A True Friend

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 friends are wealthy.  As former 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.

                The fourth point of the Scout Law states: “A Scout is friendly. He is a friend to all and a brother to every other scout.” This lesson is not just so boys get along, it is a key principle of life. If we can see the world as our friend, we begin to treat people differently and in turn, they will treat us differently. Always remember the wise words of Ralph Waldo Emerson: “The only way to have a friend is to be one.”

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

– Sir Robert Baden-Powell

(1857-1941) Founder of the Boy Scouts

                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 sourpuss?  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 of 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 kind of 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.

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

17 Days to go!!

Learning From A Boy Scout

Coming April 26th

Have you wondered how to tell your Scouts to live the Scout Oath and Law outside of Scouting? On April 26th you will have a tool for that.

Are You Ready?

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 nothing 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.

“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

Know Your Stuff

                Whatever your 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 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.

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 April 26th

Coming April 26th. Order from Amazon or from www.johnpatrickhickey.com. $19.95. The Kindel edition will be out in a few weeks. https://www.amazon.com/Scouting-Out-Uniform-Scout-Successful/dp/1628655313/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1522849262&sr=8-1&keywords=scouting+out+of+uniform

Clothes Do Matter

One of my grandchildren's favorite games was to 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 must live the role you are going for?  That is when the costume becomes a uniform and a uniform means business.

                Uniforms come in all shapes 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, they 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.

“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

                We have seen that once dress codes were removed from schools, students grade 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 affects 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.

                Boy Scout founder, Sir Robert Baden-Powell, believed that the uniform gave a boy the sense of discipline, responsibility, and belonging. The importance of the Scout uniform was not just for the boy, but also for the leader who set the example. Baden-Powell said, “Show me a poorly uniformed Troop and I’ll show you a poorly uniformed leader.”

                Success-minded people know that to do their best they must look their best.  This does not mean that you wear formal attire 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.

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