Just Continue That Thought...

A thought by John C. Maxwell (2016-02-02) from his book, 3 Things Successful People Do: The Road Map That Will Change Your Life (p. 160). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. ( Click on the title of the book to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) This is an important area that we men really need to work on.   It really is.   And also women. John says, “An article in the Dallas Morning News reported that the average couple married ten years or more spends only thirty-seven minutes a week in meaningful communication. I could hardly believe it. Compare that to the fact that the average American spends almost five times longer than that watching television every day! No wonder so many marriages are in trouble. Just like anything else, good communication doesn’t develop by itself. It must be developed, and that process takes time and effort.” He then gives some suggestions on how to exactly do that: “• Develop platforms for communication. Be creative about finding r...

A thought by John C. Maxwell (2016-02-02) from his book, 3 Things Successful People Do: The Road Map That Will Change Your Life (p. 158). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. ( Click on the title of the book to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) That is so true.   Some families have never been taught how to handle problems but they do have them no matter what. John says, “I’ve noticed that some people pursuing success seem to avoid the home environment. I suspect that one reason is that they are not able to handle family crisis situations well. They find it easier to try to avoid the problems altogether. But that’s not a solution.” John then gives a quote by M. Scott Peck, author of The Road Less Traveled .   I hope you will read it.   He says: “It is in this whole process of meeting and solving problems that life has meaning. Problems are the cutting edge that distinguishes between success and failure. Problems call forth our courage and wisdom; indeed the...

A thought by John C. Maxwell (2016-02-02) from his book, 3 Things Successful People Do: The Road Map That Will Change Your Life (p. 153). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. ( Click on the title of the book to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) John quotes Psychologist William James who observed, “In every person from the cradle to the grave, there is a deep craving to be appreciated.” I’m 69 and I still crave to be appreciated and I know you do too if you're really honest. John goes on, “Feeling appreciated brings out the best in people. And when that appreciation comes in the home and is coupled with acceptance, love, and encouragement, the bonds between family members grow, and the home becomes a safe haven for everyone.” And that is what home is supposed to be. But in so many cases that is not what it is.   It is more of a tear down than a build up or a battle ground than a safe haven.   And that is a major problem.   I’ve heard people say that the prob...

A thought by John C. Maxwell (2016-02-02) from his book, 3 Things Successful People Do: The Road Map That Will Change Your Life (p. 143). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. ( Click on the title of the book to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) But it can be so easy to quit, can’t it?    I mean, life is so tough. John tells this story, “On an October evening in 1968, a group of die-hard spectators remained in Mexico City’s Olympic Stadium to see the last finishers of the Olympic marathon. More than an hour before, Mamo Wolde of Ethiopia had won the race to the exuberant cheers of onlookers. But as the crowd watched and waited for the last participants, it was getting cool and dark. It looked as if the last runners were finished, so the remaining spectators were breaking up and leaving when they heard the sounds of sirens and police whistles coming from the marathon gate into the stadium. And as everyone watched, one last runner made his way onto the track for the last l...

A thought by John C. Maxwell (2016-02-02) from his book, 3 Things Successful People Do: The Road Map That Will Change Your Life (p. 122). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. ( Click on the title of the book to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Here is a good thought that John quotes from Austin O’Malley who asserted, “The fact that you have been knocked down is interesting, but the length of time you remain down is important.” John goes on, “As you travel on the success journey, you will have problems. Are you going to give up and stay down, wallowing in your defeat, or are you going to get back on your feet as quickly as you can? Or as a college friend of mine used to say, ‘I’m never down; I’m either up or getting up.’” I love that attitude, “I’m never down; I’m either up or getting up.” John then says, “A lot of people don’t think that way. Some have been down so long that they’re more comfortable lying down than they are getting back up. It has become a way of life f...