I pledge allegiance to the flag…

We no longer teach or encourage patriotism in American classrooms, and this omission is being felt in our society.  Often, American history is seen as a long series of missteps and bad decisions. 

Yet, America stands as a place that people of much of the world would trade their citizenship for ours and feel they hit the lottery.  Clearly, America’s presence has transformed the world by example and policy.

The American story is an effort to live up to lofty and demanding ideals.  There are always things we could have done better, or things we could have got right years earlier, but the good obviously outweighs the bad – by far.

I’m staying.  I pledge allegiance to the flag.

Show up!

Get in the game.  Put your name in the hat.  Be there just to learn.  

Most people won’t.

But then again, you aren’t like most people….are you?

Nothing to lose

Why do we not go for it and be our best selves and live our best lives?

Fear.  Fear that by not fitting into and going along with a mediocre world that we will be ridiculed, or that we may fail.

But the reality is we have nothing to lose.  Nothing at all.

When we live for the experience of being the person we were meant to be, we realize the greatest risk is that we run out of time, and never went for it.

Be the exception

Being the exception means you don’t do everything others do.  It means you do different things.  You do things differently.  You do what others won’t.  You see things others don’t see.  You pursue what most don’t.  You believe things about yourself most won’t.  

Being the exception means you live a life like others won’t, so eventually, you can live a life like others can’t.

Be the exception.

What do you think of you?

It matters – a lot.

You will never outperform your own self-image.

What do you think of you?

A cranky world?

Did you ever notice that when you don’t have enough sleep that the world gets uncooperative, difficult, dumb and impatient?

Could it be mirroring you?

Fully responsible – and loving it!

Those who have become successful, free and independent have taken responsibility for their own situations.

Have you taken full and complete responsibility?

Opportunity = Danger

If we want safety and security, we have to forego opportunity.  We have to take risks.  We have to let go of our old status and comfort and security to become a different person.  We have to risk looking foolish, losing what we have, feeling awkward in a foreign world, and pursue another self.

You?

Input – Output

What are your inputs?  

Fix them and the outputs will change.

Winners and loser both have goals

What’s the difference?

Focus, delaying gratification, willingness to get uncomfortable, self-discipline, consistency and ability to rebound from setbacks.

You?