Providing Insights on Leadership and Success. Coach Bechler is a John Maxwell Leadership Team Member.
Last week we celebrated the 4th of July here in the United States. That date marks our nation’s birthday – our Independence Day. Besides the usual array of hot dogs, parades, and fireworks, many of us took time and were reminded of the concepts of freedom and sacrifice.
However, I have a different kind of freedom on my mind today.
Once upon a time in a small Italian town, a daughter complained to her father that her life was miserable.
She was tired of fighting and struggling all the time. It seemed like life was one problem after the next.
The next day her father, who was a chef, took her to the kitchen. He boiled three pots of water. He placed potatoes in one, eggs in another, and ground coffee beans in the third.
Of course, the daughter waited impatiently, wondering what he was doing.
This week, I was reminded of a short little story by Portia Nelson entitled There’s a Hole in My Sidewalk: Autobiography in Five Chapters.
“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” (Dr. Seuss)
No truer statement may ever have been uttered. It’s amazing how much you learn after you realize that you don’t have to please everyone.
If you want to please everyone then go sell ice cream.
Larry Winget is known as “The Pitbull of Personal Development”. He was the star of A&E’s “Big Spender” reality show and is the author of many books, including 6 New York Times/Wall Street Journal best-sellers. Larry is the host of the “Grow a Pair” podcast and is popular expert guest on stations such as Fox Business, Fox News, and MSNBC. He has spoken to more than 400 of the Fortune-500 companies. Larry is the best branded, most recognizable speaker in the business. Many speakers claim to be original, but Larry Winget is THE original. He has established himself as an icon in the world of personal development and self-help. You won’t find many people who don’t know or who won’t recognize him as a result of his six national bestsellers, his thousands of on-stage appearances or his many regular television appearances. Larry was the first to be willing to take on the “positive attitude” motivational speakers and the Law Of Attraction bozos with his common sense, back to the basics approach. Larry still believes that hard work and excellence are the keys to success and communicates that like no other person on the planet can! Larry makes you think. He makes you uncomfortable. He offers common sense solutions that are impossible to argue with. On top of all that, he is hilarious.
In today’s episode, we discuss:
“The greatest tragedy in life is wasted talent” (Robert DeNiro’s character in “A Bronx Tale”)He was a collegiate national champion, an All-American football player and the number-6 pick in the NFL.
He dragged his girlfriend down a flight of stairs before smashing her head into a mailbox, he repeatedly displayed a series of destructive behaviors and even killed a man.
He eventually committed suicide in January of 2016 in his prison cell.
He was Lawrence Phillips, one of the greatest collegiate running backs of all-time and one of the greatest tragedies of life.
It is too bad that he wasn’t the last troubled superstar we heard about.
“In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately your own responsibility.” –Eleanor Roosevelt
The decisions we make today goes a long way toward determining our future. Our choices lead to actions and actions lead to consequences. Sometimes good. Sometimes bad.