SOU 1957 Taste of Learning

Believing

I knew a young man who had all the qualities of being a very bright student.  He loved to read and had read far beyond the grade level.  He had a wonderful ability to figure things out quickly and see details that many others missed.  However, in school, he was a very poor student and was even held back a grade.  If you asked what the problem was he would look you in the eye and quickly say, "It's because I'm stupid.  I can't help it."  The problem was he believed that to be true.

                This boy, about 12 or 13 years old at the time, had parents that told him since he was small that he was stupid.  When he got to school, and these problems showed themselves in his inability to get homework done or work well with others, rather than looking into what he could do, the school sent home notes telling his parents what he could not do.  These comments only reinforced the image that he was stupid, and therefore the boy accepted it as reality.  As with many troubled young people, he believed what others said about him.

“We are what we believe we are.”

– C.S. Lewis

(1898-1963)

Author/Educator

                This type of thing is not strange to Scouting. Many times we find young people who feel they are inadequate or that they cannot achieve what others can achieve. Some are from homes where their lack of achievement is constantly pointed out. Whatever the reason, they soon find Scouting level ground. Scouts do not all function on the same level. Scouting does not lower expectations to the lowest level. The opposite is true. The standard for Scouting is high. What is level is the encouragement and the belief that every Scout can excel at what they do. Adults believe in the Scouts and, more importantly, Scouts believe in each other.

Many of us are good at some things and not so good at others.  I have always loved to read and write; however, I was (and still am) not so good at math.  Growing up I was always criticized for my lack of skill at math but never encouraged about my reading and writing.  I know many of you have had the same experience.  As a society, we got into the thinking that we must work at our weaknesses and ignore our strengths.  This type of thinking is not only untrue but hurtful to the person involved.

Scouting is a program that builds on each Scout’s strengths. As they earn merit badges, Scouts find they may not like or find interesting as a particular badge. They still give it their best and then they move on. On the other hand, they discover things they not only love to do, but they can excel. In Scouting, they have the opportunity to build on that and to move on to the next challenge

                Do you have a young person in your life that believes they are less than they should be?  Encourage them to be great.  Encourage and build on the areas that they excel at and help them manage the areas of weakness.  I am not saying to ignore an area of weakness, but by encouraging them to be the best at what they are best at, you help them improve in all areas of life.

                Get a young person to believe they are a winner, and you will have a winner.  Help them to believe they can succeed in life and you will have success.  We are what we believe we are, therefore believe the best and you will be and have the best.

You matter!  You matter to the world and 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.   © 2019 John Patrick Hickey

SOU 1956 Talk Talk Talk

SOU 1955 If Only

SOU 1954 Courteous

The End

One of the topics of life that we do not seem to deal with a lot of Scouting, and that is death.  These are young men, and death is not something they spend a lot of time contemplating.  However, the reality is that we are all going to face death one day.  What we do want to teach these young people is how to live.  When we live right and experience life we will always be ready to face death, no matter when it comes.  We do not wish to face an end as the philosopher Henry David Thoreau described: "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."

                One of the great goals of life is to use it all up.  We take nothing with us at the end, so there is no reason to hold back on life while we have it.  Here are four things we all want to have completed when we come to our end on this earth.

“When it comes time to die, make sure that all you have to do is die.”

– Jim Elliot

(1927-1956)

Missionary

1).  Fulfill your purpose

                We are all here for a reason.  That reason is your purpose, your dream.  Spend all the time you have in fulfilling that purpose and leave nothing behind.  We will never say, "There, now I have nothing to do."  You have something to do, new dreams and more growth until your last breath.  We live on purpose to the end.

2).  Enjoy life

                One of the tenants of Scouting is to have fun.  That fun does not stop when you grow older or after you have completed the Scouting program.  The people who live the best life are the ones who have the most fun.  Make every day an adventure, and enjoy your life to the fullest.  There is so much in life to discover.

3).  Have a grateful heart

                The secret to a great life is to live with a heart full of gratitude.  Be thankful for everything and everyone in your life.  Those who have learned to live in gratitude are the people who are happy and never without a smile.  We all face hard times and difficulties. However, when you know what it is to be grateful you overcome the trials of life, and you live in a positive and productive state.

4).  Know God

                The well known Westminster Catechism states, "Man's chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy Him forever."  We were created with a purpose and to live a full life; however, above all things, we were created to know and to serve God. In Scouting, this is called doing our Duty to God.  To know God, His love and His presence in your life are the greatest of all joys.  Get to know Him now since you will be spending all eternity with Him.

You matter!  You matter to the world and 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.   © 2019 John Patrick Hickey

SOU 1953 Keep the Secret

SOU 1950 Being Helpful

The Good Habit

We all have habits.  Some are good, and some are not so good.  Some habits will lead us to success and the achievements of our goals.  Some habits will lead us to failure and personal destruction in the end.  The common ground of all habits is that we create them, stop them and change them.  It is all in your power.

                One of the goals of the Scouting program is to teach boys what are good habits and how to keep them in their life.  The first step is to recognize what habits are moving us forward and what habits are holding us back.  When we see those that hold us back, we must change them for better, more productive habits.  You cannot just stop a habit without replacing it.  Humans cannot live in a vacuum; we must fill the empty spots.  By replacing bad habits with the good, we not only fill the spot where the habit was in our life, but we stop the ability to go back to the old ways.  Here are four good habits that all success-minded people want in their lives.

“Every man is where he is, and what he is, because of the habits he has acquired.”

– Napoleon Hill

(1883-1970)

Author

Habit #1.  Good Behavior

                Having good behavior may sound simple enough, but it is extremely important for those who wish to succeed.  Bad behavior is not always the outbursts of anger, addictive habits or immoral actions some people have.  It can be smaller and less noticeable (although just as destructive) than some behaviors.  Things like interrupting people who are talking, bad manners in social settings or telling off-color and rude jokes.

                The best way to establish good behavior is to become a person of good manners. The fifth point of the Scout Law is: A Scout is Courteous. Good manners are not just how you eat your dinner or saying, please, and thank you.  Good manners are being kind and respectful to others and showing respect for yourself as well.  As Emily Post said, "Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness, you have good manners, no matter what fork you use."

                A Scout learns that the Golden Rule is not just a fun saying. They learn how to treat other people as well as to show respect. Being courteous is simply being aware of the feelings of others and doing what you can to be kind and encouraging.

Habit #2.  Good Decision Making

                The greatest power in all the universe is the power of choice.  The choice is the ability to make good and informed decisions.  The choices you make will make the difference between a life of success or a life of failure.  Success-minded people know the difference between right and wrong; good and evil.  Make the right decisions, and you will always come out on top.

                The habit of good decision making starts with the ability to decide in the first place.  Some people think that by not making a decision they will never make a mistake.  Not making a decision is always making the wrong decision.  Remember this simple formula for decision making:  Good decisions are made quickly and change slowly.  Bad decisions are made slowly and changed quickly.

                Scouting is known as a boy lead program. That means that it is the Scouts who make the decisions and do the work. Adults are there to consult and guide, but the program is for the boys to lead. Young people are allowed to make decisions, to think through the process and to come to their conclusions. Sometimes this may not run a smooth as we would like, but that is what learning is all about.

Habit #3.  Good Learning

                Learning is very much an acquired habit.  We learn to learn from every person we meet and every experience we have.  Success-minded people cannot allow anything to pass them by without gaining some lesson that will move them forward in life.

                It is good to know and apply the words of automotive giant, Henry Ford who said, "Life is a series of experiences, each one of which makes us bigger, even though sometimes it is hard to realize this. For the world was built to develop character, and we must learn that the setbacks and grieves which we endure help us in our marching onward."

                Scouting is a learning activity. Even amid fun and games, Scouts are learning how to work on a team, care for others, follow the rules, and exercise good sportsmanship.

Habit #4.  Good Attitude

                Create the habit of being positive, cheerful, and encouraging, and you will go a long, long way in life.  Positive people have a distinct advantage over negative people in every area of life.  They get along with other people better; they face challenges and difficulties better; they find better solutions to the problems they face.  In short, it is as Zig Ziglar said, "Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will."

                Of all the habits that a success-minded person should have in their life, that of a positive attitude is the most important and the most productive.  Positive people do not stand still and worry about what might happen tomorrow; they get busy and make tomorrow happen.

                The eighth point of the Scout Law is: A Scout is Cheerful. Scouts are encouraged to develop and show a positive attitude. Any parent can tell you that a positive attitude and an adolescent boy do not tend to go together. All the same, I have seen down and discouraged young men become positive and encouraging leaders through the lessons they have learned in Scouting.

You matter!  You matter to the world and 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.   © 2019 John Patrick Hickey

SOU 1952 Being Trustworthy

That's Curious

We all know the old saying, "Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back."  Well, curiosity is nothing to be avoided or feared.  In Scouts, we encourage boys to be curious about everything.  Curiosity is the key to the merit badge program.  The Scouts are encouraged to earn as many badges as they can during their Scouting years.  Merit badges allow Scouts to taste many different experiences, studies, and disciplines.  Once they have looked into and took part in these activities, it sparks their curiosity into wanting more of some and less of others.

                Here is a danger as we grow older.  Somehow we get the idea that we are too grown up to be curious, and in fact, curiosity is something to be feared and dismissed from our lives.  When that happens, we enter into the famous rut that adults complain about all the time.  A rut that we dig ourselves and that becomes a grave with the ends knocked out.

“When you're curious, you find lots of interesting things to do.”

– Walt Disney

(1901-1966)

Cartoonist/Businessman

                Success-minded people are those who are curious about life. They cultivate curiosity in themselves.  They know that it is by seeking the unknown and making discoveries that they will find their success - and possibly change the world.  Every great invention and discovery came from a curious person, who kept looking when others stopped; who kept asking questions when others just accepted answers.

                Curious people are people who are alive and vibrant.  They are willing to take a risk to make a discovery.  You have no idea how amazing you can be unless you are willing to step out and discover something new.  You were created to be great.  To do what others will not do.  You are to be extraordinary.  After all, extraordinary people are only ordinary people who dear do extraordinary things.

                What are you curious to find out?  Take only one thing and find out everything you can about it.  You will amaze yourself on how much you can know and believe me, once you get bitten by the curious bug, you will never be the same again.  As former Supreme Court Justice, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. said, "Every now and then a man's mind is stretched by a new idea or sensation, and never shrinks back to its former dimensions."

You matter!  You matter to the world and 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.   © 2019 John Patrick Hickey

SOU 1951 Being Friendly

SOU 1949 You Made This

Good Education

Here are a few myths we have about education:

#1.  All education comes from school.

#2.  You have to have a degree to succeed.

#3.  The more schooling you have, the better educated you will be.

#4.  If you get a degree, you will get a good job.

#5.  What you don't learn in school you don't need.

                I do not need to explain to you how wrong every one of these myths is.  Success-minded people know all too well that they have learned more out of school than in school.  Even the great Albert Einstein said, "Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school."  And of course, the classic Mark Twain who said, "Don't let schooling interfere with your education."

                Scouting is an education all on its own. I believe that one of the best educational tools that a young person can have is the merit badge program. It is a solid source for learning a wide verity of skills and career options. Each badge leads the Scout into not all styles of learning. They read information, discuss that information, and experience hands-on learning.

                Now I know that it sounds like I am opposed to higher education, and I promise you that I am not.  We should all get as much schooling as we can.  The thing I do oppose is the thinking that all education comes from school.  School or formal education is good for acquiring specialized knowledge.  But it is you who will give you the education that will bring you to success.  It is your responsibility, not that of schools, the government or some teacher.  You are responsible for your education.  Here are a few things you can do to assure that your education is solid and productive.

“Formal education will make you a living.  Self-education will make you a fortune.”

– Jim Rohn

(1930-2009)

Author/Speaker

1)  Educate yourself through reading

                I believe that the most important habit we can form in life is the habit of reading.  It is through the reading of books and other material that we can stimulate our brains into thinking and become more creative.  Here is another mistake many people make: they think that you only read books in school.  Studies have shown that 33% of High School graduates and 42% of college grads never read another book once they leave school.  That is beyond disgraceful.  The greatest tool you have is to read and to read often.

2)  Educate yourself through the people you meet

                Everyone you meet has something to teach you.  Success-minded people know that they must always be aware of who they are with so that they can learn in some way.  Sometimes it is what not to do as well as what to do.  Charlie "Tremendous" Jones used to say, "You will be the same person you are today, five years from now except for two things, the books you read and the people you meet."  Meet the people that can help you move in the direction you want to go.  Where do these people congregate?  Go there and meet the right people.  You never know what opportunities this can open up for you.

3)  Educate yourself with deliberate learning

                What I mean by deliberate learning is taking classes or going to seminars that will move you toward your goals and dreams.  Seek out the courses you need to achieve your goal and take them.  See the time and expense as an investment in your education.  Learn from those who have gone before you.  Never be foolish enough to think you can go it alone, and you know what you are doing. 

4)  Educate yourself by having a growth plan

                If you want to grow and to gain the knowledge you need to succeed, you will need a plan.  Know where you are going - have a clear goal.  Ask yourself, "What do I need to know and do to reach my goal?"  Now, set a plan to get that information and keep moving to success.  It takes a bit every day to achieve a goal.  It will not happen all at once, nor will it happen now and then.  Know what you need to do every day to make your journey to achievement.

5)  Educate yourself never to give up

                The person who succeeds is not the one who is the smartest, fastest, most talented, or who have the best resources.  The winner will always be the one who never gives up.  Most failures come from people who get tired and just quit.  It can be a rough road.  There is no getting around it, success is hard work, but it is the only way it comes.  For those who stay with it and do what they need to do to learn and grow, there is no limit to the wonderful things they can achieve.

You matter!  You matter to the world and 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.   © 2019 John Patrick Hickey

SOU 1950 Being Helpful

Have Some Fun

Do you have fun at what you do?  I cannot tell you how many people I talk to tell me they hate their job.  I do believe that no one should work at a job they hate.  I know that whole bit about the economy being bad and jobs are hard to find.  That may have been true, but that does not have anything to do with you hating what you do.

                One of the main tenets of Scouting is to have fun. We try to have fun at everything we do. I have seen first hand that a Scout can have as much fun cleaning up after dinner as he can playing a game. Scouts learn fun is something you make, not something you stumble across.

                 I believe we have three options open to us when it comes to having fun at work. As with all things in life, it is your choice if you have fun or not. These are suggestions, but they will change the way you see work if you follow them.

Option One:  Make the job fun

                You may not have the choice in what work you do all the time, but you do have a choice on how you see it.  You can put the fun in your work, and that starts with attitude.  If you are positive and see life as a gift to be enjoyed, then you will find the fun in everything you do.  For the person who lives with gratitude and purpose, even the most stressful and unpleasant job can become enjoyable and something for which to be thankful.  It is up to you on how you want to see it.

“People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing.”

– Dale Carnegie

(1888-1955)

Author/Educator

Option Two:  Find the fun

                Everything has an element of fun hidden in it.  It is up to you to find that fun and exploit it to the fullest.  Look around you and find the person who seems to be enjoying themselves at work, (there is always at least one), and see what they are doing.  Befriend them and share in their fun.  You can do wonderful things when you start to have a bit of fun at work.  I think of the words of an American educator, Randy Pausch who said, "Never, ever underestimate the importance of having fun."

Option Three: Look for the fun

                If you cannot have fun at what you do now, find a job, or create one, that you can have fun.  There are great opportunities out there that are perfectly suited for you if you are willing to find them and make them work.  First, however, you have to believe in yourself and in your opportunities.  The sports star, Joe Namath said, "When you have confidence, you can have a lot of fun. And when you have fun, you can do amazing things."  Success comes to those who enjoy what they do.  Find what you love to do and then do amazing things.

You matter!  You matter to the world and 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.   © 2019 John Patrick Hickey