Tag Archives: Barry Demp

Ambition is a get-a-head-ache

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“Ambition is a get-a-head-ache.”

—Vern McClellan, Author of Wise Words from a Wise Guy

Image from Unsplash by Kyle Glenn

For much of my life, I’ve been pretty ambitious. How about you?

Examine your school years, sports, and even sibling rivalries — how much did you want to get ahead and stay ahead?

Where have your ambitions served you well?

Where have they caused you to stumble and experience pain?

Where is getting ahead of others driving your every action, and where is it driving you crazy?

EXERCISE:

How might you relieve the ache of ambition by focusing on getting ahead of yourself instead of always taking on the world?

The voice of conscience is so delicate that it is easy to stifle it

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“The voice of conscience is so delicate that it is easy to stifle it; but it is also so clear that it is impossible to mistake it.”

—Madame de Stael, 19th century French political theorist

 

Image from Unsplash by Eleonora Francesca Grotto

How old were you when you first saw the Disney movie Pinocchio? How well do you remember the story of the puppet who wanted to be a real boy and all the characters he met along the way?

Today’s quote makes me think of Jiminy Cricket and his catch tune, including the phrase, “Let your conscience be your guide.”

How often are you aware of its delicate voice?

How does your conscience guide your daily efforts and actions?

EXERCISE:

How can you more fully tune into the delicate and unmistakable voice of your conscience?

Where is it guiding you these days?

How will you heed its important messages?

Envy is the art of counting the other fellow’s blessings instead of your own

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“Envy is the art of counting the other fellow’s blessings instead of your own.”

—Harold Coffin, 20th century humor columnist for the Associated Press

My Dad — Marvin Demp

A week from today will be the second anniversary of my dad’s passing. Not a day goes by without numerous reminders of this wonderful man.

  • He would frequently tell me why he felt like the richest man in the world
  • His wealth was primarily intrinsic and based on the of love for and from family and friends
  • When others were doing well, he always wished them well without a hint of envy
  • He understood and embraced the abundance in his life and he was perpetually grateful

EXERCISE:

Where do you feel blessed in your life?

Where may the heavy clouds of envy prevent you from experiencing the many riches within arm’s reach?

How good are you at finding silver linings and blessings in disguise

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How good are you at finding silver linings and blessings in disguise?

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by meriç tuna

Most people are familiar with the phrase “Seek and Ye Shall Find.”

Since childhood, playing games like hide and seek, peek-a-boo, and scavenger hunts have been ways to find people and things we consider interesting.

As the years roll by, what we tend to look for narrows. We seek pleasure, amusement, and fun, and we definitely do our best to avoid the distasteful and difficult. Over the years, how have you looked at the ups and downs of life for insights and lessons learned?

EXERCISE:

Where have you been blind to finding the silver linings and blessings that were disguised in some of the challenges you’ve faced?

How might greater reflection about your past and a deeper look at present and future events guide you toward a more fulfilling life?

Friday Review: Friendship

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Friday Review: Friendship

What does it mean to be and have a friend? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.

“Probably the most neglected friend you have is you.”

 

 

 

 

 

“When people are like each other, they tend to like each other.”

 

 

 

“To be a good fisherman you must detach yourself from the dream of the fish. This makes whatever is caught or found a treasure.”

 

 

 

 

 

You don’t find your ground by looking for stability

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“You don’t find your ground by looking for stability. You find your ground by relaxing into instability.”

—Cory Muscara, founder of the Long Island Center for Mindfulness

Image from Unsplash by Dominik Jirovský

Have you ever gone camping and had to sleep on the ground? Perhaps you were invited to a sleepover as a kid and the floor was all that was available.

How soft or firm is your current mattress? What qualities of this most important piece of furniture do you value most?

Do you recall the years of the water bed craze?  As a proud early adopter, I still recall the initial instability and the “motion of the ocean” when we first rolled in each evening.

EXERCISE:

Where would relaxing into areas of instability in your life help you discover the stability you seek?

What pleasure and fun might be available if you simply learned to go with the flow more often?

When you are young, you have raw smarts

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“When you are young, you have raw smarts; when you are old, you have wisdom.”

—Arthur C. Brooks, Harvard professor, PhD social scientist, bestselling author

Image from Unsplash by Jordan Whitt

I agree with today’s quote in most cases, especially for individuals with a growth mindset and a propensity toward lifelong learning.

The pursuit of knowledge and experience takes time.

Raw smarts and wisdom build at different rates.

Consider a heavy rain as it fills a puddle versus years of rain carving a river’s path.

EXERCISE:

How has your growth and development journey evolved over the years?

Where and how have you stepped beyond acquiring raw smarts to embracing the gift of wisdom?

Live in the good of each conversation

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“Live in the good of each conversation.”

—Sue Heatherington, author of Quiet Disruptors: Creating Change Without Shouting

Image from Unsplash by Alexis Brown

Every so often I come across the work of someone that touches something deep inside. On occasion, I post comments and write to them directly with my thoughts, and to establish a type of dialogue.

With Sue Heatherington, I took an additional step and requested an actual conversation over Zoom, which she kindly accepted.

After our 70-minute conversation, we both felt we were just getting started. We intend to speak again in the coming months, and will undoubtedly discover much more good in these conversations.

EXERCISE:

Please investigate Sue’s remarkable work at sueheatherington.com. Perhaps reach out and connect with someone like her in your online communities, to live in the good of a future conversation.

Make a pact with yourself

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Make a pact with yourself. It is up to you to see it through.

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by Elise Storsul

It is common to promise others what we intend to do. Giving and keeping our word is fundamental to the establishment of trust.

How impeccable are you with your word when it involves others? How trustworthy are you when these promises are made with yourself?

Consider the words promise, commitment, vow, and pledge as alternatives to the word pact.

Which if any do your find the most empowering and inspiring to help you see things through?

EXERCISE:

Where and on what matter is it time to make a pact with yourself?

How might you also engage others to support your efforts to fulfill this commitment?

Friday Review: Problem-Solving

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Friday Review: Problem-Solving

What strategies do you employ in problem-solving? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.

“You cannot dream yourself into a character, you must hammer and forge yourself into one.”

 

 

 

 

“Don’t cut strings when you can untie knots.”

 

 

 

 

“Fall in love with the problem, not the solution.”