Temporarily Down

Im swamped with school work and interviews. Will be back either friday or monday. I apologize

983. Poem 1. Dr. Seuss

Sometimes I am going to be too busy to write about a specific quote. Today is one of those days so I have left for you one of my favorite poems by one of my favorite authors, Dr. Seuss.

You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.

You’re on your own.

And you know what you know.

You are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

~ Dr Seuss

984. "No matter how many goals you have achieved, you must set your sights on a higher one."

"No matter how many goals you have achieved, you must set your sights on a higher one." Jessica Savitch


It's easy to become complacent after achieving a goal. When they are achieved, the feeling you receive is unmatched. You swell up with happiness, joy, you become ecstatic, and so on. However, you must not forget to set new goals. If you do not set new goals, you will find yourself stuck in a rut in the same routine.


While you must set new goals, it is also to celebrate each goal. Celebrations are always deserved when goals are met. You must be able to bask in the joy of achievement, and once this celebration is done, set new goals and begin again. This will always keep you focused and the reveling in your accomplishments will push you to accomplish more and more.

985. "Right now I'm just delighted to be alive and to have had a nice long bath."

"Right now I'm just delighted to be alive and to have had a nice long bath." Richard Branson


Often times in life we get so caught up to reflect on what is most important. This, of course, is still being alive. If you weren't alive, nothing else would matter. While it is important to be work hard, play hard, make new friends, etc. It is also important to take some time for yourself.


This time for yourself can be relaxing by taking a bath, perhaps escaping by playing a round of golf, or perhaps playing video games. When I need to take time for myself I often turn to blues music. Sonny Boy Williamson II is my personal favorite. The way he plays the harmonica inspires me, relaxes me, puts me in a good mood, and shows me what can be done with something so simple. 


I encourage everyone to take time for yourself. If you have the time, perhaps once a day. If you're a busy man, maybe once a week. And if you're a super busy person, at minimum once a month. Either find something that you love and that you enjoy doing and make sure to create time in your schedule for this activity.

986. "Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."

"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened." Dr. Seuss

Just like you've heard 1000 times, all good things must come to an end. No matter how much you love and enjoyed something, at one time or another it must end. This could be a relationship, a business adventure, a vacation, etc. However, when it does come to an end you shouldn't be upset. Reflect on how great it was and just smile.

It's easy to be upset when something ends, but thats not rewarding at all. I'm going to keep this post short because I want everyone reading it to do something. Think of the last big thing in your life that made you sad when it ended. Now take ten minutes to sit and reflect on the memories, the laughs, the people you met, etc. Then when you're done reflecting, Smile! Have a good weekend and get excited for the next post on Monday.

987. "What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?"

"What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?" Robert Schuller

Two of the things that people fear the most in this world are death and failure. Both of these often keep a strangle hold on people from actually living. To many, safety is comfort. However, if you stay safe your whole life, how much do you actually experience? The fear of failure comes in many forms; fear of your business failing, fear of not living up to your parents expectations, fear of getting rejected, etc. I believe this is a question that you should ask yourself everyday. 

Failures are no doubt going to happen to everyone. Once you accept the change of failure, there is no reason to fear it. Failure is part of life, so why be caught in its web of fear? If theres something you have been dying to do, something you're passionate about, why not go for it? Take the risk. My brother when he graduated college had a job offer (at the peak of the recession). Instead of taking it, he headed out to Hollywood to try and make it in an excessively competitive industry. As you can imagine, my dad was not happy. And most certainly my brother had a fear of failure and definitely a fear of letting down his father. However, it was something he was passionate about, and he knew to ever do what he loves he had to be in Hollywood. He's currently making positive steps in the direction he wants. He hasn't reached his dream, but hes living his life and my dad couldn't be any prouder.

You only live this life once. So you should never let fair of failure hold you back. Ask yourself "What great thing would you attempt if you knew you could not fail?", and if it's something you really want to do, go for it. If you fail, pick yourself back up and learn from it. If you succeed, you'll be the happiest person on the planet at that moment.

988. "Better be wise by the misfortunes of others, than by your own."

"Better be wise by the misfortunes of others, than by your own." Aesop

In a past post I wrote about learning from your mistakes. The truth is that mistakes and misfortunes happen to everyone and you must learn from them to become better. However, you are not always required to be the one who makes the mistake. Many mistakes can be avoided by studying others. In school I was always told that we take History courses so we do not repeat the past. I believe this should relate to all aspects of life. If the mistake has been made, why not try to learn about it?

The only way you can learn from others mistakes is to either see it happen or read about it. This is why I encourage reading a lot of books, especially autobiographies and any book that the author gives insight about his trials and tribulations. Also mistakes are made everyday but many people, so be observant and you can avoid these same incidents.

Mistakes are part of life, and you will certainly make many in your life. The goal here is to avoid all that are possible, and by learning from others you will be more equipped to spot and avoid a mistake before it happens. So start reading about other people mistakes and start observing people as they make and recover from their misfortunes.

989. Jimmy Valvano Speech

Sometimes with my posts, I'm going to use some longer quotes, speeches or poems. This is one of them, and one of my favorite:

"To me, there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every day of our lives. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. And number three is, you should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something special."


Ever since I saw this speech, I have been changed. I truly try to do these three things everyday. Its been tough, especially since I was never really an emotional person. The laughing and the thinking came very natural and easy to me. The crying is difficult, and I still don't cry everyday. However, when the opportunity arises, i try not to hold it back. When you do all three of these things in a day, you'll be amazed at how full of a day it really is. Its something special. Below is the full video for those who want to watch and I encourage all to donate the Jimmy V foundation. It is definitely a worthy cause.

990. "A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval."

"A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval." Mark Twain


I believe this goes with being comfortable and having confidence. If you're low in self confidence or uncomfortable with yourself, you will continue to lack confidence and be uncomfortable in life. What I encourage all to do, is try to improve yourself everyday. Set longterm goals and use everyday as a short-term approach. What I mean by that is set large objectives for yourself; lose 20 pounds, or be able to talk to women comfortably, or learn a new hobby. Then each day do something small to help towards these goals. Perhaps exercise or not eat dessert, maybe talk to the girl next to you when you're getting coffee or pumping your gas, and for a new hobby read a new article on the subject or ask someone about it. 

Each of these small tasks will eventually lead you to your ultimate goal. Remember my older post "Every artist was first an amateur." In order for someone to have lost weight, they had to have taken small steps. In order for someone to be a ladies man, they had to have started with small conversation. And in order for something to learn a new hobby, they must have started at the beginning. When you finally accomplish these goals, you'll be amazed at the self-confidence you receive and you will begin to become more comfortable with yourself. Setting goals, and accomplishing them is one of the greatest ways to build confidence, and when you're confidence you will certainly be comfortable with yourself. So start making that list of goals today.

991. "He that is good with a hammer tends to think everything is a nail."

"He that is good with a hammer tends to think everything is a nail." Abraham Maslow


This quote is about perspective. When you are a master of something, everything in the world appears to you in that context. For instance, if you're an artist you see all the world as an opportunity for a photograph or a painting. I think one of the greatest examples is show in the UPS commercial shown at the bottom of the page. Because the man works in logistics, he sees deeper into what Ben does. He isn't simply a UPS man, hes logistics.


While this is a great attribute to have, because it will make you a master in your field, it can also blind you to other perspectives. The artist does not see Ben in the commercial as logistics, but rather as a painting opportunity and vice versa. This narrow-perspectiveness often leads to disagreements on a simple subject. This is why I think it is important to have multiple things that you master. Sure you should master your career, but master hobbies as well. Soon you perspectives will begin to blend together and you will be a more well-rounded thinker. You can be the logistics man/artist/sports fanatic/human rights activist. That combination right there will enable you to see the world in many different ways, and your blind spots to certain aspects will begin to fade. So I encourage everyone to become masters of your career and masters of a few hobbies. Have a good weekend and ill be back on Monday.

992. "Anticipate the difficult by managing the easy."

"Anticipate the difficult by managing the easy." Lao Tzu


Think of this quote as a house, and the easy as the foundation. The foundation is the simplest part of a house, it is straight forward, without frills and designs, and rarely needs attention to small details. However, it is the most important part. If a strong, unanticipated wind blows, a loose foundationed house will fall, but if the foundation is in order, it has a greater chance at surviving.


The other day I had an interview. In the past certain questions had thrown me off, but that was due to lack of preparation. This time I managed what I could myself, and nailed the interview. I made sure I was well dress, well researched on the company and took an accurate assessment of my skills. I was asked many difficult questions, and ones I had definitely not prepared for, but because I have a great base of knowledge, I was able to roll with the punches and answer them well instead of searching for answers.


There are many things you can do in your life to be more prepared for the difficult. Make a to-do list, do your laundry, save a portion of your income, and I could go on and on. I have learned this through experience and it is true; if you are prepared, you will succeed. This doesn't mean knowing everything about everything, but have what you can control in order and you will be able to better roll when the difficult arises. 

993. "Every artist was first an amateur."

"Every artist was first an amateur." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Practice, Practice, Practice. Going off my last post about having role models and heroes, this post is about how to because others role models and heroes. At one point in time, every CEO was a high schooler, every MLB player struck out for the first, second, third time, etc, and every actor was in his first play. Not many people are born into the limelight (unless your Paris Hilton). 

To become famous, or enviable, you have to put in your time. The "Mona Lisa" wasn't Da Vinci's first attempt at art. His first ever drawing was probably just as bad as yours or mine (maybe a little better). If you have an interest, but think you won't be good at it, just try and keep at it. I'm not musically incline, so I didn't think I could play the harmonica, but now I can. If you want to be good at something, just keep practicing and hustling and you will be eventually. However, you have to start somewhere. Just thinking you would like to be good at something will get you nowhere. So act on you desires, act on your dreams and hustle and practice until you drop. Don't worry about failing and falling, pick yourself up and keep working. Eventually you'll succeed.

994. "As you get older it is harder to have heroes, but it is sort of necessary."

"As you get older it is harder to have heroes, but it is sort of necessary." Ernest Hemingway


Think back to when you were a kid. Most of us had heroes, idols, or role models. I know I had many. I idolized Ken Griffey Jr. and Chipper Jones. Every chance I had, I tried to emulate these guys. I had Griffey's swing down pat, and I batted righty. I also looked up to Shaq. Since I was taller than everyone in 7th grade, I beasted the boards. The fact is, I probably wouldn't have been as good of an athlete if I learned on my own, instead of emulating this guys. So why stop having role models and heroes when we grow up? It's important to look up to someone at any point in your life. 


People who we regard as heroes are almost always great at what they do. They reached this point not without making mistakes either. So if we aspire to be them, we can possibly avoid the mistakes they made in their life. I currently have taken on a new role model, Richard Branson. The way he puts the customer first in his business endeavors is something I aspire to do (his ability to always leave room for fun is also something I admire). 


Role models and heroes don't have to be in sports, or in business, they can be anyone in your family, Mother Theresa, Christopher Columbus, etc. No matter what age you are, I encourage everyone to always have a hero and aspire to emulate aspects of their life. This will always give you a goal and something to strive for.

995. "A great man is always willing to be little."

"A great man is always willing to be little." Ralph Waldo Emerson


Great leaders are born and made, in my opinion. There is a certain knack for leadership, that some people just have. It's hard for you to define leadership but a wise man once told me the best definition ever. He said, "you can't define leadership, but when you see it, you know it." And strongly believe this is true, when you see a leader in action, it resonates with leadership. There are those who lead with an iron fist (but you need an absurd amount of power to do this), there are some who lead from a high pedestal (but you also need a lot of power). And the fact about both of these types of leaders is that their subordinates do not like them much.


In those two examples, their subordinates follow because they must, but at first change they will leave or kill the leader. The best way to lead is in the midst of your follows. Julius Caesar would never send his men to do what he wouldn't do himself, Lieutenant General "Chesty" Puller made sure to always fight with his men. The fact of the matter is, if you want to be a great leader, you must be with the majority. This is for three reasons. 


The first reason is because you will know your followers needs and wants more closely, and without your followers, you are nothing. The second is you will earn the respect of your followers because they know you are right their with them, feeling the same things they feel. And third and possibly most important is that you will be able to bond with your followers, there is nothing greater than a close, tight knit "family". This doesn't just apply to war scenarios but any aspect in life where you want to be a leader. Be it in a group project, a group of friends, an organization you belong to. If there's one thing to learn from this is to never let power go to your head, stay the little guy while being the leader and earn respect along the way. Have a good weekend and ill be back on monday! 

996. "It's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get up."

"It's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get up." Vince Lombardi

Let's face it, no one lives a perfect life. At one time or another you will get knocked down. You might lose your job, a family member, you may pull a Bill Buckner in you High School State Championship. All of these are excellent reasons to get down on yourself and be depressed. However, if you stay too long in this state of mind, the event has beaten you. 

Ive been there before. I once lost a Little League game on the last play, in the Summer League Soccer League Championship, I scored an own goal, and while trying to impress the varsity soccer coach when I was in 8th grade, I broke my leg during a game. All of these could have brought me into a mental state that collapsed my life for an extended period of time. 

Admittedly, each action brought about a brief bit of agony as is only natural. Everyone after an even like these WILL be affected, but it's what you make of these events that determine who you are, determine your character. In each of those events listed above, I eventually prevailed. In Little League, we made it to the championship, in the Soccer League, we came back from trailing 2-0 to win, and when the doctor told me it'd be a full year before I might have the possibility to play sports again, I was trying out for the basketball team after 6 weeks.

The truth of the matter is that anything can be overcome with a proper state of mind. The past can't be changed, but your state of mind can. Accept that something happened, and move on. However, don't FORGET that it happened because it is important to learn something from these moments, So keep a good head on your shoulders, learn something, and eventually you will develop great character.

997. "I never did a day's work in my life. It was all fun."

"I never did a day's work in my life. It was all fun." -Thomas Edison


As a senior in college, I hear this again and again. Find what your passionate about, and find work there. To me, as a business major, it is tough to make sense of this. The job market is as tough as ever, and I'm willing to take whatever job I am offered. My goal is to eventually end up working in a field that I am passionate about e.g. sports, gaming, travelling, etc. But for now its all business.


However, the more I reflect on this quote, the more I see doors opening. I look at my brother, who turned down a job out of college to try and become a movie director in Hollywood. He's a long way from that distinction, and may never reach his goal, but he is surrounded by the industry that he loves. He works 5 days a week 12+ hours a day on a successful T.V. game show. He's move from a general PA to the head PA. While T.V. isn't his end goal, it is the means to get there, and he's having fun doing it.


What this boils down to is, if you're passionate about something, do it. Find a way into the industry and work from the bottom up. If the pay isn't good, work a second job. Eventually if you're passionate about it, and hustle, you will end up in a job you love doing. When you have a job you love doing, you truly will never work another day in your life. Remember, you only live this life once, so if you have the option of working for good money, but being miserable, or doing what you love, go with your heart.

998. "It's a job that's never started that takes the longest to finish."

"It's a job that's never started that takes the longest to finish" -J.R.R. Tolkien

How many ideas have you had in your life that you thought were awesome? You thought you'd love to do this project. Perhaps building a new deck, or simply set up a lemonade stand. Than months later you realized you never even started it. I know personally to me this has happened often. Ive had ideas for websites, I wanted to write a book once, and even things as simple as cooking dinner Ive put off (thank you fast food).

To me this goes hand in hand with the old saying "why put off to tomorrow what you can do today." And I've also recently found how to answer this question. As stated in my first blog, #1000, I have started reading Richard Branson books, and the one I finished already is "Screw it, Let's do it". I really am starting to believe in this. Just the other day I was at a club with two of my roommates and some of my friends. All of a sudden my one roommate said "my cousin is having a house party in Philly, wanna go?" Everything inside me was saying "you know were already here, I'm comfortable here and Philly is 30-40 min away." However, I said screw it, lets do it! And it turned out that I ended up having 10x the fun I would have had if I stayed.

Not every decision you will make will turn out with a 10:1 worthwhile ratio, in fact some decisions might be worse, but if you never try it you will never know. You live life once, why not push yourself everyday? The more you turn those "no's" into "yes's" the more spontaneous fun you will begin to have. I know my life has become a lot more fun and interesting and I encourage all to start any ideas you might have in your head, just try them out. The sooner you start them, the sooner they will be complete and the greater the sense of accomplishment you will have.

999. "If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home"

"If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home" -James Michener

This quote has stuck by me for a long time. I am a lover of travel, meeting new people and learning new customs. I have studied in three different continents and visited four of the seven, with the remaining three as my goal. We live in a world that is connected in ways never before seen, the world is truly flat. Business now has few boarders in this world and travel has few restrictions. I can hop on a plane and land in Egypt, or China, or Russia within a day. Thats mind blowing.


Ive traveled with a countless amount of people who refuse to challenge themselves while traveling. They eat at McDonald's, instead of trying local cuisine. They interact with their small group, instead of reaching out to locals. And I could go on and on about this, but it boils down to one thing. When you are traveling, it is not the local that is the 'foreigner', rather it is the opposite. You are the foreigner in a new land, so why not try new things and embrace where you are?


My philosophy for traveling has always been this. Determine your comfort level, and then increase it by 1. If you always push yourself to new small steps, you'll be amazed at what you can conquer and discover about yourself. So don't be afraid to try new things, even if its a small as a different culture in your own country (Theres a big difference between the city life of New York and the country of Mississippi). Challenge yourself everyday and eventually nothing will be able to stop you.

1000. "You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing, and by falling over."

"You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing, and by falling over." -Sir Richard Branson


This quote is actually what inspired me to start this blog. I'm currently at a point in my life (senior year of college) where I am going to be faced with many challenges. I'm going to be entering the 'real world' for the first time, starting a new life soon wherever my job takes me, and meeting new people everyday. I started reading more books in an attempt to 'grow up'. Currently I'm reading 'Business Stripped Bare' by Richard Branson and I stumbled upon this quote.


This quote immediately stuck out to me. In order to get somewhere in life, you have to try. Your endeavors might not always be successful but if you keep at them, eventually you will learn. And that is the biggest take-aways from this quote. Challenge yourself, and don't be afraid to fail. However, when you fail you have to be able to pick yourself up and try again and learn from your mistakes. This quote doesn't mean that you should break the rules and be a rebel, but rather that you shouldn't be afraid of taken the path less traveled. You don't have to fit into a certain algorithm of successes. Learn from your mistakes, dive head first (with some research) into things, and continue to strive for excellence.


This is my first real blog, and I am certainly diving right in, so my posts might not always be great reads, or fancy, or edited properly, but I promise I will learn along the way, listen to my readers and hopefully by the end, will have something special to be proud of.