New Year & Goal Setting...Washed Away in April Showers?

This time of year is one that inspires many of us to make goals that can lose momentum in the March winds or are washed away in the April showers.  Instead, let us allow the elements of adversity to compel the flowers to bloom in May.  All too often, what starts with the greatest of intentions to make a positive change, ends before the perspiration even dries.  Why is it that we forget to take off the parking brake before we begin our New Year sojourn?  Remember the checklist from driver's education that goes by the wayside before our money jingles the cash register during the purchase of our first tank of gas.
Written By:  Timothy J. Andrus

The Day After..."Well the World Didn't End"

I found it interesting when my 6 year old asked me about a headline he read in a magazine regarding the end of the world.  He wondered how many days he had left on this earth, to which I replied that I didn't know, but "I'm sure you have many years."  He then replied that he didn't care how long he had because "he would get to go see his Heavenly Father and Jesus."  Now this isn't a blog or post about faith, rather the message's intent is to spark the curiosity within yourself to take inventory of what is driving who you are at the core.  For my son, it happened to be the principles he has been taught that allowed for the law of occupied space to work in his favor and gave him the carefree peace of mind of his response.  

In that example, fear and faith could not coexist as one displaces the other.  That same law applies to many other principles that shape our thoughts, which influence our actions, that when repeated become habits and ultimately mold our character.  That character is like the wind that carves out the results of our mortal sojourn. 

The challenge is to master your life's destiny by incrementally improving as an everyday occurrence.  Those who desire to create high performance, quality and satisfaction in each of life's aspects should begin by looking daily at the principles to which they adhere.  Those principles are like the prescription of the lenses through which you see the world.  To borrow a paraphrased line from a mentor of mine...Make each day better than the last and may you be better today than you were yesterday.  (Attribution) +Darren Baird 
Written By:  Timothy J. Andrus

The Principle Driven Behavior

Oftentimes I find myself during morning or evening meditation reflecting on my day's objective, or evaluating what I accomplished.  What I have a tendency to do is ask the question "why did I achieve that result?"  Why did one thing work and why did another fail?  Sometimes I remind myself of the child that keeps asking "but why" after the 10th no!  The funny thing is, the childlike curiosity can lead us to profound simplicity...the principle that drives our behavior and ultimately our performance in life.  If you continue to ask "why" even after the first answer, like the gold-miner, you will hit pay dirt and better understand how to find your gold nugget.
Written By:  Timothy J. Andrus