The Gift of Joy

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4: 4-7.

Is joy a feeling or a state of mind? Are joy and happiness the same thing? Why is joy a gift? When was the last time you experienced real joy like the child in this photo?

What is joy? Definition … “the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires: delight (rejoice)”.

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What Are You Planting?

Are you planting good seed in good soil through your words, your actions and your deeds, in order to reap a bountiful harvest?

Several years ago, I led a discussion on this topic with members of our Wingmen Men’s Ministry Group. For most of us, the past few years have been difficult, if not overwhelming at times. However, I think we can gain valuable insight from this experience by looking to the Scriptures for answers.

In essence, we reap what we sow. This may seem overly harsh with what we have had to ensure of late. However, as you read through this article, I hope you will find some things that connect with you in a positive way to build upon for the future.

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No Vote Equals No Voice

It is now less than two months and counting until the Presidential Election 2020.

Hopefully, the turnout at the polls will be much better than the 2016 election. Only about 138 million Americans voted in the last election. Roughly 58% of the eligible voters.

What were the rest of you doing on Election Day 2016?

My dad was ‘old school’ and pretty vocal on his position when it came to exercising the right to vote. If there was any kind of political debate within earshot at his local watering hole, my dad would respond by asking, “Did you vote? If no, then you don’t get to express your opinion.” For dad and others like him, no vote equals no voice.

For many of my dad’s generation, voting was not just a right granted to them as a U.S. citizen, but a privilege and an obligation to help build a better America.

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Who’s Behind the Curtain?

Hint: It’s not the Wizard of Oz, or is it?

Just the title of this article can make some conspiracy theorists go crazy. In the COVID-19 era, ask yourself this, “is any of this real, or are we living in a Twilight Zone episode?”

Conspiracy theorists … Who doesn’t love a great mystery, right?

We all have a unique worldview. It’s formed by our expectations, assumptions and ideas about the way the world works. By the time we are five years old, we have already acquired 50% of the knowledge we will learn in our lifetime. This includes language, thinking, problem-solving skills, and yes, biases too.

Conspiracy theory or fact?

Dr. Ben Carson is someone I believe to be a high-integrity leader, with a strong moral compass. Even he has made reference to the “Puppet Masters” and people behind the curtain trying to control us. What I’d like to know is who are these people, and what is their end-game?

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We Are Not Lost

Oilman Eddie Chiles had a campaign in the early 1980s with the slogan “I’m Mad, Too, Eddie!” His classic trademark sign-on, “I’m Eddie Chiles, and I’m mad as hell,” created an incredible demand for bumper stickers that read “I’m mad too, Eddie!”

Well guess what? It may be time to bring those bumper stickers back. Because there are a lot of folks around these days who can relate. We are not lost. We are just on the wrong path. And we are mad as hell about it.

Mad at our government and politicians, mad at the news media, mad at the police, mad at the COVID-19 pandemic, mad at the economy, mad at the bar closings, etc. Oh, and let’s not forget the special interests group attempting to rewrite history. We are mad as hell at them too! The list goes on and on.


“A season of darkness will not change until you choose to become the light.” – Jim Gardner

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A Perfect Sales Call

What constitutes a perfect sales call?

Most of us would be quick to answer, “A perfect sales call is when the buyer says ‘yes’ and signs the order.” We are all hungry for that next sale, the next order, the next new customer. In fact, the vast majority of new businesses that fail do so because of a lack of sales.

So while it would be hard to refute the logic, I think there is more to the perfect sales call than just getting the order. For example, a perfect sales call could be when the prospect says ‘no’ very early in the call. You don’t waste time chasing rainbows, and can move on to the next deal. However, would you really feel a sense of accomplishment if the end result was a no? Probably not.

“What if it all goes right?” – Mendhi Audlin

I love the thought process that goes into the title from Mendhi Audlin’s book. What if it does all go right? Are you enjoying this level of success and personal fulfillment in your selling activities? What does it feel like to have everything go right? In a previous article I talked about the 7 ways that you could be sabotaging your sales efforts. In this article I want to share some thoughts on the perfect sales call and how to make it a reality.

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Do Your Best …

Do your best … that’s all you can do! This is my youngest son’s mantra and it has served him well in his early adult life. However, what if it isn’t enough?

What happens when your best just isn’t good enough?

Throughout our lives we’re encouraged to do our best, try harder, keep pushing, don’t give up, etc. However, most of us already have or will encounter obstacles or challenges seemingly too difficult to overcome, despite our best efforts. So what’s the right course of action when your best is not enough?

If we assume failure is not an acceptable outcome, then we have created an irresistible force paradox. The classic paradox formulated as “What happens when an unstoppable force (you) meets an immovable object (obstacle or challenge)?” This paradox arises because it rests on two premises—there exists such things as irresistible forces and immovable objects—which cannot both be true at once.

“If you lean in the direction of success, you will make progress even when you fall.” – Grant M. Bright

The hardest thing for most of us to accept is failure. We have been conditioned to believe that failure is a catastrophic, ‘end of days’ type event, rather than a life lesson. However, in this world we are a part of, there are no such things as irresistible forces or immovable objects. Something must be changed. How can we strive to do our best against all odds knowing the end result in some situations will not be favorable?

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How to Overcome a Major Setback

One of the harsh realities we all must face at some point is dealing with adversity or a major setback. Many of you may be experiencing this in real-time today as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Adversity or setbacks represent a “reversal of progress”. This reversal of progress can take many forms – i.e. a job loss, divorce, financial hardship, major illness or injury, the death of a loved one, etc. How we respond to adversity or a reversal of fortune reveals a lot about our character and ultimately how successful we’ll be in dealing with life’s future challenges.

 “Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.” – C.S. Lewis

How will you deal with a major setback when it comes? Will you be a better person as a result of the experience? Here are some suggested ways to overcome a major setback when it occurs and move forward in a positive way.

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When SMART Goals Produce Dumb Results

Can SMART goals produce dumb results? The short answer is “yes”. But the better question to ask yourself is, “How can we keep this from happening to us?”

SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound.

The main problem with SMART goals, or goals in general, is that they are just ideas, thoughts or expectations. They generate no energy, no forward motion until you take action. If you make a half-hearted attempt to achieve them, or are not fully committed, then what happens? Poor or (dumb) results are the eventual outcome.

Goal-setting and planning are balance sheet approaches. They offer only a snapshot of what is important to you today, and how to get there from here. However, there is no momentum, no “wood behind the arrow”. Without this momentum being generated and directed, it’s hard to reach the intended target. A P&L approach is what’s required to make them come to life.

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Why Globalize Your Business

If your overarching goal is to build a successful legacy business that will be around long after you are gone. And your horizon plans extend beyond the next 90 days. Then please read on …

In this article I want to share some thoughts on why you should consider globalizing your business, if you are in it for the long haul. So stay with me.

“Globalization is becoming a strategic imperative for survival and growth.”

Whether we choose to acknowledge this fact, or not, it is true for small businesses as well as large, multi-national corporations. I have been writing and speaking off and on about this topic for the past 10+ years. My first book, GLOBALIZATION: America’s Leadership Challenge Ahead, provides an in-depth look at the major challenges we must overcome in the complex, rapidly evolving global society we are all members of.


But I’m getting ahead of myself. Many of you reading this introduction are thinking this does not apply to me. “I’m just a local small business owner and have no current plans to expand globally.” I have spoken to numerous business groups, and heard this comment more times than I can count.

What I’m here to tell you is “there is no such thing as a local small business in today’s global economy”. You’ll understand why I say this as you read further.

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