Learning From a Boy Scout

The Power of a Good Deed

It is easy for the pursuit of success to become a very self-centered journey.  One of the key elements to achievement is to have a burning passion for your goal.  It is what you think about, work for and plan your life around.  Because of the strong attention we give to achieving, we can forget that there is another key, without which we cannot arrive at real and lasting success, that is others.

                It is a paradox of life, but very true, that the more you give the more you get.  It is in helping others to succeed that we can truly succeed in our own life.  Selfishness and self-centeredness will not lead to a successful life no matter how hard you try. One of the great truths which I try to base my life on is from the noted author and speaker, Zig Ziglar who said, “You can have everything in life that you want if you will just help other people get what they want.”

                This truth is stressed in the Boy Scouts through their slogan: Do A Good Turn Daily.  The Scout Handbook defines it this way: "That means doing something to help others each day without expecting anything in return."  That ending is key, "...without expecting anything in return".  Success-minded people are to help others, do good deeds and not expect to gain from it.  As coach John Wooden used to say, "You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who can never repay you."

“It is literally true that you can succeed best and quickest by helping others to succeed.”

– Napoleon Hill

(1883-1970) Author

                Success-minded people should keep their eyes open to opportunities around them each day to do something for those they meet.  This can be as simple as opening a door for someone or giving an encouraging word to a person who is struggling or it can be as involved as being a mentor to a young person or helping on a project.  The size and scope of the deed is not the issue, it is the intent and attitude that makes the difference.

                The act of doing good deeds will soon become a good habit in your life.  You will find that you do kind things for people without really thinking about it.  This will transform your life for the better and bring success on a level that you never thought possible.  There is no getting away from it, the more you give the more you get.  It is a law of nature and does not change.

You matter!  You matter to the world and to yourself.  Remember to be your best, love God, have good manners, achieve the unknown and change your world.

Scouting Out of Uniform is a personal blog based on the lessons learned from Scouting that relate to personal development and success principles and is not an official site of The Boy Scouts of America. John Patrick Hickey does not represent or speak for the Scouting program; however, he does completely support and encourages Scouting for both young and old. John Patrick Hickey is an author, speaker, Personal Development Coach and proud Scouter. To read more from John Patrick Hickey or to get his books, training and book him to speak to your church, business or group, visit our website at www.johnpatrickhickey.com.  

© 2018 John Patrick Hickey

The Simplicity of Miracles

Do you believe in miracles?  I do.  I have seen too many wonderful things in my life not to.  There are those among us who do not.  They try to explain away anything they do not understand.  Life can be very dull for these dear people.  They miss out on the wonder and beauty that surrounds them every day.  They go through life more intent on explaining all that happens rather than enjoying life.

                Success-minded people understand that among all the miracles of life, the greatest is really the simplest.  There is no miracle more exciting in all the universe than birth.  I have had the massive privilege to witness the birth of both of my daughters and all but two of my ten grandchildren.  There is nothing I have seen that can compare to the wonder and marvel of birth.

                There is another birth that I find marvelous.  That is the birth of a dream.  It happens at the moment when a person realizes what they were created to do.  Mark Twain put it this way: "The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why." 

                I have seen it so many times in the eyes and faces of those success-minded people who suddenly are awakened to their dream.  It is as if all the lights go on.  They know in their hearts that this - whatever "this" is - is what they were born to do.  It is never disappointing or fearful, but a wonderful sense of discovery.

“It is always the simple that produces the marvelous.”

– Amelia Burr

(1831-1919) Writer

                In Scouting, this is one of the many benefits of the Merit Badge program. Merit badges are not just awards for the boys to pick up along the way, they are the stepping stones on a path of discovery. Scouts are exposed to many possible career and life choices that they may otherwise never have access to. Many a scientist, teacher, engineer, businessman and a thousand other professionals, discovered their passions in the process of earning a simple merit badge.

                Do you know why you were born?  There is a reason; no one is here to fill space or by mistake.  It is also not a mystery that is hidden from you.  It is there in your heart.  What is it that you have always longed to do?  If you could achieve anything and know you will not fail, what would it be?  Find that and embrace it and you will know the miracle of your existence. 

                Miracles really are very simple.  They happen all the time.  Yet their simplicity and commonness do not take away from their wonder.  You were born for a purpose that only you can fill.  You were given a dream, not to torment you or make you feel incomplete, but to make you sore and be a true force in this world.

You matter!  You matter to the world and to yourself.  Remember to be your best, love God, have good manners, achieve the unknown and change your world.

Scouting Out of Uniform is a personal blog based on the lessons learned from Scouting that relate to personal development and success principles and is not an official site of The Boy Scouts of America. John Patrick Hickey does not represent or speak for the Scouting program, however, he does completely support and encourages Scouting for both young and old. John Patrick Hickey is an author, speaker, Personal Development Coach and proud Scouter. To read more from John Patrick Hickey or to get his books, training and book him to speak to your church, business or group, visit our website at www.johnpatrickhickey.com.   © 2018 John Patrick Hickey

Coming in April 2018!!!!

Learning from a Boy Scout

1723 The Cover-up - John Patrick Hickey Videocast

The Hero

Do you remember when it was cool to have a hero?  Heroes were always the good guys.  They were honest, steady, kind but tough and they always won.  Everyone wanted to be like the heroes.  I am not talking about make-believe superheroes like Superman, Batman or Wonder Woman, I mean the flesh and blood heroes like today’s first responders, astronauts, soldiers, and sailors.  Where have all the heroes gone?  They are still there, it is us who got blinded by our age.

                What makes a hero?  In their great book, Raising Boys By Design, authors Juntz & Gurian give a wonderful, working definition of the word HERO:

Honor:  adhering to truth, values, compassion, and principles beyond self.

Enterprise:  working at important things, whether they saw small or large.

Responsibility:   carrying important people and things throughout life.

Originality:   being a dreamer, a thinker, and explorer in the world.

“Heroes have good character and strong self-discipline.  These heroes are and can be our sons.”

– Gregory L. Juntz & Michael Gurian

from the book: Raising Boys By Design

                This is why I love applying the Scout Law to life.  The principles there are the elements that makeup heroes.  As we teach them to young people it is not with the intent of making them better children, but making them better adults.  The principles taught in the Scout Law are to be carried through life. Some former Scouts may have lost their way from time to time, however, there are many who practice and live by these principles every day.

                Success-minded people need to get this clear.  It is not the time to sit around and long for the days of heroes.  It is the time to rise up and become heroes.  It is up to us to be the heroes the world needs to get it through this very difficult time.  Yes, the mission is impossible.  Yes, it does look hopeless and we are far outnumbered.  But isn't that the stuff that makes heroes?  You do not need a hero to do the possible, only the impossible.  You do not need a hero to correct mistakes, you need them to fight evil.

                We need to be the heroes of today and teach our children to be the heroes of tomorrow.  The thing is, there will always be wrong and evil in the world.  There will be difficult times and impossible problems to face.  There will always be the need for a hero.  You are that hero!

You matter!  You matter to the world and to yourself.  Remember to be your best, love God, have good manners, achieve the unknown and change your world.

Scouting Out of Uniform is a personal blog based on the lessons learned from Scouting that relate to personal development and success principles and is not an official site of The Boy Scouts of America. John Patrick Hickey does not represent or speak for the Scouting program, however, he does completely support and encourages Scouting for both young and old. For more information about the principles taught here, visit our website at www.johnpatrickhickey.com. John Patrick Hickey is an author, speaker, Personal Development Coach and proud Scouter. To read more from John Patrick Hickey or to get his books, training and book him to speak to your church, business or group, visit our website at www.johnpatrickhickey.com.   © 2018 John Patrick Hickey

Lessons in Beauty

There is a beauty you find in a walk in the woods that cannot be compared to anything else.  For the minds and hearts open to true beauty, it can be found everywhere they go.  There is great beauty in art, music, poetry, a good book, play or even a conversation with a friend.  Of course, there is the wondrous beauty of nature, the forest, mountain, the sea and lakes, the sky and the universe and all it holds. Sadly, people are in such a rush and busy with the cares of the day that they miss so much that is beautiful.  Even sadder, they miss the opportunity to teach this beauty to our young. This is one of the great advantages of Scouting.

            How do you teach beauty?  It is not like you can force others to see the beauty around them.  I believe so many people miss beauty altogether because they were never taught that it was there. We live in a time when our attention is on getting to the next event, meeting or social engagement. People do not only refuse to stop and smell the roses, they cut that rose bush down so it doesn’t get in their way.

“Let the youth be taught to look for beauty in all he sees, to embody beauty in all he does, and the imagination will then be both active and healthy.”

– Orison Swett Marden

(1850-1924)

Author / Publisher

            Success-minded people need to share an appreciation of beauty with others, especially the young.  This appreciation is something that cannot be rushed or lightly touched on.  It is that walk in the woods, where you can be quiet and listen to the rustle of leaves and the moving of the wind.  It is the time it takes not to look at a tree but to study it.  Helping others to see its majesty and strength as it stands among the army of its peers, branches weaving through each other like one great hug.

            I have always loved Scout camping trips. I allowed young people, especially those from urban areas to get out in the wild and hike, swim, have adventures and learn to love the outdoors. Nothing better than to see a group of kids dirty from a day of camp. As TV personality, Mike Rowe says, “A Boy Scout is clean, but he is not afraid to get dirty.”

            Beauty can be shared by seeing more than a painting or work of art but teaching others to see the soul of the artist.  They learn to pause and see that art really does imitate life and that life is a beautiful thing.  They learn to hear and touch what is around them for more than just noise and comfort.  Learning to be a part of a great piece of music or the dance that moves you to the core.

            One of the greatest tools to help other discover beauty and to stimulate the imagination is to teach them to read.  Learning to read is more than the ability to make out words on paper, it is to experience life and adventure and learning through the words of another.  There is no greater gift one person can give to another than the ability to read.  To teach another to really read is to give them the universe as their own.

            Take time for beauty.  Take time to share it with those you love and those who you have had the honor of sharing with.  Not only is this an opportunity to improve the life of someone, it is your opportunity to change the world for the better.

You matter!  You matter to the world and to yourself.  Remember to be your best, love God, have good manners, achieve the unknown and change your world.

Scouting Out of Uniform is a personal blog based on the lessons learned from Scouting that relate to personal development and success principles and is not an official site of The Boy Scouts of America. John Patrick Hickey does not represent or speak for the Scouting program, however, he does completely support and encourages Scouting for both young and old. For more information about the principles taught here, visit our website at www.johnpatrickhickey.com.  © 2018 John Patrick Hickey

The Adventurer

One of the things I love about being a Scout leader, especially a when I was a Cub Scout leader, is the sense of adventure these boys give to everything they do.  Each project is a new challenge with all the excitement and expectation of a quest to discover hidden treasure.  It is in the nature of boys to want to be heroes and adventurers.  How tragic it is that just as they get to the age where they really can discover the unknown, they are taught the word, impossible.

            Success-minded people can learn many great things from boys (and girls).  If we are willing to jump down from our superior mindset that we are the adults and therefore know better, we could really learn a thing or two.  Children can teach us that behind every creature is a story.  They know that love and goodness walks close to evil and danger.  Children can teach us that all things are possible and that, if you look for it, there is still magic in the world.

“See things from the boy's point of view.”

– Robert Baden-Powell

(1857-1941)

Founder of the Boy Scouts

            We, know-it-all adults spend more time complaining and fussing than a room full of children.  I worked at a major museum for several years.  There were many events for adults and many for children.  I always said, give me a dozen children's events to one adult event.  Adults complained, got angry over every little thing and never seemed to have a good time.  Children, on the other hand, were just happy to be there.  They laughed, ran in circles and just had fun all day long.

            A study done several years ago found that the average child laughed over 300 times a day.  The average adult laughed less than 20 times.  Now tell me, is there nothing we can learn from children?  If adults started to see adventure and magic in all they do; if they laughed and had a bit more fun, what a world we could create.  Life is too short to be a fussy, tired and grumpy old adult.  Let's learn from the experts.  Get with a group of children and allow them to teach you for a change.

You matter!  You matter to the world and to yourself.  Remember to be your best, love God, have good manners, achieve the unknown and change your world.

Scouting Out of Uniform is a personal blog based on the lessons learned from Scouting that relate to personal development and success principles and is not an official site of The Boy Scouts of America. John Patrick Hickey does not represent or speak for the Scouting program; however, he does completely support and encourages Scouting for both young and old. John Patrick Hickey is an author, speaker, Personal Development Coach and proud Scouter. To read more from John Patrick Hickey or to get his books, training and book him to speak to your church, business or group, visit our website at www.johnpatrickhickey.com.   © 2018 John Patrick Hickey

Learning From a Boy Scout

Do You Look Like Success

Back in 1988, author John T. Molloy put out the popular book, Dress for Success.  At that time people worked at looking their best for business.  Since that book came out, our business "dress code" has become more and more slack.  First, the idea of wearing a tie to work was put aside.  After that, we entered “casual Fridays".  Today, a person can dress any way they feel like for most businesses.  Rather than dressing up, we have focused on dressing down.

            Let me start by saying that I am not pushing the idea that everyone wears a suit to work each day.  However, I do believe that our lack of care to how we look has caused an effect on the quality of work we do.  When you do not see the value in yourself to look good, you do not see the value to do good work.

“Show me a poorly uniformed troop and I'll show you a poorly uniformed leader.”

– Robert Baden-Powell

(1857-1941)

Founder of the Boy Scouts

            It does not take a research team or a government-funded study to see that along with the casual attitude people have with the dress, comes a casual attitude with the appearance of our workplace, and the quality of our products.  When one does not care how they look, they do not care how they perform.  That attitude of, "This is my life and I can do what I want" penetrates every area of our work and personal life.

            In Scouting, we have two kinds of uniform. They are called our Class A and Class B. Class A is the full Scout uniform complete with neck scarf, Scout shirt (along with proper patches) and that shirt is tucked in. Class B is less formal. It has a T-shirt, usually with the Troop on it or some Scouting logo. This is for working or games and other activities.

            The uniform does several things for a Scout. One is to give that feeling of belonging. When a Scout is in their Class A, people know they are a Scout. It also shows the importance of looking right for the occasion. When you are Scouting, look like a Scout. Take pride in your appearance. This will carry on into adulthood and the workplace.

            People work better, feel better and care more when they take pride in how they look and act.  I work from home most of the time.  Yet, every day I make sure I am clean and dressed for work before I start to write.  No, I do not wear my bow tie every day, but I do make sure that I look presentable for the workplace.  The idea that those who work from home can sit at their computer in their underwear only says that they really do not care about the quality of work that they produce.

            I know that many will not fully agree with this view, that is okay.  But I do challenge you to try a little experiment.  For one month, dress your best every day.  See if you do not feel more confident, positive, work harder and do better.  I bet you will find that just dressing up a bit; taking pride in how you look will change your attitude to the better and therefore your work to the better.

You matter!  You matter to the world and to yourself.  Remember to be your best, love God, have good manners, achieve the unknown and change your world.

Scouting Out of Uniform is a personal blog based on the lessons learned from Scouting that relate to personal development and success principles and is not an official site of The Boy Scouts of America. John Patrick Hickey does not represent or speak for the Scouting program; however, he does completely support and encourages Scouting for both young and old. John Patrick Hickey is an author, speaker, Personal Development Coach and proud Scouter. To read more from John Patrick Hickey or to get his books, training and book him to speak to your church, business or group, visit our website at www.johnpatrickhickey.com.   © 2018 John Patrick Hickey