Crawl, Walk, Run – You just can’t skip steps. Yet that seems to be what we do and we wonder why it was so hard and we give up so quickly.  Most of the time we haven’t even tried crawling and now we are off to run the Boston Marathon. While are enthusiasm to do something might have us want to jump right in, it’s not always best plan of attack.

The beauty in Crawl, Walk, Run and not skipping steps is what we learn on the way to our goal. Remember when you first began to see a child crawl and you could see their minds working as they are figuring out this idea of getting from point A to point B all on their own? Soon they begin to take those first steps and without fail they fall. Yet the lesson they learn from falling are priceless. They always get back up and keep trying till they get it and everyone around celebrates each and every step.  Steps that soon lead to a new found freedom and then not long after they’re off and running.

It’s something we should never forget, yet we often do. Some of life’s most important lesson comes from Crawl, Walk, Run.  Steps we often like to skip but the lessons that they teach us is to important to ignore. Let us not forget to celebrate the victories no matter how small they might be, those in our own lives and the life’s of others. Let us not forget its ok to try and figure out  stuff  on our own or that is OK to reach out for help when needed. Let us not forget what we learned and how we can apply it to our daily lives as we moved from Crawl, Walk, Run. Let’s us enjoy the journey and all that it bring us.

Do you have a sexy team? How attractive is the team you work with? You’re probably thinking that I’m talking about looks – the physical appearance of the team. It takes more than just the physical looks of your team to make your team sexy. It takes the right atmosphere, environment, and team culture to make a team truly sexy.

How do you know if you have a sexy team or not? Well, when other’s look at your team do they say “It would be great to work with that team!” or do they make a weird cringing face and think, “No way would I work with them!” It’s more than being a fun team to work with and more than being the team that just gets stuff done. It’s a combination of both of these. If you’re just the fun team then nothing gets done and if you’re just the team that gets stuff done, then you aren’t fun.

Bill Hybles talks about the 4 “C’s” of hiring people for your team – CHARACTER, COMPETENCY, CHEMISTRY, and CULTURE. It’s not that every team member has to posses these qualities to make a good team but they must possess the same value in these qualities. Everyone one on your team must define these qualities the same. If someone’s definition doesn’t line up with the rest of the team, then it makes your team dysfunctional – nonsexy. A team that’s made up of people who have these four things in common is a sexy team – a team that others look and say, “I’d like to be on that team” or “I’d like to do business with them”.

So, I ask you again…. Do you have a sexy team? What makes outsiders want to work with on your team?

Are you inspiring or do you just think you are inspiring?   Are you annoying people while trying to inspire?  As much as we would like to think that there is a big difference, there really is a fine line.

Must of us are passionate about something and we want others around up to be passionate about it to. We want our friends, family, coworkers, facebook peeps, and tweeps all to be inspired just like we are. So, what do we do is we shout it from the rooftop! But at what point do we cross over from inspiring to annoying?  At what point do people go from “Yeah! I’m starting to get it!” to “I wish you would just shut up!!!”?

My wife calls me a fitness nazi cuz for some reason around her I’m always talking about it. I’m constantly reading articles, studying, and working out. I tell her what to eat, when to eat, and when to workout. We cross the line when instead of inspiring out with our action and how we live we try to inspire people with words and forcefulness. When we start trying to force our passion on the people around us we are no longer inspiring.

We are all inspired by the work we see others do and very few, if any, are inspired by the constant screaming from the roof top of you own personal soap box. So if it’s fitness, feeding the poor, sheltering the homeless, taking care of nature, or sharing your relationship with Jesus – it is your action and the lifestyle you lead that will inspire.

Share your thoughts, what do you think are you annoying or inspiring?

This is question we’ve all want to know the answer to for years. Why didn’t I finish college, how come that fitness program didn’t work, I keep trying but can’t get out of debt. The hundreds of things we try daily but for some reason some things we can succeed at and others we fail time and time again until we just give up.  So here it is drum roll please……………………………………..the #1 reason you fail is “you start at the beginning and not the end”. Now you’re saying that make no sense I thought you were going to say something profound not something stupid like that.

Let me explain, let’s say you’re hungry and your goal is to feed yourself. Now at this point you know what your end results should be, to no longer be hungry. Now you’re on a mission you’re looking for something to eat. You have a few options you can cook, get take out, and go sit down at a restaurant or something as simple as picking up and apple and taking some bites out of it. Yet no matter what your choice you have not taken your mind of the end results no longer being hungry.

See that how it is in all of our goals if we  start out with I’m going  start working out and have no end result in mind it easy to quit, fail or just give up. Instead of thinking I’m going to start something lets think I’m going to finish something. Think about every time you’ve heard someone say I’m going to start this and they do but they never finish. Versus the people who say I’m going to finish this and they do. I can think of the countless times in my life how something that seems so simple now makes so much sense.

Now that we’ve decide we will finish things and not just start them we must all ways remember to not take our eyes of the finish line because it’s when we do this that we quit, fail and just plain give up.

Share your thoughts why do think we just do succeed sometimes?

The other day one of the best leaders I know John Davis Tweeted this Leadership Lessons From Dancing Guy. Not only is it so true but funny at the same time. There’s nothing better when you can learn and laugh at the same time. That’s why I thought it would be a great way to start of the week of “Leadership can be Fun Post”

Enjoy the video…………..

What are you thoughts? Do you have a fun lesson on leadership?

Are you a Producer or a Consumer? Do the things that surround you in your life all about what can be done for you or you about what you can do for others. Are you a server or want to be served. Here are some question you can ask yourself , if your not quite sure.

Think about how often you serve or when you serve. Do you only serve when it convenient for you?

Are you a leader who leads others or do you reproduce leaders?

Do you drain the energy of others or help energize others?

Are you looking for a church that meets your needs or to be part of the church?

Will you do for others but only if…………..

I want to but what’s in it for me?

Look at all these different color bracelets I have to support my favorite causes.

Do the things you own define who you are?

Do you support a lot of causes till you get board and move on?

Are you a producer or a consumer?

Do you have some question you like to add, share your thoughts

Like most of us in this world we couldn’t wait till we were grown and on our own. Why?  So people couldn’t tell us what NOT to do. Well today I going to change things up and give you a list of things you should NOT do this week. I know sometimes we get so caught up in what to do we forget what NOT to do.

• Do not take the easy way out – You’ll never learn anything new, nor will you get better this way.
• Do not give up – Even the best of us at times wants to quit but those are the times we need to keep pushing on.
• Do not do what you’ve always done – Even if this has worked for years change it up or you’ll keep  getting the same results and in this ever changing world you’ll soon be left behind.
• Do not stress out – I know with bills, dead lines and everything else going on it’s hard to not do this, but if we give our best in everything we do it makes this easier.
• Do not ignore your family – I know life is hectic. You’ve got work to do around  the house and your family loves you for that but they also just want to spend time with you.
• Do not be cocky – Yeah I know……… your the Lebron James of what you do. Let your work speak for its self – not your words.
• Do not eat out everyday this week – Sure its the easy thing but take a nice healthy lunch with you – your body with thank you.
• Do not be in a pain in the butt – Always treat people with kindness, respect and honor.
• Do not watch 30 hours of TV – read a book, go for a walk, and do something beside being a couch potato.
• Do not ignore what God has called you do to – yes it risky, your not sure what  might happen but that’s why it’s called faith.

What do think are  there somethings that you should NOT be doing, share you thoughts or your own list………….

Thought I would try something new this week.  On Fridays I want to share some of my favorite post with you.

“Stop Making Things Difficult” the title says it all as Scott Williams from Bigisthenewsmall.com breaks down simple ways we can stop over complicating things.

“Development-The Fine Art of Telling People they Suck” now this is never an easy thing to do but Anna Light hits a homerun on this one.

Anything to do with the Old Spice Guy, the stuff he does just makes me laugh. You can even set it up for him to be your voicemail message try it here.

Things I’m tired of hearing about this week anything to do with Lebron James and how the Heat are the greatest thing since slice bread.

What are some of your favorites this week, what are tired of hearing about?

In 1978 Diana Nyad had a dream to swim from Cuba to Florida and even though see didn’t accomplish that dream back then. Now at the age of 60 she is going for it again. What an amazing story of never giving up on your dreams watch the video below to hear more about it.

Do you have a dream, what is God calling you to do?

Share your thoughts………….

The only way to get better at something is to practice it. Yesterday I talked about the lost art of practicing relationships. Today I’ve put together a list of things I think we could all practice on a daily basis. In no particular order here we go.

1. Be thankful- In a world where it seems like getting more is the thing to do lets all take a moment and be thankful for what we do have.
2. Showing love to others - Not just saying it but actually showing it.
3. Flossing – Yes flossing, I once  heard someone once say “only floss the teeth you want to save”
4. Using manners – Some  where along the line ‘please” and “thank you” got replaced with “it’s bout time”and “hurry up”
5. Listening – I know tis is hard one, that’s why we have to practice it
6. Eating healthy – Not sure why we won’t to wait till we can be a contest on the  ”Biggest Loser” before we take our health serious.
7. Pray - Yes it works, Yes God answers prayers you might not always like the answer but He always answers.
8. Learning – Each day is an opportunity to learn something whether it big of small you can learn.
9. Honesty - and the truth shall set you free. Lying  benefits no one.
10. Fun – Life is gift enjoy it!

What do you think, do you have things you like to practice daily, something you think should be added to the list share your thoughts……………..