How to Pull the Knife Out of Your Back

Have you ever said something stupid?  I have.  Maybe you spoke out of turn? Let something slip that you shouldn’t have?  I did.  I also know some pretty smart folks that have done the same.    What did you do?  Humbly apologized, I hope.  I also offered to do what I could to make it better, sans excuses.

It doesn’t always work, right?  We all make mistakes but sometimes you’re still at the mercy of the maturity on the other side of the table.  Granted, some open-mouth-insert-foot moments are worse than others.  Forgiveness can take time.

Here are 3.5 tips for how to act when you’re the one that got “dissed”…

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Lessons from Ronald Reagan

Doing some housekeeping in an old organizer I came across an undated page of notes.  I had titled it "Ronald Reagan – Lessons" and it had this list:

  • Never Be mean spirited 
  • Know and have convictions
  • Strive to know and do the will of God.  
  • Bigotry and prejudice are the worst things a man can be guilty of.
  • Match optimistic temperament with bold, persistent action.  
  • Never slight or embarrass others. 
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Stitches On The Baseball: You Must Have Vision

Baseball close up, pitcher in background representing character quality of vision The top ten hitters in Major League Baseball today have batting averages between .310 and .345.  They also have to average about three times at bat per game.  That means that the best of the best players (at bat) of our National pastime are successful at bat around 30% of the time, AND, they get a hit slightly less than once per game, on average.  It’s also said that a great hitter can slow down the ball in his mind, sometimes able to see the stitching on the ball, and therefore, the ball’s rotation.  Wow! Now that’s great vision!

Acting out of principle day-to-day takes the vision to see the outcome before you get there.  Often the better road is the harder one. The best of the best are still “failing” at the plate most of the time they’re there.  You have to visualize and you have to get up to bat.

I have had a number of recent reminders about the importance of being able to visualize your future.  Seeing where you are going in your imagination, FIRST, creates the belief that you will get there.

It’s harder than it sounds isn’t it?  You have to force yourself to schedule time to do just that  – dream – create the picture in your mind and connect your dream to what you do.

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