Showing posts with label Gratitude. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gratitude. Show all posts

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Recipe for Mediocrity

Hello Speakers, Business Owners, Future Entrepreneurs and Big Dreamers,  
 The United States has a $1.5 billion annual destruction problem. This destruction problem is caused by crazy wild pigs. These wild pigs, also known as "Wild Boar" are the culprits and they occupy 47 states in our country. They are one of the most invasive species known to mankind.
Some of these wild boar weigh between 450 to 600 pounds, and can run as fast as 35 miles an hour. They have sharp tusks that can grow up to 4 inches long and can snap a human leg like a small tree branch in seconds. They literally eat anything their path, eggs, berries, wood, small animals, waste, and possibly inexperienced hunters. They are truly wild and highly dangerous. The following story is a bit of fact and fiction.

Just ask one town in Millstone, Utah, a farming community that was  ravaged by these creatures. The town finally came together and pooled their money so they could seek out the most experienced hunters they could find to solve this wild boar overpopulation problem. They combined thousands of dollars to hire a team of the best hunters. The day came when these experienced hunters rolled into town their shiny trucks, plus a multitude of equipment and a team of hunters dressed in what looked like SWAT gear. They took the money town residents compiled and they headed into the woods to do their deed. Just about a week later they came out of the woods, but were not as enthusiastic as when they were entering the woods,  their vehicles were dented and damaged, hunters were hurt, equipment was damaged along with their egos and the results were dismal. Only a couple of wild boar were dead in the back of one of their trucks. They just kept rolling through town and never stopped and never came back. The town of Millstone was at their wits end and almost out of money. So they put an ad in the paper, labeled: "ANYONE" that can help our town eradicate "Wild Pigs!!!" PLEASE RESPOND!
About a week later, this old rickety flatbed truck comes rolling in to Millstone. Behind the wheel of the truck sat this old timer long with white hair and a dirty white beard with a stub of a cigar sticking out of the corner of his mouth. He pulled up to Town Hall and said to the authorities:
“I’m here to get the pigs.”
They came outside to see his equipment and they were flabbergasted to see he had a 40-year-old rusted flatbed truck stacked with a lot of lumber, boxes and boxes of nails, and bags of feed that probably weighed close to 3000 pounds. The authorities said to the old man "you must be kidding, you're going to kill yourself, go home now". The old man just stared at them and got in his truck and headed into the woods to get the pigs.
About a week later, this rickety old truck began to make its way out of the woods on this dirt mountain road heading into the town of Millstone. Front tires of the truck were lifting up because it had so many dead Wild Boar on the back of it.
The old geezer got out of the truck with that unlit cigar sticking on a corner of his mouth and the town residents asked him how he was able to accomplish this?
The Old Man stood there in front of everybody and said it was quite simple. The other hunters you hired thought they could meet these Wild Boar head-on with big guns and fancy equipment, maybe, in some cases it will work. These animals are born killers and every waking moment of their life is about the hunt it's about bringing food back to their sounder to feed their young. Wild Boar are just about the most ambitious motivated creature on planet Earth.
I just taught them how to become mediocre.
The first day I showed up I found a small open field and pulled my truck up in the middle of the field. I opened up about 300 pounds of feed and dumped it in the middle of the field. And I went and sat in my truck for the rest of the day. Throughout the night I could see a few of these wild boar going to the pile of feed the following night it quadrupled. On day three, I took my lumber and made two sides of the fence connecting them in an L shape fashion and I dumped about another 500 pounds of feed in the corner and headed back to my truck for the night. I estimate at least two dozen wild boar were on the scene. On day four, I built side three of the fence connecting it to side one and side two. Now I had this U-shaped corral and then filled the corral with about 1000 pounds of feed. That night, I assumed at least four dozen wild boar were on the scene. On day five, I built the final side of the fence and left it lying on the ground and I dumped the rest of the feed that night into the corral. Just as expected the boar trotted into corral to feast on the feed and when that happened I propped up side four the fence and backed my truck up against it and trapped them. As I looked into the corral some of them were so full they were sleeping. I stood on the truck and it was just like shooting fish in a barrel except this time shooting wild pigs in the corral.
The old man said mediocrity isn't something you're born with he stated “it's an environment.” It's who you hang around with and what your tuned into every day. The environment becomes a part of you and you a part of it. Once it influences you over time it grows into habit. If that habit stays with you then you have ordained your destiny.
These wild boar were not use to getting something handed to them, they are born hunters. But each night, they could run into the middle of the field and they became comfortable getting something for nothing. I created a lazy environment for them. “I’ve learned one thing in my 70 years and that's if you give something to somebody continually as a hand out you will drain their drive, their perseverance and their will. Then you have them relegated to be dependent on that environment. This environment was mediocrity. 
That is how I caught the wild boar.        

Next Blog July 25, 2015.


 “The Insurance Coach”

      John P. Slosek, Jr 
   "The Insurance Coach ™"
Insurance Coach Radio Show 

Airs Every Saturday Morning 8am 
   www.realoldies1250.net          413-246-5037



Wednesday, March 25, 2015

The Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Cups of Coffee


Dear Entrepreneurs, Speakers and Personal Growth Seekers, 

This months blog is not created by my efforts. Although it may seem like 
an easy way out to place a story of another (unknown author) into this blog without a name. I felt that the message this story carried moved my spirit. It wanted to share it with you. After 14 years of radio broad casting I have never deviated from my show's opening message. " If I can help one person from this message today to steer you in a direction that will change your life, then I have done my job". This is my purpose! 

 Please enjoy the the following. 

The Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Cups of Coffee

When things in your life seem almost too much to
handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough,
remember the mayonnaise jar...and the 2 cups of
coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had
some items in front of him. When the class began,
wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty
mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf
balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full.
They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and
poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly.
The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the
golf balls. He then asked the students again if the
jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured
it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up
everything else. He asked once more if the jar was
full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from
under the table and poured the entire contents into
the jar, effectively filling the empty space between
the sand. The students laughed. "Now," said the
professor, as the laughter subsided, " I want you to
recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things - your God,
family, your children, your health, your friends, and
your favorite passions-things that if everything else
was lost and only they remained, your life would still
be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter
like your job, your house, and your car. The sand is
everything else-the small stuff.

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he
continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the
golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all
your time and energy on the small stuff, you will
never have room for the things that are important to
you.
Pay attention to the things that are critical to your
happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get
medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner.
Play another 18. There will always be time to clean
the house and fix the disposal." Take care of the golf
balls first, the things that really matter. Set your
priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what
the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm
glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no
matter how full your life may seem, there's always
room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

Have a great month. 
Sincerely 
John P. Slosek, Jr. 
413-246-5037 (text only) 
Inspiringwealth@aol.com

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Gratitude (Served with Stuffing and Gravy)

With Thanksgiving a week away, now is a wonderful time to consciously appreciate all of the goodness in our lives. So I got to thinking, “What are the things I am grateful for on any given day?” Here is my impromptu list:

Fresh fruit
A good night's sleep
A cat curled on my lap
Dogs that play fetch
Anything crunchy
Music
Sunshine
Toothpaste
A hot shower
A big window with a view of the outdoors
Anyone who makes me laugh
A hug
Soft fabrics
Facebook
Friends who I don’t hear from but I just know they’re out there
Comfortable walking shoes
The freedom available in America
Those who fought for us, and those who fight today
Small towns
Candlelight
Water sparkling in the sunlight (or moonlight)
Stars, and the fact that it is dark enough to see them
Beautiful colors
Reading the New York Times
Skin lotion
Artworks of any type
Anything almond
Quality chocolate
Dark roast coffee
Ice cubes
Fresh air on my face
The warm body next to me
A beautifully written novel
Safe arrivals at destinations
Friendly service professionals
Friends and family coming through the door
Learning something new and interesting
Happy surprises
The strength in my body
The ability to move
Delivering something of value to someone else
A comfy chair
Smiling faces
Old photos
People who are “real”
Irony, cleverness and wit
The ability to think
The ability to remember
The ability to dream
Salt and pepper
An inspired idea
The moment the sauce comes together
Stuffing and gravy!

What's on your daily gratitude list? Share with me!




Linda Spevacek is an innovative speaker, author and coach who can help you create prosperity across all aspects of your life. Discover more at ExpertProsperity.com