Freedom Blog

Monday, March 26, 2012

Do Your Best

No Limits | The Freedom Blog


Do Your Best

Written by Steven Griggs | stevengriggs.com


“If a man does his best, what else is there?”
George Patten


“The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.”
H. Jackson Browne, Jr.

“Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, to all the souls you can, in every place you can, at all the times you can, with all the zeal you can, as long as ever you can.”
John Wesley
  
Do your best.

Since early childhood I was told “ Just do your best.” I remember the feeling I got when  I heard that. It was freeing. I knew now that I could do it. And I felt like I actually had the ability to do it better. To do it better than I thought I could. To maybe even do it better than the next guy.

Was that really true? Maybe. I just know that it made me feel like I could do it.  It helped me to go there and do my best. And so I always did.

I always tried to do my best. That isn't to say that I never defaulted back to a place of weakness, because I definitely did sometimes. But I would eventually realize that maybe I didn't try that hard, that I could have tried harder, to do my real best. 

I resolved that next time I would do my best.

Somewhere along the line though, I believe we begin to lose that feeling of possibilities and capability and replace it with something less, something that says, sure it’s possible…. for someone else. Or you’ve been beat down so many times you begin to feel that it’s not worth trying so you just don’t try that hard anymore.

As we go through life and experience disappointments and setbacks, we tend to stop believing in our own power. We forget how powerful we really are.

We become calloused and accepting of our circumstances. We forget the power in those words: “DO YOUR BEST”.

I believe one of the most powerful practices you can take up is the power and freedom inherent in always doing your best.

Just DO YOUR BEST!

If you’ve done the very best you can, at that moment, using everything you have available, at that moment, at where you find yourself, at that moment, what else is there?

What more can you do? There is no coulda, woulda, shoulda. You did your best... at that time.

You can’t feel regret or feel unworthy or, in any way, less.

You did the best you could do!

That’s all you can do and all you need to do. You are free!

Find the freedom in always doing your best.



Thursday, March 22, 2012

Daily Balance

No Limits | The Freedom Blog


Daily Balance

Written by Steven Griggs | stevengriggs.com

Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony”
Thomas Merton

“The best and safest thing is to keep a balance in your life, acknowledge the great powers around us and in us. If you can do that, and live that way, you are really a wise man.” 
Euripedes

In the movie “Act of Valor”, one of the lead characters was explaining his mind set to a comrade. He said (I paraphrase):

“Never go down range (leave for a mission) without being in balance. I mean with your spouse, your friends, your money, whatever. You can’t have any unfinished business floating around in the back of your mind. It will detract you from being fully present and this can get you killed”

This really struck me because when we think of balance, I believe most of us usually think in larger terms: “living in balance”, meaning balancing the right amount of work, recreation, family time, vacation etc. I don’t really subscribe to this type of balance. I think it is unrealistic and actually fosters a mindset of mediocrity.

I believe the correct way to live in balance is to be in balance on a daily basis.
  • Don’t go out the door in the morning without being in balance with your mate;
  • Don’t go out the door in the morning without being in balance with your children;
  • Don’t go through the day without being in balance with your finances. If you are out of balance financially, recognize it, find a solution and begin taking steps to correct the imbalance.
  • Don’t go through the day without being in balance with your goals. Have your goals in mind, have the steps you need to take in mind. Stay on plan.
  • Don’t go through the day without being in balance with your job. Hate your job? Quit. Go somewhere where you can be more fulfilled. Start your own business.
  • Don’t go through the day without being in balance with your body. Be aware of what you put in your mouth. Consciously feed yourself. Don’t eat on auto pilot.

If you make an effort to align your different selves, to be in balance on all these levels, you can’t help but be better, do better, and make a difference.

So try it. Try staying in balance on a daily basis.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Tecumseh

No Limits | The Freedom Blog


Tecumseh

Written by Steven Griggs | stevengriggs.com

I was watching the new movie- “Act of Valor” last night ( I highly recommend it) and in it one of the characters wrote a letter to the young son of his recently killed comrade in arms.

In the letter he quoted the great Shawnee leader-Tecumseh. The following is Tecumseh’s speech:

“So live your life so the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their views, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and of service to your people.

Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide. Always give a word or sign of salute when meeting or passing a stranger if in a lonely place. Show respect to all people, but grovel to none. When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life and strength.

Give thanks for your food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies in yourself. Touch not the poisonous firewater that makes wise ones turn to fools and robs them of their visions.

When your time comes to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song, and die like a hero going home.”    Tecumseh

What more can you say?

Thursday, March 8, 2012

25 Mistakes To Avoid-#5,6

Reboot! | The Freedom Blog

25 Mistakes To Avoid-#5,6

Written by Steven Griggs | stevengriggs.com

Excerpted from my coming book: “REBOOT! How to Restructure Your Business to Survive and Thrive in Today’s New Economy”

5. Failing to Follow the Money:                                                                      

Does it make any sense to work so hard creating and marketing products or services, only to have the fruit of your labors stolen?

Controlling access to the money is crucial. Make sure you have programs and a system of checks and balances in place to control access to funds, products and supplies.

Remember, you must have clear processes in place to address inventory, supplies, vehicles, fuel, time cards, etc.  Make these processes and procedures part of your written company policy.

Make sure your policy towards employee dishonesty is spelled out clearly. Be clear that no one is above prosecution and that you will prosecute theft to the maximum extent of the law.

6.     Doing it All:

Are you working in your business or on your business? You need to really be clear about this.  Failing to delegate is perhaps one of the most under rated dangers to the small business owner.

Even if you think you are capable of doing everything, resist the temptation.  Even if you are on a tight budget and think you should do so to save money, don’t! 

Delegate and pay someone else to do it.

Automate your systems. Get into the mindset of delegating everything you possibly can.

You can never build the business if you are burnt out from the day to day stress of personally solving every problem, completing every task, making every sale….. it never ends.

Make sure the details are taken care of, but focus your attention and energies like a laser on the bigger picture- where the company is going, your customers, and your next big product launch.

TIP: Keep yourself above the fray and your eyes on the prize.