I first was exposed to Scouting, like many of you, when I
was young. My mother was a Den Mother
for all four of her sons. This was back in the day when Cub Scouts were lead by
Den mothers and the meetings were in their homes.
I loved Scouting. Especially when I
crossed over into Boy Scouts. The
camping and crafts we did were always fun.
I even remember our old Scout Master, Mr. McDonald who was a great
example to us. However, like many boys,
when I got into my teen years I left Scouting and the good things it taught.
Fast
forward about forty years or so. I had
settled down, had a family and was working on
helping people succeed in their lives. I
had become a Christian in 1974 and that made the greatest change in me. In 2001 I had heart surgery that took months
to recover from. During that time, while
looking for "something to do" I came across my old Scout Handbook and
decided to read it. Wow! It hit me like a brick. This stuff was good!
“The goodness of a person and of the society he or she lives
in often comes down to very simple things and words found in the Scout
Law. Every society depends on trust and
loyalty, on courtesy and kindness, on bravery and reverence. These are the values of Scouting, and these
are the values of Americans.”
President
George W. Bush
43rd
President of the United States
I believe that we all have a
purpose in life and we can succeed at that purpose when we follow the
principles of success. Success principles
are like the laws of nature, they do not change and they do not grow old and
die out. As I read the Scout Law, I
realized that there were the principles
of success, listed and defined perfectly.
We may change the wording depending on how we are presenting them, but
the laws of success require that we all become trustworthy, loyal, helpful,
friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and
reverent.
I began
to study how the Scout Law and the Laws of Success worked together in helping
people be their best, love God, have good manners, discover the unknown and
change the world (my mission). When my
first grandson was old enough, I got him in Cub Scouts and became a leader
myself. He is now a Boy Scout, soon to
be Eagle, and I am not a leader, but I am very involved in the Troop and in his
Scouting experience. I love Scouting and
feel it is the best thing going for training young boys to make this world
better.
This is
where Scouting Out of Uniform comes in. I
am an author, trainer and personal development coach and I wanted to have
books, blogs and other materials where I can help people to succeed while using
the Scout Oath & Law. So why is it
"out of uniform"? This is a
personal blog and not sponsored by the Boy Scouts of America. I did not want to present it as if it
was. Also, it is something for everyone,
young, old, male, female, Scouters, and non-Scouters. The Scout Oath & Law works for all who
apply it to their lives.
I
invite one and all to join in the Scouting Out of Uniform community. You will find that the principles discussed
here are things we all can and need to apply to our daily living. Who can say, "I don't need to be
trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly...."? The principles in the Scout Oath & Law
are things that we all must learn and apply every day to have a successful
life.
Those who live by these principles
are what I call success-minded people. A
success-minded person is one who is aware that success, in all areas of life,
takes work and effort and they are willing to put forth that work and effort to
achieve it. Success-minded people know that real success in life goes far
beyond wealth, power and position. Real success is found in who we become as a person, not what we possess.
Don't
think that the Laws of Scouting are just for kids. It is important to teach these principles to
our youth so that they can grow and apply them when they are adults. However, we adults need to know and apply
them as well. This blog is not about the
Scouting program but about the Laws that make Scouting the wonderful and
impactful organization it is.
As adults, we also carry a responsibility to be
the example to our young people. I believe we all understand that just telling
young people how to act and live is of little good. If they do not see it they
will not follow it. Sir Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the Scouting movement, said, “There is no teaching to
compare with example.” To be the example of successful living we must first
know its reality in our own lives.
Join me
and let's make the world better by making ourselves better. The only way we will ever see improvement in
our society is to see the people in it change for the better. Since you cannot change others, you have got
to start with the one person you can change, yours.
Find
out more about Scouting Out of Uniform by joining our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/scoutingoutofuniform/
or visit our website at www.johnpatrickhickey.com.
Don’t forget to watch the Scouting Out of Uniform videocast on YouTube. Also,
remember to be your best, love God, have good manners, discover 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
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