“Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance.” Samuel Johnson. If you were asked by someone – what do you feel are the three most important skills or talents to help you succeed in your business, career, or life – what do you think the average answer would be? Well, I have done this numerous times for audiences around the world and you would be amazed at the range of answers I have gotten. But the three most common ones were; effort, resilience, and perseverance. What exactly is perseverance? “Continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition.” I like to keep things simple so mine is “never quitting no matter what.” Now I’m not sure which definition you like or are the most comfortable with so why not come up with your own. And as a sideline, if you had to rank the three previous traits what order would you put them in when it comes to importance?
“There is no better way to keep God out of your soul than to be full of self.” Fulton Sheen. It’s my opinion, and maybe I’m in the minority who believes this, but I believe we are living in a time where most people, are becoming self-focused, self-oriented, and self-absorbed. Got it? I feel that the current social trend is more about “me” than others. I could give you hundreds of recent examples or illustrations that I have experienced in the past 90 days but I won’t bore you with my opinions. But I will ask you if you think society, in general, is moving in this direction? I could be wrong and I hope I am, that God being left out of society and relationships are becoming a trend.
“The sweetest of all sounds is praise.” Xenophon. Does praise differ from appreciation or other methods of telling people they are respected, valuable, worthwhile, etc., or is praise a separate concept? “Praise – the act of expressing approval or admiration, commendation, laudation of others.” “Appreciation – recognition and enjoyment of the good qualities of someone or something.” OK, so if I say thank you for anything to anyone am I being appreciative or praising them indirectly? Words, words – oh how they can be confusing especially with today’s “political Correctness and woke crap. Don’t believe me – I recently looked up the word negative and found over 200 definitions. So, if you do something for me and I don’t say thank you am I avoiding praise or appreciation? It’s simple folks. When you demonstrate – whatever – praise, gratitude, appreciation, recognition, etc. these all say something in common – that you care and value the person or group that went to the trouble to do or say something of value to or for you and you want them to know that you appreciate them. Consider – If someone in your life keeps doing positive, special, unique, or just extra things for you that are not required, expected, or necessary and you never go to the trouble to show or demonstrate thanks or appreciation to them don’t be surprised if one day the positives and generous actions cease.