“Difficult roads always lead to beautiful destinations.”
― Zig Ziglar

It’s easy to be grateful for the good things in life. Anyone can be thankful when things are going well.

It’s admirable if you find the strength to be grateful during trials and tribulations. It takes fortitude to remain grateful for the blessings in your life when you’re suffering.

But can you be grateful for the pain? Can you be grateful for the suffering? Can you be grateful for the heartbreak, the loss, the storm, the struggle itself?

“The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you’re not going to stay where you are.”
― J.P. Morgan

May the New Year bring you many new adventures and opportunities! May you experience peace, health, and joy throughout 2022! Happy New Year to you and your family!

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
― Luke 2:14

Merry Christmas! May you be blessed today and always!

“Of course I’m crazy, but that doesn’t mean I’m wrong.”
― R.A. Wilson

Isn’t it funny that the Christmas season begins with Christmas eve, yet most people put up their decorations before Advent?

Isn’t it funny that we have high unemployment when every company seems to be hiring?

Isn’t it funny that people say they have no time but find the time to binge-watch Netflix every weekend?

Isn’t it funny that we have so many people searching for a purpose, but the churches are empty?

Isn’t it funny that we can talk to anyone with the touch of a button, but haven’t called our parents in six months?

Isn’t it funny that we know what to do but rarely ever do it?

“If it’s a priority you’ll find a way. If it isn’t, you’ll find an excuse.”
― Jim Rohn

When your to-do list is too long to fit on one page ― prioritize.

When you don’t know what to do next ― prioritize.

When you feel like you’re floundering ― prioritize.

When you’re running out of time ― prioritize.

When you’re bored ― prioritize.

When you have too many choices ― prioritize.

When you’re not sure how to resolve a problematic situation ― prioritize.

When people are counting on you ― prioritize.

“Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish.”
― Sam Walton

Do you want to be a better leader?

It turns out there’s a simple way to level up as a leader almost instantly.

It’s simple but not always easy.

Give everyone else all the credit.

That’s it. Simple, huh?

But I put a lot of work into this!

I get it. It doesn’t matter. Give credit to your boss. Give credit to your team. Give credit to your spouse, your parents, and your kids.

Now, I don’t mean you should lie. I don’t mean you should artificially give praise. Instead, figure out how other people contributed and publicly recognize that.

Maybe a teammate took on a menial task to free you up. Perhaps your boss didn’t micromanage all week, or a subordinate did their job right the first time.

Don’t let your pride get in the way. You will win in the long run.

“Gratitude is the wine for the soul. Go on. Get drunk.”
― Rumi

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family! May God bless you now and always!

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues but the parent of all others.”
― Marcus Tullius Cicero

If you want to stay positive, practice daily gratitude. Try looking at this list and see if any of these apply to your life. I don’t expect everything will apply, but maybe it can be a starting place for your own version.

Things to be grateful for:

• Your mother
• Pizza
• Sleep
• Books
• Weather
• Exercise
• The Internet
• Indoor plumbing
• The opportunity to face today’s challenges

“Make mistakes of ambition and not mistakes of sloth. Develop the strength to do bold things, not the strength to suffer.”
― Niccolò Machiavelli, “The Prince”

Successful people have successful habits. There’s no one size fits all list, but some seem almost universal. Here are five.

Meditate and pray
Get your mind in the right place. If you struggle to start, try spending five minutes in gratitude for the blessings and opportunities in your life.

Exercise
If your body is off, your work will be off. Get your heart pumping and your blood flowing. If you’re stressed or unfocused, exercise can push you back on track. If you had a bad day, channel your frustration into a good day in the workout room.

Batch tasks
Multitasking leads to multi-headaches. Constant task switching destroys focus and momentum. Batching your tasks is an instant level-up in life.

Ask questions
Good questions lead to good answers, and good answers lead to knowledge and understanding.

Take ownership
When you understand there are no excuses, you get up and get going. You plan for contingencies, mitigate risks, and execute. You keep moving forward.

“If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional, wait until you hire an amateur.”
― Red Adair

There’s no talent shortage for companies that pay well. (NVIDIA, Twitter)

There’s no talent shortage for companies that solve interesting problems. (SpaceX, Undress)

There’s no talent shortage for companies that have good brand reputations. (Coca-Cola, Berkshire Hathaway)

If you see a talent shortage, maybe you need to fix your company.