Crimes Against the Young

When we think of crimes against the young, our minds quickly go to drug dealers, gangs, bullies and those who take advantage, exploit and abuse.  These are all very serious and worrisome problems that our young face indeed.  However, I would like to focus on a different, and yet just as serious a crime that is too often inflicted on them by the very people who seek to protect them.  We do not look at these as crimes, but simple mistakes or "for their own good," but the results can be as devastating as any offense they face.

                A simple look around at many of our young people and you can see the problems clearly.  They are discouraged, bitter, empty, solemn and fearful.  The problem of moody teens is not unique to this generation for sure, the problem is that it is growing to a dangerous proportion.  The suicides rate among teens and early adults is at a record high.

                Scouts see youth as the best time in a person's life and should be a time of adventure, discovery, and imagination. This is the time to get their imaginations fired up, get them outdoors and learning to live off their own resources. Scouters know that once you release a young man to become what he was created to be, anything is possible.   

There are many (what I call) crimes that come against the young. Although Scouting is mainly a program for boys, these “crimes” and faced by young women as well.  I would like to examine just four that I believe results directly in their attitudes and beliefs.

“There is nothing so pitiful as a young cynic because he has gone from knowing nothing

to believing nothing.”

– Maya Angelou

(1928-2014) American Poet

1)  We do not teach them how to live right

                The idea that we need to let our children, "go their own way and figure their life out for themselves" is a cop-out.  That is the excuse for lazy people who do not want to take the time and energy to invest in our children.  Young people do not know how they should live - their young.  They learn right from wrong, good from evil from us.  It is the responsibility of every adult to live a wholesome life with character and integrity so that our children will learn how it is done.  Many young people do not believe it is possible because they have never seen it.

                This is why the Scout Law is so valuable. We have two great resources available to us that, when we teach them and live them, will keep a young person on the track to a successful life. These are the Bible and the Scout Law. Remember that you do not have to be a boy to live by the principles in the Scout Law. These principles are universal and work for all humans.

2)  We do not inspire our children

                At one time the world was full of heroes.  Not only did young people believe in heroes and strive to be like the good guy, but adults encouraged it.  Now, the bad guy is the new hero and adults do not care.  Inspire your young people to be all they can be, do all they can do and launch out for adventures and discovery.  Get them books that build character and tell of the good people have done.  Biographies of great men and women should be a part of your home library.  Encourage them to watch good, moral based movies and shows.  Help them to see the wonder and beauty in this world and to spend time with them enjoying it.

                Scouting is full of heroes. Scouts have gone on to be Doctors, adventures, astronauts, political leaders, scientists, and even Presidents. It does not take much work to find great men who came out of Scouting with the tools they needed to succeed.

3)  We do not encourage them to dream

                Adults have become so cynical that we do not believe that people can achieve greatness anymore.  That disbelief goes down to our children and they begin to feel hopeless and without purpose.  Encourage your young people to dream and to desire to achieve greatness.  Show them that despite any hardships or difficulties they can be anything they choose to be.  They can change the world.

                In Scouting, we believe that every Scout had the potential to be great. We do not know who will be the one to discover a cure for cancer, find a new energy source to save thousands of people from starvation, but we do know they are out there. The answer is simple, help every Scout to become all they were created to be. Nothing is impossible to them that believe.

4)  We don't believe in them

                When you feel that no one really believes in you, you just stop trying.  Our young people have been told by adults in their lives, teachers, leaders and all kinds of media that they are losers and the world is falling apart.  We must help them to understand that they can change the world and make it better.  Even more, we must really believe they can.  I know that young people today will be our leaders tomorrow.  It is for our own good as well as the welfare of our children that we teach them to be all they were created to be. 

                It takes work and focuses to invest in the young. We can all be a part of Scouting. You do not have to have a Scout in your home to be a leader. If you do have young people in your home, get them involved in the Scouting program.  We need to put all we have into seeing that they become self-reliant, ambitious, positive and hard working.  The best and most efficient way to do that is by example. There is no better way to be an example than to learn and live by the Scout Law, no matter if you are old or young. 

Believe in our young people. Believe in yourself.  Help them know that it is possible to live a good, productive life full of adventure and possibilities by living that life yourself. Don’t make the mistake that Scouting is just for kids. Being a Scout can do more than change the life of your child, it can change yours.

                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.   © 2019 John Patrick Hickey

SOU 1931 Learning for Tomorrow

The Secret of Never Losing

As we grow in life, there are some truths that we should learn and accept.  One such truth is that you will, from time to time, face disappointments.  Sadly, this is one of the truths so many people just cannot seem to grab hold of.  Their lives are unhappy and often bitter because each time they are disappointed they act like it is the first.  What makes this even harder is that you will find another truth at work here.  The more you allow disappointments to upset you the more disappointments you will face.

                Scouting teaches that you may not always win, however, you never give up. Disappointment is only powerful when it causes you to quit. There is much competition in Scouting. Scouts compete in games and many other challenges. They learn several important lessons from this. 1) You cannot always win, but you can always do your best. 2) You celebrate with those who do win and encourage those who do not. 3) You keep doing your best till you do win. You will never know what you can do until you do it.

                No one likes to be disappointed.  No one likes to lose or to have things they treasure, be that material things or even people, taken from them.  So how do we face the reality of disappointment and not allow it to overtake us?  I have three things we can do that will reduce the feeling of disappointment and loss and replace it with strength and joy.  These three are all wrapped up in the same word, Gratitude.

“Don't cry because it's over.  Smile because it happened.”

– Dr. Seuss

(1904-1991) Author

1)  Be grateful for what you had

                It is one thing to love and cherish the thing and people you have in your life.  It is another to be grateful for them.  Gratitude appreciates all that we have and does not claim it as our own.  Scouts must learn that all things in life are only on loan to us and some of those things are true gifts.  These gifts make us happy and fill us with a sense of thankfulness that we have been blessed at this time.  Once they are gone, we can look back with happiness and gratitude that we were, even for a short time, allowed to be blessed in such a wonderful way.

2)  Be grateful for what you have

                People who do not understand the principle of a grateful heart will be filled with fear.  When some things or even some people are placed in our lives, rather than enjoying them we fear they will go away or be taken away.  That fear causes tension and hurt and what should be a wonderful experience is taken from us.  This is what I meant when I said that people who allow disappointment in their life will only experience more disappointment. If you cannot appreciate the moment you will always be looking for something else.

3)  Be grateful for what is to come

                Once a person has been able to develop a grateful heart for what they have had and what they have now, they will be grateful knowing that more is to come.  Experience teaches us so very much.  The one who believes that everything they love may be taken away, will, in fact, lose what they have.  Likewise, the person who is grateful for what they have while they have it will gain more.  It is that old self-fulfilling prophecy.  What you believe will come about.

                Scouts come to understand that life has many great and wondrous things in store for them. Each day offers something better than the day before. They are grateful for the opportunity to experience all that God has prepared for them and they face the future with excitement.

                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.   © 2019 John Patrick Hickey

SOU 1930 More Than Money

The Good Guys Win

Scouting has always been a great place to find heroes.  It has built more great men of character and principle than any other organization I know of.  Out of the 312 people who were selected as astronauts since 1959, 207 came from a Scouting background.  Of the 24 who traveled to the moon, 21 were Scouts.  You find the greats in sports, the arts, military, education and even Presidents who were Scouts.  These heroes do not show us that they are great, they show us that great things can be done.

                We forget this important fact many times when we look at life and all the challenges and difficulties people face.  People have always faced challenges in life.  People have always overcome them.  They still do.  You can still find heroes in this world.  They are not hidden.  What has declined is not people who do extraordinary things but people who are looking for them.

“Fairy Tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.”

– G.K. Chesterton

(1874-1936) Author

                One of the goals we have in Scouting is to help young boys and men to see that greatness is not just for the other guy, it is for you.  You really can be anything you wish to be.  You can do the extraordinary and reach far beyond your dreams.  When Neil Armstrong was growing up in Ohio and became an Eagle Scout, he did not realize that one day he would be the first human to walk on the moon.  He remembered his Scouting days and greeted Scouts from the Apollo 11 on his way to the moon in July of 1969.

                Success comes in many ways to many people; however, it comes to those who believe it is possible.  Each day we are faced with the impossible and things that others believe cannot or will not be done.  Success-minded people know that just because something had not been done before does not mean it will not be.  Even more, they believe it could be done by them.

                Always be aware that people, just like you and me, do wonderful and impossible things every day.  Yes, there are dragons out there and they are big, strong and nasty, but they are no match for the person who believes they can be beaten.  Believe in yourself and the power that God has placed in you to achieve your dreams.  When you do, you will be the warrior who stands tall and proclaims, "Tonight, we are having a dragon for dinner!"

                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.   © 2019 John Patrick Hickey

SOU 1929 Duty to God

Imagine That

I have been involved in many brainstorming sessions in my day, but none can compare with brainstorming with a group of 10 - 12-year-old Cub Scouting boys.  The ideas are fast, crazy and full of impossible things.  They do not stop to think if something could be done; if it was dangerous; if it was expensive or even if it was within the boundaries of reality.  You ask for anything and anything is what you get.

                The crazy thing is that out of all that confusion and extremism, you can find some great stuff.  This is what real dreams are made of and some can go on to doing wonderful things that affect mankind as a whole.  And then there is the dark side.  Some boys are told that they are unreasonable, silly and impractical enough that they believe it.  The dreams become nothing more than smoke and drift away never to be seen again.

                One of the goals of Scouting is to ignite the fire of imagination and keep that fire burning. Scouting helps boys and young men to know that their ideas may be wild, out there and sometimes impossible, but those are the very conditions needed to change the world. Scouts are encouraged to believe the impossible and therefore the impossible often become reality. Eagle Scout and astronaut, Neil Armstrong knew that to walk on the moon was crazy and impossible, but the Scout in him also knew that impossible was never a reason to give up.

“Every child is an artist.  The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”

– Pablo Picasso

(1881-1973) Artist

                So how do we help others, and ourselves, go from the wild dreamers to the achievers of great things?  I have three ideas that will help you and those you love to become all that they can be.

1)  Think like a child

                When I say think like a child, I do not mean to be childish.  What I mean is to recapture the ability to let your imagination run wild.  To think of things on a grand scale and to be willing to sound foolish to capture that one great idea.  You never know what kind of wonderful things you can come up with if you try.  Remember the words of the great Albert Einstein who said, "If at first, the idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it."

2)  Believe in magic

                Why is it that young people can come up with such crazy things?  It is because they believe those things could really happen.  Here is the amazing part, they do happen all the time.  Look around you, almost everything we use today was at one time considered impossible.  The human mind can create magic.  Not the hocus pocus that some call magic, I mean the real magic of awe and wonder.  You were created with the power to think and create.  Tony Robbins said, "If you believe in magic you will live a magical life."  I believe that is true.

3)  Read great books

                There is nothing greater that one can do for them self in life than to read.  Reading is not just something we do to learn or because we need instructions, it is the food of thought.  If you want to think and have great ideas you have got to read.  There is no shortage of wonderful material out there; great and exciting books of all kinds for every kind of person.  Reading shows that we think and if we think we can achieve great things in life.  As Mark Twain once said, "The only thing worse than the man who cannot read is the man who can read and doesn't."

                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.   © 2019 John Patrick Hickey

SOU 1928 Dirty Inside or Out

Join us on the Scouting Out of Uniform Page. You do not have to be a Scout to learn from one. https://www.facebook.com/scoutingoutofuniform/

A Real Education

We put a great value on education.  Every student is encouraged to go from High School into College.  It is believed that the more education you get the better your life will be.  Students accumulate tens of thousands of dollars in debt for an education that studies show they will more than likely never use.  As actor, Mike Rowe correctly said, "We are lending money we don't have to kids who can't pay it back to train them for jobs that no longer exist."

                I believe in education - in case you are starting to wonder - however, I do not believe in education for education sake.  If you attend most colleges and universities in this country, you are expected to take, and pay for I might add, a series of classes that have nothing to do with your major.  Why is this?  It is because some bureaucrat who has no idea who you are or what you wish to do, decides you need this education.  So, the student pushed through the classes to get them out of the way.  They may have received an education, but they have not learned anything.

“In Scouting, a boy is encouraged to educate himself instead of being instructed.”

– Robert Baden-Powell

Founder of the Boy Scouts

               

                One of the great benefits of Scouting is the merit badge program. Here the Scouts must study the area for the badge (at the time of this writing, there are 137 different merit badges ranging from art to zoology), perform tasks and present their work to a merit badge counselor. This allows them to experience a bit on many subjects. They can pursue the ones they like and leave behind the ones they are not interested in. Many a Scout has gone on to follow a career which they first learned about while doing a merit badge.              

Learning is an act of our will.  You do not need a college education to learn.  In fact, most of the real learning you will do in life will happen outside of a classroom.  Albert Einstein said, "The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education."  Why is it that Bill Gates and many others found their greatest discoveries after they left their formal education?  It is because real learning, true discovery, comes from the active process of seeking knowledge not from being told what you have the learning.

                Success-minded people have come to understand that there is a time when higher education can be of help to them, however, their destiny, their path to success is not in the degrees they gather but in their ability to learn and grow.  They hold the key to their future, not some school system.  Students must see that education is a tool to be used, not the other way around.

                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.   © 2019 John Patrick Hickey

SOU 1927 If It's Right It's Right

SOU 1926 Take Care of It

No Bullies

An often topic covered in Cub Scouts is that of bullying.  We want the boys to know how to deal with bullies and not to allow them to keep them down. It is also vital that we teach these young ones that being a bully is worse than facing one. A Scout is friendly, and that means to everyone. No one likes a bully, no matter what your age.

As we get older we think that the bullies in life go away.  I am sorry to say they do not, they just change form and tactics. Even in Boy Scouts, the issue of bullying is one of concern. As boys learn and follow the Scout Law, they understand that a Scout is helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, and cheerful, all the things that a bully is not.

                Success-minded people are all too familiar with the bullies of our age.  They are the ones who try and stop you from achieving your goals.  They can be in our family, workplace, church, government or among our friends.  Adult bullies often hide behind a mask of concern, caring and a desire to "help".  However, even though they disguise themselves the end result is still the same, they discourage us from the achievement of our dreams.

“Never be bullied into silence.  Never allow yourself to be made a victim.  Accept no one's

definition of your life; define yourself.”

– Harvey Feinstein

Actor

                Let's look at a few of the ways that these people can get into our lives, bully us and how we can effectively stand up to them.

They fill us with negativity

                These are the bullies that are always telling us what will not work and how things will never work out for us.  Some say they are just looking out for us, however, they are never encouraging or believing in what we do; just filling us with their negative thoughts.

                The best way to deal with this bully is to remain positive and fill your mind and heart with positive things.  In fact, when these bullies come around you should be extremely positive and tell them how great life can be when you have a dream you believe in.  Positivity repels these bullies like garlic to a vampire.  They will walk away because they cannot stand being positive for too long.

They discourage you from taking chances

                Anyone who has had a dream and stepped out to achieve it knows the person who is just waiting to tell you that it is too risky and you need to be careful.  They try to fill you with fear of all the things that could go wrong.  They always have a story of someone they know who ventured out and was destroyed by the desire for a dream.

                Your greatest weapon is the dream you have.  Build on it and allow it to ignite into a fire of passion.  Remember that taking risks is the only way that success is ever achieved.  Let the bullies know that you may indeed fail, however, if you do you will get up and go for it again.  As the American scientist, Grace Hopper said, "A ship in port is safe, but that's not what ships are built for."

They work harder for our failure than their own success

                Success-bullies have this strange drive to see us fail.  In fact, they do more and work harder at seeing us fail or quit than they will at achieving their own dreams.  This is the saddest part of these bullies.  They have no ability to encourage or to see the best in others.  The world is clouded by their own sense of failure.

                Help these bullies see that they too can be a success.  Encourage them to believe in their dream and let them know you believe in them.  Encouragement, kindness and a truthful, "I believe in you" has changed many a bully into a successful person.  It never hurts to try.

                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.   © 2019 John Patrick Hickey

SOU 1922 A Class Act

Only Today Matters

Be prepared!  That is the Boy Scout motto and should be the motto of all success-minded people.  Why?  Because only the prepared can be ready to make the most of each day as they travel on their journey to achievement.  If you are not prepared for what may happen during your day - good or bad - you will not be able to make the most of it. 

                Preparing for your tomorrows is always based on how you handle your today.  You must do well today if you hope to have a successful tomorrow.  Too many people think they can put things off, relax and let down their guard or only give a little today and make up for it tomorrow, but that is not how it works.  The great coach, John Wooden used to tell his players that they could only give 100%.  If you only gave 80% today, you could not give 120% tomorrow.  The best anyone can do is 100% and if you do not give that you lose the rest.

                One of the goals in Scouting is to teach boys to become self-sufficient. They learn how to take care of themselves in all that may come their way. Scouts know that it is their responsibility to be ready for whatever comes their way. Since they cannot project themselves into the future and see what is coming, they learn today what they may need to know tomorrow.

“The best preparation for tomorrow is to do today's work extremely well.”

– William Olser

1849-1919

Scientist

                Let's look at today and what you can do to make it count and be at your best tomorrow.

Start Strong

                Set yourself up for a good day right from the start.  Get a good night's sleep so you are well rested.  Get up at a reasonable time and get ready for the day.  Do not sit around half the day before you do anything to move forward.  Get up, clean up, dress up and go for it!

                Starting strong is having a plan on what you need to do today.  The best time for this is the night before.  Look at your schedule and know what needs to be done and the degree of important things have.  If possible, tackle the hardest things first so you can do them well.  The hardest tasks we have often take the most time; if you put off starting you may not be able to finish.

                Start the day with a positive attitude and a can-do mindset.  See the day as a gift and you can make it a great one.  It is always up to you.

End Strong

                Starting strong means ending strong.  You can look back over your day and know that you achieved all you needed to for that one day.  There is nothing undone for tomorrow.  This does not mean you have nothing to do tomorrow, each day has its own stuff.  You can see that you made today count.

                As you end the day take time to plan for your tomorrow.  Make your list of tasks that need to be done and their order of importance.  Now you know that when tomorrow becomes today you are prepared and will greet it with enthusiasm and energy.  Get to bed at a reasonable time and get the rest you need to face the exciting adventure which will be ahead.

                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.   © 2019 John Patrick Hickey

SOU 1921 Buddies