18 Friday Nov 2022
Posted in Bonus Content
All, I’ve decided to alter my postings on Thursday. I’ve been posting what I’m reading, what I’m learning, and what I’m watching, but frankly it bores me to tears. I imagine it bores many of you too, so I’m going to leave Thursday a free writing day, where I write about whatever comes to mind. I’m going to call Thursday my “Free Writing Day”.
I hope all of you like what I come up with and have a great weekend!
Until next time…
Dave
22 Monday Aug 2022
Posted in Motivation Monday
Tags
Google, inspiration, Learning, motivation, Presentation, problem, Udemy, YouTube
There is an event I was supposed to give a presentation to, but had to back out because of my family situation. To meet my obligation, I created a PowerPoint presentation that I converted into a video. All in PowerPoint! How did I do this? I learned how.
Whenever we are presented with a problem, particularly one that we do not know how to solve, we tend to procrastinate. I know I did. But, I solved the problem by taking a PowerPoint course on Udemy. Here’s the link: https://www.udemy.com/share/102gUM3@UBmn5-rxpk4mJ0JGZ6ZORLDOZi4WjMZqTbztQLkb_ZxR2E8NJcUAXIZ8NbEYeZ3f/
Motivation to learn is sometimes driven by what we need to do. I had a presentation to give. Others may have other tasks, but not know how to do what they need to know. Where does one go? For me, my “go to” is either YouTube or Udemy. I always gravitate toward Udemy because I enjoy learning in a step-by-step manner, which most of the instructors on Udemy use in their courses.
You may search through blogs, search YouTube, or just do an internet search in general. My brother used a YouTube video to replace a bad garbage disposal once.
So, if you have a problem, which involves learning something, get online and start looking around. You’ll find the answer. Once you’ve learned what you need to, motivation to get the task done takes care of itself. I could not wait to put my presentation together. The folks running the retreat I was supposed to attend, got the presentation and loved it.
Well, that’s it for today, folks. Motivation improves when we know what we need to do, and more importantly how to do it.
Have a great Monday, folks.
Until next time…
Dave
06 Wednesday Oct 2021
Posted in Wisdom Wednesday
Tags
Hugo Award, inspiration, Octavia E. Butler, Pattern Master, Quotes, Science Fiction, UCLA, Wednesday, wisdom
Sometimes being a friend means mastering the art of timing. There is a time for silence. A time to let go and allow people to hurl themselves into their own destiny. And a time to prepare to pick up the pieces when it’s all over.
I’m comfortably asocial – a hermit in the middle of a large city, a pessimist if I’m not careful, a feminist, a black, a former Baptist, an oil-and-water combination of ambition, laziness, insecurity, certainty and drive.
You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it. That’s why I say one of the most valuable traits is persistence.
Not everyone has been a bully or the victim of bullies, but everyone has seen bullying, and seeing it, has responded to it by joining in or objecting, by laughing or keeping silent, by feeling disgusted or feeling interested.
Beware, all too often we say what we hear others say. We think what we are told that we think. We see what we are permitted to see. Worse, we see what we are told that we see.
Part of my joy of posting these quotes is not the quotes themselves, but the investigation of who this person is. In this case, Octavia E. Butler is one of America’s Science Fiction Writers. I’ll let you read more at this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octavia_E._Butler
This is yet another fascinating story of someone I never knew before. I hope you enjoyed these quotes. Have a great Wednesday!
Until next time…
Dave
25 Wednesday Aug 2021
Posted in Wisdom Wednesday
Tags
Anne Frank, Courage, Holocaust, inspiration, Love, Sacrifice, Tragedy, wisdom
Laziness may appear attractive, but work gives satisfaction.
Whoever is happy will make others happy too.
I see the world being slowly transformed into a wilderness; I hear the approaching thunder that, one day, will destroy us too. I feel the suffering of millions. And yet, when I look up at the sky, I somehow feel that everything will change for the better, that this cruelty too shall end, that peace and tranquility will return once more.
Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don’t know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!
Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy.
Here’s a Wikipedia link to see what a wonderful and impactful life this young lady had: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Frank
Have a great Wednesday!
Until next time…
Dave
10 Sunday Feb 2019
Posted in Bonus Content
“At times, our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.” – Albert Schweitzer
We all experience a slump. Nothing seems to work well. We lose our motivation or desire to do what we set out to do. We begin to doubt what we are doing is worth doing.
How can you get yourself out of a slump? Use the GOYA principle. If you are unfamiliar with the GOYA principle, you can thank Tom Hopkins. Tom is the author of How to Master the Art of Selling. In this book he describes a slump in his life. He was a fledgling real estate salesman and was having a tough time of it. The story about how he got himself out of his slump involved his boss taking him on a ride to cool off. Once they had driven around for a bit, his boss told him to get out of the car. He then told Tom to knock on every door of every house on his way back to the office. By the time he got back to the office he had a few leads and some potential homes to sell. The moral of the story: Use the GOYA principle. What is the GOYA principle you ask?
G-Get
O-Off
Y-Your
A-Ass
When you let your mind and emotions get in your way and over-analyze what you are doing, you will begin doing more analysis than work. Slumps come when you stop doing the work that works in your field of endeavor. We all do this from time-to-time. We sabotage our own efforts when we stop doing what we already know works.
In this example, Tom’s boss was the catalyst that rekindled Tom’s faith in the process of selling homes. Who is your go to when you are in a slump? Is it a boss? Is it your wife or significant other? Is it a good friend who knows you better than yourself? For me, my catalyst has always been the many great authors of the world.
I discovered this this morning as I worked through my morning journaling. I obtain inspiration from the books I read. I obtain inspiration from the stories of heroes taking on challenges and overcoming them. I read about others who have struggled with their inner demons and conquered them. My heroes are the scientists, philosophers, explorers, generals, writers, artists, musicians, and poets. I am also inspired by quotes. I pass along the quotes I find to my followers with the hope they will do for you what they do for me. Quotes inspire, motivate, and awaken us to the wisdom of the ages.
Slumps come and go. Work through them. Get back to basics. Stop analyzing. GET OFF YOUR ASS.
Until next time…
Dave
27 Thursday Sep 2018
Posted in Bonus Content
If you’ve been following my blog, particularly Thinking Thursdays, you’ll see an entry of West Wing in my entertainment section. I’ve watched this series all the way through about 9 times. I’m watching it again. I was thinking about this the other night, wondering why I like the show so much.
As I sit here writing, with West Wing playing in the background it came to me. I experienced one of those life experiences a few years back. My marriage was failing, my finances were collapsing, my work was unfulfilling, and it felt like I was watching myself walk off of a cliff and couldn’t stop it. It was a really tough time.
Guess what show I was watching to get some escape from my troubles? You guessed it–West Wing. I watch it today because the acting, the characters, the writing are phenomenal. I still tear up during different episodes and “feel” the stress the characters do in other episodes. West Wing was my comfort during a time that I didn’t think there was an end to my pain. It seemed at the time that everything I cared for was going away.
Then, it all changed. A solution presented itself in December of 2016. Initially, the solution seemed insane. I think this is what happens sometimes when we are at our “rope’s end”. We get really creative. We search our souls for anything–I mean anything–for relief. Then, out of nowhere, a solution arrives.
That solution, although imperfect, was liberation. It was a way that came my way when I was in the darkest period of my life. This proved to me that there is always an option, there is always a door, there is always a way out.
There is a very wise man that mentions that our greatest learning is during those periods in our life when we think that all is lost (paraphrased). This is one of the most simple and true statements of wisdom I have ever read.
This is one of the major reasons I decided to share the quotes I do on my blog. Quotes are the wisdom from the ages. They are sometimes offered by our contemporaries. At other times they are drawn from the times of the ancients.
I really enjoy sharing my thoughts with you. I enjoy passing on the things that affect me and awaken the dormant things inside that can only be reached by these quotes.
It is my wish that these words reach people. It is my wish that these words help others. This is my wish for you, my readers.
I’ll see you later today.
Until next time…
Dave
05 Tuesday Jun 2018
Posted in Ted Talk
I know you are all busy so I try to pick out Ted Talks that are inspiring and short. This is only around 6 minutes. A truly inspiring message from an exceptional 14-year old girl.
Enjoy!
Until next time…
Dave
03 Thursday Aug 2017
Posted in Quotes
Tags
Today’s Quote:
“Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.” – Stephen King
This quote is all about taking action. You can think, dream, and plan something, but without taking action, you just won’t get where you’re going. You don’t need the stars to align, you don’t need to wait another day, you just need to get moving.
Thanks for stopping by.
Have a terrific Thursday!
Until next time…
Daily Ramblings... 