Discovering Greatness

“The spirit is there in every boy; it has to be discovered and brought to light.”

– Sir Robert Baden-Powell

(1857-1941) Founder of the Boy Scouts

You were born to do great things!  I know that this kind of statement can ruffle some folks feathers.  Some think that it is prideful and arrogant to think you can be great.  Some feel it is a lack of spirituality to see greatness as a gift from God.  Some find it as a challenge to the fact that they really do not want to achieve anything in life.  It still remains a true statement, you were born for greatness.

                How do I know this?  Well, let me tell you what I believe to be true.  You were created for a purpose.  No human is on this planet, or ever was, who is not here by deliberate action of the Creator.  God has no quotas to fill and He does not have a storehouse of souls He needs to empty out.  You were put here deliberately and for a purpose.  Whether or not you fulfill that purpose is up to you, but the purpose is there with your name on it.

                God is a great God.  In His great wisdom He choose you to do something that fits into His master plan for all humanity.  If that is so, and I believe with all that is in me that it is, them that purpose you were created for is great.  With the Creator of the universe behind us, how can it be anything less?  Therefore you were born for greatness.

                This leaves you with a few choices.  You can choose to believe that you have a purpose and move to discover what that is.  You can work to achieve your purpose and live in the greatness you were created for.  Or, you can choose to believe that you were a random act of biological events that mean nothing and you are therefore taking up space and have nothing to achieve.  The choice is yours, it always has been. 

                You were made for great things.  You can do whatever you were created to do in life.  It is no mystery that you need to solve, you know what your dreams are.  It is nothing that you don't want to do, it is really the very thing that gives you meaning.  Why not go for it?

                If the Creator of all things loved us so much and believed in us so deeply as to give us a task in His plan, doesn't He deserve excellence from us in return?  Can we do anything less than the very best we can do?  Be great, it was what you were created to do.

                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.

John Patrick Hickey is an author, speaker, Life 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 http://www.growthcenter.net or www.johnpatrickhickey.com.   © 2014 John Patrick Hickey

Anything For A Friend

“To get a hold on boys you must be their friend.”

– Sir Robert Baden-Powell

(1857-1941) Founder of the Boy Scouts

Friendship is one of the undervalued treasures of life.  When you have friends you have all the elements that are needed to achieve success.  There is support, guidance, encouragement and help.  Those with few friends are poor, those with many are wealthy.  As one time Presidential candidate, Hubert H. Humphrey said, "The greatest gift of life is friendship, and I have received it."

                Knowing this profound truth, why do so many have a difficult time developing and maintaining friendships?  The most common mistake about friendship people make is to think it is about them and how their friends treat them.  Friendship is always about our friends and how good a friend we are to them.

                Let me share with you a few key elements to a good and solid friendship that you can apply to your life.  These will make you a better friend and will increase your ability to gain more friends.

Have A Positive Attitude

                Nothing will repel friends faster than a grumpy and moody disposition.  Who wants to be around a sour puss?  Those who gain friends are those who are pleasant and cheerful.  People like to be around happy and positive people.  They want to feel encouraged and excited about life and your attitude can make that happen.

Care For Others

                The selfish and self-centered do not make good friends.  They spend all their time thinking about themselves and what they want and what others think of them.  A good friend cares about other people more than for themselves.  They know how to listen, to encourage and to enjoy the hopes and dreams of others.  A good friend does all they can to help their friends achieve and grow.

Laugh Freely

                One of the most valued qualities about friendship is the ability to laugh together.  People love to have someone in their life who they can have fun with, laugh with and just flat out enjoy.  Yes, it is important to have a friend to walk through the difficult times with, but you do not, or should not, live in the difficult times.  Even then, when you are stressed and facing challenges, nothing works better to relieve that stress than a good laugh.  Be a friend that people can laugh with as well and cry with.

Excel In Loyalty

                Friends are people who you can depend on to be honest, trustworthy and loyal.  We need people in our lives that we know will never betray our trust or cause us harm.  Those who think of themselves first cannot be loyal because loyalty is the very act of thinking of others, and what is best for them, first.  Be the person others know they can depend on to keep their secrets, support their dreams and be there when they need you.

                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.

John Patrick Hickey is an author, speaker, Life 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 http://www.growthcenter.net or www.johnpatrickhickey.com.   © 2014 John Patrick Hickey

Ready For Anything

“Be Prepared...the meaning of the motto is that a Scout must prepare himself by previous thinking out and practicing how to act on any accident or emergency so that he is never taken by surprise.”

– Sir Robert Baden-Powell

(1857-1941) Founder of the Boy Scouts

Of all the principles taught in Scouting, none are more important later in life that their motto, Be Prepared.  No matter what line of business or trade one goes into, no matter where in life you find yourself, to be prepared is to be ready for anything.  Things happen in life, that is a fact.  Some are good and some not so good, but only those who are prepared for what life gives them will come out on top every time.

                So, how does a person become prepared in life?  How do you get ready so that noting will take you by surprise?  Here are a few tips to help you be ready for anything:

Think Ahead

                Baden-Powell called this, "Previous thinking out".  That is to think about what is, could be and has before come your way.  In the business world this is thinking through a project or task before you start.  What could happen - good or bad - that you can be ready for?  Do you need to bring extra equipment or supplies?  What kind of materials do you need for the task and have them ready.  Learn to leave nothing to the last minute.  The person who is prepared saves time, money and a lot of frustration.

Know Your Stuff

                Whatever you job or responsibilities are, know them inside out.  Always be a student in the field you work in.  Know the products, the materials, the techniques and the language.  If there is a question, have the information in your head or on hand so that you will not be delayed trying to find it.  The person who knows his or her stuff is ready for anything.

Learn New Skills

                One of the things taught in Scouting is that you are always learning new skills.  It could be to build a fire, tie a knot, set up a camp or build a bridge, but you are ready with the skill if you need it.  Look at your job and think about what skills it requires and why.  Learn new skills all the time, even if they are not "what you do".  The more you know the better equipped you are to be useful should the need arise.  The more useful a person is the more secure their position.

Know Where To Go For Help

                Back when I worked in the area of customer service, there was a rule I insisted all my staff follow.  When asked a question they could not answer, they were to immediately go to the person who did know the answer and get it.  Someone always knows the answer.  Find out who in your profession knows what you do not and go to them when you need to.  To search for someone with an answer takes time and energy, but for the person who knows where to go ahead of time, they will never be at a loss.

              

             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.

John Patrick Hickey is an author, speaker, Life 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 http://www.growthcenter.net or www.johnpatrickhickey.com.   © 2014 John Patrick Hickey

Dress The Part

“A costume is something you put on and pretend that you are what you are wearing.  A uniform, on the other hand, reminds you that you are, in fact, what you wear.”

– Eunice McGarrahan

Presbyterian Clergy

One of my grand-children's favorite games is dress up.  My wife and I one year stocked up on Halloween costumes when they went on sale right after Halloween.  That kept them going for some time.  Dress up is fun and good for the imagination.  But what about when you really have to live the role you are going for?  That is when the costume becomes a uniform and a uniform means business.

                Uniforms come in all shaped and designs.  For the business person it can be a man or women's suite, for the cook it is their jacket and hat, for the first responder it would be the uniform of whatever department they were in.  Uniforms help us to know what a person does, they bring with them a degree of respect.  When you see a person in a uniform you know what they do and you expect certain behaviors from them.

                Uniforms do something more as well, the make the person wearing them feel their job.  When you are dressed to do work, no matter what that work is, you feel more confident and prepared.  Your uniform gives you a feeling of authority and skill.  People who dress for their jobs do better, feel better and look better.  Those who wear anything they feel like to the office do not do their best.  Studies have found that office workers, like students, who dress down perform at a lower level than their fellow workers who dress in a professional manner.

                We have see that once dress codes were removed from schools, students grad averages went down.  When you dress to achieve you do better than those who do not.  Simple fact.  Being dress for the job we are doing effects us emotionally and physically.  This is the reason the standards are so high for those in the military, first responders, medical professionals and of course, Scouts.

                Success-minded people know that to do their best they must look their best.  This does not mean that you wear formal wear every day, but it does mean you are clean, neat and look professional.  By taking the time and effort to look professional, you will feel better, people will treat you as a professional and you will have the confidence to be the best at what you do.  It does not take a lot of work but it has a whole lot of benefits.

                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.

John Patrick Hickey is an author, speaker, Life 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 http://www.growthcenter.net or www.johnpatrickhickey.com.   © 2014 John Patrick Hickey

The Good Turn

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

– Napoleon Hill

(1883-1970) Author

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.

                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 other, do good deeds and not expect to gain from it.  As coach John Wooden use to say, "You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who can never repay you."

                Success-minded people should keep their eyes open to opportunities around them each day to do something for those they come in contact with.  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 out 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 to 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.

John Patrick Hickey is an author, speaker, Life 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 http://www.growthcenter.net or www.johnpatrickhickey.com.   © 2014 John Patrick Hickey

Simple Miracles

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

– Amelia Burr

(1831-1919) Writer

Do you believe in miracles?  I do.  I have seen too many wonderful things in my life not to.  There are those 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 are really the most simple.  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 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 in 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.

                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 does 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.

John Patrick Hickey is an author, speaker, Life 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 http://www.growthcenter.net or www.johnpatrickhickey.com.   © 2014 John Patrick Hickey

You Are That Hero!

“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

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 super heroes like Superman, Batman or Wonder Woman, I mean the flesh and blood heroes like law men, astronauts, soldiers and sailors.  Where have all the heroes gone?  They are still there, it is us who got blinded by our age.

                So 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 seen small or large.

Responsibility:   carrying important people and things throughout life.

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

                This is why I love applying the Scout Law to life.  The principles there are the elements that make up 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 thorough life and in fact are by many.

                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.

John Patrick Hickey is an author, speaker, Life 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 http://www.growthcenter.net or www.johnpatrickhickey.com.   © 2014 John Patrick Hickey