knowledge and strategy in her communities and we, one of her communities, are denied the vicarious experience of her learning to add to our personal experiences. I am that her completion of the course would have given her access to even greater effectiveness and more free-time, yet, apparently, she's not coming back.

As a member of the group, I share responsibility for not being a stand for her to fulfill her commitment and live into the possibility she created for herself and for us.

Just because I didn't achieve my intent of keeping the whole group intact, doesn't mean I will give up on the cause. I just need to get better. (the 10,000 hours Malcolm Gladwell talks about in Outliers).

You know that the greatest things don't need any one individual, they need an effective, cohesive community.

How should I have been to touch. move and inspire this person to stay with the group? Keep in mind, it's not about persuasion, it's not about attachment, it's about commitment...

Has it happened to you? What did you do? What will you do next time?

Do tell!!


MSS

No Limits, Know Limits

One thing about this Blog is that it forces me to be Present in my activities of daily living. I recommend that everyone write a blog or regularly contribute to one (this one!).

You may know I have 2 businesses and they couldn't be more diametrically opposite: "No Limits" and "Know Limits".

This was brought into laser focus today, Tuesday, my "Doctor Day" as I was seeing patients in my medical office when I was asked to see a patient in a hospital for a neurosurgical/spine surgical consult.

I live a "No Limits", entrepreneur, MLM life...except when I have my "doctor hat" on...then I live a "Know Limits" life. If that's not obvious to you, imagine yourself in a jury box...

Anyway, I went to see this delightful, elderly person with an unbelievable history of at least 10 prior operations (3 of them on his neck) and who now has spinal cord compression.

I can and will fix this, but I think I could have avoided it if I had been involved from the beginning.

This got me to thinking about "No Limits" and "Know Limits" and whether or not other people ever consider this and when...

In my opinion, if life or limb are at stake, you have to "Know Limits", otherwise, I say, "No Limits".

I really want to know, what do you think. Who really needs to know their limits and who really should swing for the bleachers?

Add your comments. Invite your friends to weigh in, too.

MSS

Wish or Plan?

“It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan”

Eleanor Roosevelt (American United Nations Diplomat, Humanitarian and First Lady (1933-45), wife of Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd US president. 1884-1962)

I had lunch with my accountant on Monday. I really like him and I've known him for a long time. He was telling me, from his vantage point, about the misery many of his clients are experiencing now. He would never violate a confidence by revealing any names (I didn't ask, either) but what was clear is the trickle down effect and how inter-dependent we are.

This reminded me of the word, "robust."

In Hacker slang:

"Robust": Said of a system that has demonstrated an ability to recover gracefully from the whole range of exceptional inputs and situations in a given environment. One step below bulletproof. Carries the additional connotation of elegance in addition to just careful attention to detail. [Compare smart, oppose brittle.]

It is (painfully) clear that we all, individually, need a robust financial plan for our households. I don't think we should depend on the government to do it for us.

Ayn Rand's, The Virtue of Selfishness, touched, moved and inspired me. Have you read it?

If you have wisdom to share, share it here. If you have questions to ask, ask them here. Let's see what the community can come up with.

MSS

SCAM

That word bugs me... "scam..."

In the current state of the world economy, it's increasing apparent (at least to me) that,

"Safe" is the new "Risky".

So why is it that folks scatter as soon as ANYBODY says, "SCAM!" even before they get enough facts to reach a point of LOGICAL conclusion.

Certainly, nobody is surprised that criminals take advantage of confusion and desperation:

“Because that's where the money is.”

Attributed to William "Willie" Sutton (June 30, 1901 - November 2, 1980), a prolific U.S. bank robber.

But that's no excuse to leave one's future in the hands of someone who is repeating something to hear themselves talk.

There are scams aplenty out there. There are opportunities aplenty, too

You're bound to encounter both.

Get facts from people who really know but don't get mired in "analysis paralysis."

“A man must know his destiny… if he does not recognize it, then he is lost. By this I mean, once, twice, or at the very most, three times, fate will reach out and tap a man on the shoulder… if he has the imagination, he will turn around and fate will point out to him what fork in the road he should take, if he has the guts, he will take it.”

General George S. Patton (American General in World War I and II, 1885-1945)

I cannot recommend Failing Forward by John Maxwell, strongly enough.

Who do you take your advice from, people who have tried and failed before they succeeded or people who never tried at all?

MSS

Anti-anti is NOT Pro

There is a story attributed to Mother Teresa, that she was once invited to participate in an Anti-war Rally. She reportedly declined, requesting an invitation to a Peace Rally, instead.

There are many such metaphors from a variety of sources.

Negative attachments, are still attachments and what you resist, persists.

What I've found interesting, lately, is to seek out and learn from examples of "Anti-anti" and contrast their effectiveness with "Pro."

I quickly observed that they are not confined to large issues (although they are notably represented). Some of the most instructive are relatively small yet powerful when multiplied through community.

Here are two examples from my recent experience:

I have been invited to contribute to a petition to request the administration of the University of California at Irvine to stop the Muslim Student Union and Society of Arab Students, two student organizations notorious for their anti-Israel stances, from hosting one of their regular, anti-Israel protests.

I do not agree with the anti-Israel rhetoric. I chose not to sign the petition. To my way of thinking, limiting the freedom of another is like burning down my neighbor's house to make my house look better.

“Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.”

Benjamin Franklin (American Statesman, Scientist, Philosopher, Printer, Writer and Inventor. 1706-1790

This is an example of a scarcity (Anti-anti) mentality. A prosperity (Pro) stance might look like this: People who disagree with the activities of the students at UCI, could offer more attractive alternatives on campus or attend a different school. What you resist, persists.

Here is another recent experience...

Last night at midnight as I was leaving Disneyland with four worn out teenage girls and thousands of other worn-out, and sleepy people, the "conductor" at the rear of the parking garage shuttle-train offered a very engaging monologue and sing-along. In 2 or 3 minutes, we sang the Sponge Bob Square Pants theme song and the Slinky commercial and laughed at his comments. I don't know if he was intentional about replacing "anti-anti" with "pro" but he did. I'm willing to bet that there were people aboard who were short-tempered and whine-y and this person offered an alternative to "anti-anti" which was clearly "pro".

It was effortless and without reason, enhanced the community (of departing Disneyland guests on that shuttle, and very effective. The girls and I made a point of acknowledging him when we got to the parking lot.

Can you spot "Anti-anti" (scarcity) and "Pro" (prosperity) in your activities of daily living? Will you avoid scarcity thinking and acknowledge prosperity thinking? I look forward to finding you in action and acknowledging you.

Happy Mother's Day.

MSS

A Perfect Example

Just as I'm thinking about it, I encounter a PERFECT EXAMPLE...

... You are not going to believe this. This is one of the most extraordinary occurrences I have ever experienced...

As is typical with an obliging universe, two conferences I wanted to attend were scheduled sequentially at the San Diego Convention Center. May 1 - 3 was the I Can Do It! Conference and May 4 - 6 was the American Association of Neurosurgeons (AANS) annual conference. I decided to commute via Amtrak from Fullerton.

On Tuesday, I caught the train in San Diego for Fullerton at about 6 PM and had a whole car essentially to myself. At the first stop (30 minutes into the 2 hour 10 minute trip) a friendly sounding group of men joined me in "my" car and claimed it for the "Trainiacs".

I couldn't resist, so I asked, "What's a Trainiac?" and I came to discover that Trainiacs are a Tribe of over 170 "familiar strangers" organized over the past couple of years, for the purpose of keeping each other apprised of delays, crowding, alternative routes, carpools, etc., including occasional picnics and other group events.

The very nice man, who was explaining all this to me, gave me his card which identified him as the "CTO" - Chief Trainiac Officer! This guy is positively brilliant at leading a Tribe. Seth Godin needs to include this example in the next printing of the book.

The CTO asked me if I was a regular commuter (No) and what kind of work I was in. I said what I always say, "I teach and mentor how to start & operate a profitable non-traditional business" and after a while I invited him to read this Blog.

He asked me for the URL and I said, "DrSchnitzer.com, D-r-S-c-h..." when he interrupted and said, "Mark?" I was stunned but imagine my surprise when he told me that I had operated on his wife many years ago and that we also had a common friend and ran into each other at a party some time ago! We just talked for the rest of the trip... (about 90 minutes).

The real point of the tale is the stellar example of leadership and tribe building demonstrated by this man.

He:

1. Demonstrates integrity,
2. Comes from a background of relatedness,
3. Invents possibilities that he then
4. Presents to people as opportunity
5. They choose freely and are satisfied with their choice

It was brilliant and perfect and, were it not for my keeping a notebook and having the intention to write, the story would have been lost to the dusty, unreliable attic of my memory vault.

It is comforting to pass this skill off as rare but I submit that the rest of us are just being "reasonable" (making up a reason to let ourselves off-the-hook).

Discovering or creating a background of relatedness, creating possibility, presenting opportunity and then allowing for authentic choice is simple (not always easy).

We just have to chose to be unreasonable and choose to recognize the power of the tribe. It is the access to power and enduring self-expression. Virtually every great thing arose out of a community that was organized by a group of like-minded leaders (consider The Susan Komen Foundation for the Cure and Nancy Brinker).

The attraction of a Tribe to change the world is my intention as a leader. I was very happily motivated by the example of the man who accomplished it out of selflessness and unreasonableness.

I will continue to do it, too. It makes for a bigger game and, sometimes, size does matter!

How about you?

MSS

P.S. Make certain to read yesterday's post and add a Haiku verse (or several) to the book project.

Haiku, Here's The Game...

With seventeen syllables, there's no room for error...

Developed in Japan toward the end of the 17th century, Haiku consists of three phrases of five, seven, and five syllables. The art is framing reality in an instant and lock the poet and reader into sharing the same experience.

Haiku may have developed from an even more ancient Japanese poetic style, katauta, which was the question-and-answer play of one god with another. Katauta follows the same haiku pattern of 5-7-5 syllables, for a total of 17 syllables; "the length of one human breath".

Here's "The Game":

Add your own ORIGINAL haiku poem in the comments. Write about whatever touches, moves and inspires you (G or PG please). The goal is to create a book for publication.

Results 1:	Community reads this Blog
Measure 1:	Visit Counter
Statistic 1:	100 visits in 24 hours

Results 2:	Community is touched, moved and inspired to create haiku
Measure 2:	Number of haiku entries
Statistic 2:	100 entries

Results 3:	Poems are compiled and published with proceeds to charity
Measure 3:	Publication of compliation book
Statistic 3:	1 book

Here are three I've written:

The Game
Over there, beats here.
Everything-nothing gets dull.
Therein is the game.

Life
It's not a preview
The Feature Presentation
Why are you waiting?

Transformation
Hmmm, just what does the
butterfly remember of
the caterpillar?

On your mark, get set, ...GO!

MSS

Daddy's Acknowledgement of Tara on the Occasion of Her Bat Mitzvah (Jan 2009)

My sweet Tara. You have just accomplished something truly wonderful and your family and friends are here to celebrate with you.

I want to share some thoughts with you. A few paragraphs that I am unreasonable enough to presume you will internalize and live by. Little do they know, out there in the audience, that this is already you…

It turns out that there are four tools that, when practiced, reliably give access to the realm of happenings that we cannot explain with our current way of understanding reality and force us to reinterpret life. These tools give us access to the miraculous. You have already demonstrated your familiarity with of them on numerous occasions and I will memorialize them now:

1) Live a life of integrity. Integrity is not being good, not being admirable, not meaning what you say and not even always keeping your word. Integrity is honoring your word. Honoring your word means treating your words with deep respect. Nobody can give you integrity. With integrity, you can make promises you don’t know how to keep. This will give you access to the miraculous.

2 ) Be “not deserving.” This does not mean unworthy; it’s simply being neither deserving nor un-deserving but rather a space where miracles can happen and deserving plays no role at all.

3) The future you are living into gives you being in the present. What you know about yourself and your life comes solely from the past and is useful for survival - but is worthless for miracles. The past is not where you are; the past has nothing to do with who you are. Who you are in the present is given by the future you are living into.

4) The future exists as anything is possible. Even what you are sure (or absolutely certain) is impossible, is possible. The future exists as pure possibility – a blank canvas, a realm of possibility in which you can create a possibility. There is no such thing as a right possibility or a wrong possibility. Create a possibility, a future that asks you to be a bigger person than you think you are. Create a future that moves you, touches you, and inspires you. In fact, look for a future – a possibility – that wants you! Create that and take a stand the future that you create.

Mom and I created this weekend as a possibility almost 14 years ago. It was worth the wait!

Love, Daddy

Daddy's Acknowledgement of Emily on the Occasion of her Bat Mitzvah (May 2007)

Emily,

Everything about you has surpassed my expectations, even your birthday. You see, I saw Mom’s ultrasound, and for months, I was certain you were a boy. Ever since then, you have had me securely wrapped around your little finger.

I do a lot of public speaking but collecting my thoughts for today was not easy. Not because I don’t have anything to say. Not because there isn’t anything I want to tell you in front of all these people; but because there is so much to tell you.

I’ve taken great joy in watching you accomplish the milestones in a child’s life. And I am especially proud of what you have accomplished today. I hold you to a high standard and I love watching you strive to do your best.

It’s important to make note of the fact that you are one of very few people to have actually written a torah, the very one from which you read, in fact.

The Torah teaches it is the responsibility of each Jew to personally write a Sefer Torah. We read in Deuteronomy: “Write for Yourselves this Song, and Teach it to the Children of Israel.” Our sages interpret this as the 613th mitzvah - the final commandment.

A Sefer Torah contains 304,805 letters and each letter can be said to complete the Torah. Tradition tells us that one who writes even a single letter in a Torah, or causes one to be written through their support, fulfills this commandment.

Of those fortunate enough to fulfill this commandment, fewer still read from that particular scroll on the occasion of their Bat Mitzvah service. What an extraordinary thing!

I would like to tell you a few things that I think are important for you to remember, not necessarily for today, but things worth considering at times in your life when you need to make a choice or a decision.

Look forward to your future but don’t skip the present. Do fulfilling things. Aspire to be fondly remembered and admired by your family and true friends. Keep in mind: insight is better than rigor.

Most importantly, don’t confuse your goals with your strategy. That is to say, make sure the things you want to achieve ultimately, are within the reach of the strategies you select to pursue them. Don’t settle. Don’t be afraid of change.

Hearing these words for the first time in the midst of the excitement of your Bat Mitzvah service may hold little meaning, but I am hopeful you will keep this note from me and read it from time to time. I believe the words will hold a different meaning for you at the different stages of your life and in the context of your experience.

I’m very proud of you today, again, since you give me cause to be proud of you often. Keep up the good work. I love you.

Daddy

All this abundance is NO GOOD... unless there is someone to accept it

Not only do I believe but I have experienced the universe conspiring to my happiness when I get out of my own way.

For several years, I have been aware of this and for several months, I have been aware that I wasn't the only one who was aware of it and for several days I have been writing this entry in my head...

But in the last 2 days, everything came together for me and it crystallized around a sad event in my friend, Amanda's life and her response to it.

Amanda experienced the need for OTHERS to give, therefore someone else needed to receive!

This critical element is now so obvious to me and it occurs to me that it is so invisible to many others.

In my life I see countless acts of kindness and generosity. I see the delight in the face and eyes of the giver (THE GIVER!) as their act of grace is authentically appreciated.

Most people like to be the giver and eschew the role of receiver. I understand this and I see the fallacy of this was of thinking. It's like so many other things that we intuitively understand: like exhaling after inhaling, for example.

Giving only exists when there is a recipient.

Being a clearing for a gift of grace in the absence of deserving or non-deserving, is where miracles show up.

Think about it. Chime in.

MSS

Affirmation

Dear God...

I have just returned from a 3 day conference called "I Can Do It!"

I really came away with some fabulous insights into happiness, productivity, healing, spirituality, and community. I look forward to sharing with you, here, and giving credit where credit is due...

I heard this in the seminar by Robert Holden, Ph.D. It's perfect!

Dear God,

I declare today a day of Amnesty in which I gratefully volunteer to hand in all of my resentments and grievances to You. Please help me to handle well, all of the peace that must inevitably follow.

Amen.

I intend to use this and share it with everyone. Won't you join me?
Watch for more from my experience at this event...

MSS

The First Step

A Journey of a Thousand Miles
Begins with a single step.

(Tao, 64)

From The Tao of Personal Leadership (Diane Dreher) 1996:

The decision to self-actualize, to become more of what we are, generally begins with a sense of restlessness. The call to leadership comes to us at different times, in different ways. It may be a life-changing event or a subtle longing, a move, a promotion, or an inner need. But the result is inevitable: We cannot stay as we have been. We must move on.

I'm on my way. "Safe" is the new "Risky". Speak up, stand up, let's go!

MSS

In Search of Excellence - Not Perfection

I'm Learning

I am in a constant state of personal development but sometimes I am more committed than at other times. It has generally been true that I am significantly more effective when I consistently pursuing my personal development.

I acknowledge that I will occasionally get caught up in "Looking Good" even though I know that one cannot look good and get better at the same time.

In fact, this is an ancient lesson:

Tao leaders, unaware of their virtue
Are truly virtuous.
The lesser person tries hard to look good
And is therefore not virtuous.

(Tao, 38)

It occurs to me that high performance individuals habituate to our strengths and accomplishments that are obvious to our peers and we focus instead, on the tiny details that occur to us as deficiencies. Under the microscope of our consciousness, we over emphasize these faults rather than appreciate them as opportunities.

It is important to be honest about opportunities for improvement and it's unrealistic to expect perfection. The Tao tells us that perfection is not natural. What is natural is to keep on growing.

I'm learning. A little more "excellent" is all I want. What are you open to?

MSS

Man, I am relieved!

La Habra High School, Heritage of the Americas, Awards Banquet

I wasn't worried, but if I was, I'm not anymore. I had the pleasure of attending an awards banquet for the College-prep Magnet Program at La Habra High School.

I saw, firsthand, college-bound high school seniors and underclassmen (and women) just as good if not better, ready and eager to fill their places. I can tell you that if these young people are representative of their peers across the country and across the world, we're in good hands...if we don't screw it up too bad.

It makes me wonder what our world's leaders were like when they were high school seniors.

I saw athletes, writers, musicians, students talented in science and math, award winning students, academic and athletic-scholarship-winning students.

I hope the entrepreneurs are represented as strongly (even if not recognized by the existing acknowledgment system).

What will become of most of these talented people? They'll vie for jobs, of course. Who will be the most significant (on the world stage, not among their families)? I predict it will be the politicians and the entrepreneurs.

I think I will look into a way to predict who will be the politicians and the entrepreneurs when they are in high school. Then I'll invest in them!

What happened to your entrepreneurial spirit? If you could reawaken it, would you? Would you re-invent the wheel or stand on the shoulders of giants and be the reason a good-thing becomes great?

MSS